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EDITOR’S NOTE by Joe Bryant
There’s More Where This Came From...
W
elcome to our 2009 Edition of the Footballguys Strategy Guide. We are completely stoked about this new CD format but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little conflicted. On one hand, we’re bummed to be leaving the print media for the magazine where we’ve been recognized as one of the best fantasy magazines in the country. But with rising printing costs, mailing costs, and a decline in print advertising, we felt the need to change course here. And like everything we do at Footballguys, when we change gears, we go full throttle. Instead of creating a print magazine, we have opted to produce this CD that will include not only the magazine, but a ton of additional extras like our popular Draft Dominator Application. And to show the world we are serious about the fantasy football business, we will be distributing more than 150,000 of these into the marketplace. We’ll have “Footballguys Street Teams” helping us distribute these across the land spreading the word about all that is Footballguys. So instead of seeing this as the end of our print magazine, we’re looking at it as the beginning of our logical next step as we better serve our customers. Instead of using tons of paper to print these magazines, we’re able to have the magazine on this CD in full color, along with a bunch of other cool features, and offer it for $3 which is less than half of what most fantasy magazines cost. So thank you very much for giving us a shot here. Like everything we do, we’ll give you our very best shot. As I thought about the introduction, I kept thinking about … icebergs. Yeah icebergs. My 4th grade son tells me that 90 percent of an iceberg is below the surface. What you can see on top is actually a very small part of what’s there. That’s an image that’s been on my mind the last few months as we’ve been faced with the task of taking 50,000+ pages of Footballguys.com online content we produce and squeeze it into a magazine. What we get to show you in this magazine is just the proverbial “tip of the iceberg” of all we do. It’s been a challenge to condense tens of thousands of pages into just a couple hundred, but I feel pretty good about what we’ve got for you here.
In addition to giving you tons of great information for your draft, it’s our goal for the magazine to give you a taste of what we do with the website. For instance, we have a few Player Spotlights and Face-offs in the magazine. On the website, we’ll have more than 200 of these. In the magazine, each player will have four or five sentences written about him. On the website, every player has entire sections and tabs of content (career stats, game logs, news, overview, outlook, game summaries, etc) devoted to them. Our website has more free information than many premium sites have paid content. Our message board had more than 2 million posts last season. In other words, it’s a pretty big iceberg. I don’t say these things to brag. I say them to give you a picture of what kind of asset Footballguys can be as you set out to dominate your league. Let our staff of 60+ football fanatics spend a thousand hours a week creating the content and tools you need to win – so you have a life spending time with your family or maybe even getting some work done. Regular Footballguys readers know I like to get to the bottom line. So here goes. The owners of this company have been involved with Fantasy Football more than 19 years. We know what fantasy owners want and we know what it takes to win. We run our business in a professional manner – whether it’s the website or this magazine. Plus, you can take us with you to the office as our message board keeps a PG-rated standard for language and content. But most importantly, we give our customers the tools and information to DOMINATE THEIR LEAGUE. Fantasy owners that subscribe to Footballguys are outrageously successful. And with that said, it’s our sincere hope that 2009 is your best fantasy football season yet. Thanks for allowing us to be a part of it.
presents
2009 Fantasy Football Strategy Guide EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: JOE B RYANT DAVI D DODDS MANAGING WRITER: CLAYTON G RAY SENIOR EDITOR: JASON WOOD STATISTICIAN: DOUG DR I N E N ART DIRECTOR: KEVI N U LR ICH CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS: DAVE BAKE R SIG M U N D B LOOM ANTHONY BOR B E LY J E N E B RAM E L M I KE B ROWN JOE B RYANT DAVI D DODDS COLI N DOWLI NG MARC FALETTI WI LL G RANT J E FF HASE LEY B R UCE H E N DE RSON BOB H E N RY M I KE H E R MAN AN DY H ICKS CECI L LAM M EY MARC LEVI N BOB MAGAW J E N MAKI JOH N NORTON J E FF PASQU I NO AARON R U DN ICKI CH R IS SM ITH CHASE STUART J E FF TE FE RTI LLE R MAU R I LE TR E M B LAY MATT WALDMAN MAR K WI M E R JASON WOOD DAVI D YU DKI N CONTACT INFO: FOOTBALLG UYS.COM 9117 HAI LES AB B EY LAN E KNOXVI LLE, TN 37922 WE B: HTTP:/ /WWW.FOOTBALLG UYS.COM E MAI L: B RYANT@FOOTBALLG UYS.COM
COVER PHOTO Maurice Jones-Drew (Icon Sports Media, Inc) F+W MEDIA, INC. Chairman & CEO: David Nussbaum Senior VP, Manufacturing & Production: Phil Graham Executive V.P., Interactive Media: John Lerner Director, Information Technology: Mike Kuehn F+W MEDIA, INC. MAGAZINE GROUP President: David Blansfield Group Publisher: Jeff Pozorski Conference Director: Sara Dumford Circulation Director: Deb Westmaas Newsstand Director: Susan Rose
Joe Bryant Owner – www.footballguys.com
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CONTENTS Odds and Ends 2 Editor’s Note Opening Words from Our Owner
4 NFL Depth Charts A Quick Look at All 32 Teams
News
32 NFL Team-by-Team Schedules
11 Injury Recap
Each Team’s 2009 Schedule
The Injuries to Know About
34 NFL Week-by-Week Schedules
14 Coaching Changes
A Weekly Look at the 2009 Schedule
An Examination of the New Coaches
237 Target Stats
20 Offseason Player Movement
Digging Beyond the Box Scores
A Summary of Free Agent Moves
248 Random Shots
26 Preseason Watch List Hot Topics to Follow This Preseason
A Different Kind of View of the NFL
250 Parting Shots Our Owner Closes the Magazine
Player and Team Pages 90 Rookie Reviews
Cheatsheets, Rankings and Projections 36 Offensive Line Preview A Quick Rundown of the Trenches
A Quick Look at the New Talent
96 Quarterbacks Drew Brees Leads the Huddle
108 Running Backs Adrian Peterson Rushes to the Top
42 Expert Rankings Consensus Staff Lists at Every Position
122 Wide Receivers Larry Fitzgerald Receives the Honor
56 Cheatsheets Performance, PPR, Basic, Auction, Dynasty, & IDP Lists
138 Tight Ends Jason Witten Gets the Nod
62 Top 220 Players Complete With ADP & Comments on Top 100
145 Kickers Stephen Gostkowski by a Toe
66 Projections Forecasts for the Entire 2009 Season
152 Individual Defensive Players A Comprehensive Look at Each Team IDPs
170 Team Reports
Strategy
A Two-page Look at Each NFL Team
8 Navigating Injuries An In-depth Examination of Injuries
76 Principles of Value Based Drafting
Spotlights and Face-offs
Another Look at the Foundation of Footballguys
99 Jay Cutler Spotlight How Will He Perform in Chicago?
80 Value Plays Our Staff Consensus List of Players to Target
Another QB in a New City
85 Overvalued Players Our Staff Consensus List of Players to Avoid
167 Defensive Team by Committee Advanced Strategy for Selecting Defenses
234 From the Gut Taking a Break from the Numbers
238 The Perfect Draft
103 Matt Cassel Face-off 111 Matt Forte Face-off Can the Second-year Back Succeed Again?
115 DeAngelo Williams Spotlight He Was Enormous in 2008
128 Chad Ochocinco Face-off Different Name, Same Game?
How to Dominate on Draft Day
244 Mock Draft Strategy Thoughts from 12 Staffers
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NFL Depth Charts by Bob Henry
A
t Footballguys.com we take fantasy football seriously. Our depth charts are updated on a daily basis during the regular season and throughout most of the offseason as well. The depth charts presented here represent an abbrevi-
Baltimore
RAVENS
BILLS
BENGALS
FALCONS
QB: Matt Ryan, Chris Redman, D.J. Shockley, John Parker Wilson RB: Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood (KR), Jason Snelling, Thomas Brown FB: Ovie Mughelli WR: Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, Harry Douglas (PR), Brian Finneran, Aaron Kelly TE: Tony Gonzalez, Justin Peelle, Jason Rader, Ben Hartsock K: Jason Elam
Carolina
QB: Carson Palmer, J.T. O’Sullivan, Jordan Palmer, Billy Farris RB: Cedric Benson, Brian Leonard (3RB/FB), Bernard Scott (3RB), Kenny Watson, DeDe Dorsey, Marlon Lucky FB: Daniel Coats (TE), Jeremi Johnson, Fui Vakapuna WR: Chad Ochocinco, Laveranues Coles, Chris Henry, Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell, Antonio Chatman, Quan Cosby TE: Reggie Kelly, Ben Utecht, Chase Coffman K: Shayne Graham, Dave Rayner
Cleveland
QB: Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre, Tyler Palko RB: Tim Hightower, Chris Wells, Jason Wright, LaRod Stephens-Howling FB: Tim Castille WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston (KR/ PR), Early Doucet, Jerheme Urban, Sean Morey TE: Leonard Pope, Ben Patrick, Anthony Becht, Steven Spach K: Neil Rackers
Atlanta
QB: Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Gibran Hamdan, Matt Baker RB: Marshawn Lynch (susp), Fred Jackson, Dominic Rhodes, Xavier Omon, Bruce Hall FB: Corey McIntyre WR: Terrell Owens, Lee Evans, Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish (PR), James Hardy, Steve Johnson TE: Derek Schouman, Shawn Nelson, Derek Fine, Jonathan Stupar, Travis McCall K: Rian Lindell
Cincinnati
CARDINALS
Arizona
QB: Joe Flacco, Troy Smith, John Beck, Drew Willy RB: Willis McGahee, Ray Rice (3RB), Cedric Peerman, Jalen Parmele FB: Le’Ron McClain, Jason Cook WR: Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Marcus Smith, Demetrius Williams, Yamon Figurs (PR), Marcus Maxwell, Eron Riley TE: Todd Heap, L.J. Smith, Davon Drew, Quinn Sypniewski K: Steve Hauschka, Graham Gano
Buffalo
ated format of our full depth charts that appear on the web site. Please visit www.footballguys.com to view the full version of our NFL depth charts, including individual defensive players (IDPs) and a more complete listing of backups at each position.
BROWNS
QB: Jake Delhomme, Josh McCown, Matt Moore, Hunter Cantwell RB: DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson, Jamall Lee FB: Brad Hoover, Tony Fiammetta WR: Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad, Dwayne Jarrett, Ryne Robinson, Kenneth Moore, Marcus Monk, Larry Beavers TE: Dante Rosario, Jeff King, Gary Barnidge K: John Kasay, Rhys Lloyd
Chicago
QB: Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Brett Ratliff, Richard Bartel RB: Jamal Lewis, Jerome Harrison, James Davis, Noah Herron FB: Lawrence Vickers, Charles Ali WR: Braylon Edwards, Donte Stallworth, Brian Robiskie, David Patten, Josh Cribbs (KR/PR/QB), Mohamed Massoquoi, Syndric Steptoe, Mike Furrey TE: Robert Royal, Steve Heiden, Martin Rucker, Brad Cieslak K: Phil Dawson
PANTHERS
BEARS
QB: Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie, Brett Basanez RB: Matt Forte, Kevin Jones, Garrett Wolfe, Adrian Peterson FB: Jason McKie, Jason Davis WR: Devin Hester (PR), Earl Bennett, Juaquin Iglesias, Rashied Davis, Johnny Knox (KR/PR), Derek Kinder TE: Greg Olsen, Desmond Clark, Michael Gaines, Kellen Davis K: Robbie Gould
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Denver
BRONCOS
Dallas
QB: Kyle Orton, Chris Simms, Tom Brandstater RB: Knowshon Moreno, Correll Buckhalter, Lamont Jordan, J.J. Arrington (KR), Darius Walker, Ryan Torain (inj), Kestahn Moore FB: Peyton Hillis WR: Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal (PR), Brandon Stokley, Jabar Gaffney, Kenny McKinley, Chad Jackson TE: Daniel Graham, Tony Scheffler, Richard Quinn, Jeb Putzier K: Matt Prater
Houston
TEXANS
COLTS
LIONS
QB: Daunte Culpepper, Matthew Stafford, Drew Stanton RB: Kevin Smith (3RB), Maurice Morris, Aaron Brown (3RB/KR), Aveion Cason (KR), Antone Smith FB: Jerome Felton, Terrelle Smith, Jon Bradley WR: Calvin Johnson, Bryant Johnson, Ronald Curry, Derrick Williams (PR), Keary Colbert, John Standeford TE: Brandon Pettigrew, Casey Fitzsimmons, Will Heller, Dan Gronkowski K: Jason Hanson
Green Bay
QB: Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi, Curtis Painter RB: Joseph Addai, Donald Brown, Mike Hart, Chad Simpson (KR), Lance Ball FB: None WR: Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez, Austin Collie, Roy Hall, Pierre Garcon (PR), Taj Smith TE: Dallas Clark, Gijon Robinson, Jacob Tamme, Justin Snow K: Adam Vinatieri, Pat McAfee
Jacksonville
QB: Tony Romo, Jon Kitna, Stephen McGee, Rudy Carpenter RB: Marion Barber III, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice, Alonzo Coleman, Keon Lattimore FB: Deon Anderson, Asaph Schwapp, Jamar Hunt WR: Roy Williams, Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton, Sam Hurd, Isaiah Stanback (KR), Manuel Johnson, Kevin Ogletree TE: Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, John Phillips K: Nick Folk, David Buehlr
Detroit
QB: Matt Schaub, Dan Orlovsky, Alex Brink RB: Steve Slaton (3RB), Chris Brown, Ryan Moats, Arian Foster, Jeremiah Johnson FB: Vonta Leach WR: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter, David Anderson, Andre Davis, Jacoby Jones (PR), Darnell Jenkins, Glenn Martinez TE: Owen Daniels, James Casey (HB/FB), Anthony Hill K: Kris Brown
Indianapolis
COWBOYS
JAGUARS
QB: Aaron Rodgers, Matt Flynn, Brian Brohm RB: Ryan Grant, Brandon Jackson (3RB), Kregg Lumpkin, DeShawn Wynn, Tyrell Sutton FB: Korey Hall, John Kuhn, Quinn Johnson WR: Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson (KR), James Jones, Ruvell Martin, Brett Swain TE: Donald Lee, Tory Humphrey, Jermichael Finley K: Mason Crosby
Minnesota
QB: David Garrard, Cleo Lemon, Todd Bouman, Paul Smith RB: Maurice Jones-Drew (SD/3RB), Chauncey Washington, Rashad Jennings, Alvin Pearman (KR) FB: Greg Jones, Montell Owens WR: Torry Holt, Mike Walker, Dennis Northcutt (PR), Mike Thomas, Jarett Dillard, Troy Williamson, Tiquan Underwood TE: Marcedes Lewis, Greg Estandia, Richard Angulo K: Josh Scobee
PACKERS
VIKINGS
QB: Sage Rosenfels, Tarvaris Jackson, John David Booty, Sean Glennon RB: Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Albert Young, Ian Johnson FB: Naufahu Tahi WR: Bernard Berrian (PR), Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin (KR/PR), Bobby Wade, Aundrae Allison (KR), Glenn Holt TE: Visanthe Shiancoe, Jim Kleinsasser, Garrett Mills, Jeff Dugan K: Ryan Longwell, Taylor Melhaff
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N F L D E P T H C HAR TS
Kansas City
CHIEFS
New Orleans
QB: Matt Cassel, Tyler Thigpen, Brodie Croyle, Ingle Martin RB: Larry Johnson, Jamaal Charles (3RB), Kolby Smith (inj), Javarris Williams, Jackie Battle, Dantrell Savage FB: Mike Cox WR: Dwayne Bowe, Mark Bradley, Bobby Engram, Devard Darling, Jeff Webb, Quinten Lawrence, Terrance Copper TE: Brad Cottam, Sean Ryan, Tony Curtis K: Connor Barth, Ryan Succop Miami
DOLPHINS
New England
PATRIOTS
GIANTS
QB: Eli Manning, David Carr, Rhett Bomar, Andre Woodson RB: Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw (KR), Andre Brown, Danny Ware, Allen Patrick FB: Madison Hedgecock WR: Domenik Hixon (KR/PR), Hakeem Nicks, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Ramses Barden, Sinorice Moss, David Tyree TE: Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum (HB), Michael Matthews, George Wrighster K: Lawrence Tynes Philadelphia
QB: Tom Brady, Kevin O’Connell, Matt Gutierrez, Brian Hoyer RB: Fred Taylor, Kevin Faulk (3RB), Sammy Morris, Laurence Maroney, BenJarvus Green-Ellis WR: Randy Moss, Wesley Welker (PR), Joey Galloway, Greg Lewis, Brandon Tate (KR) (inj), Sam Aiken, Matt Slater (KR) TE: Ben Watson, Chris Baker, Alex Smith, David Thomas K: Stephen Gostkowski
New York
QB: Drew Brees, Mark Brunell, Joey Harrington, Patrick Cowan RB: Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, Lynell Hamilton, P.J. Hill, Herb Donaldson FB: Heath Evans, Darian Barnes, Olaniyi Sobomehin WR: Marques Colston, Lance Moore (PR), Devery Henderson, Adrian Arrington, Robert Meachem, Skyler Green, Courtney Roby (KR) TE: Jeremy Shockey, Billy Miller, Dan Campbell K: Garrett Hartley
New York
QB: Chad Pennington, Chad Henne, Pat White (WR/ RB) RB: Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, Patrick Cobbs (KR), Lex Hilliard, Anthony Kimble FB: Lousaka Polite, Chris Brown WR: Ted Ginn, Greg Camarillo (inj), Davone Bess (PR), Brandon London, Ernest Wilford, Patrick Turner, Brian Hartline TE: Anthony Fasano, David Martin, John Nalbone K: Dan Carpenter
JETS
EAGLES
QB: Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, A.J. Feeley RB: Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy, Lorenzo Booker, Marcus Thigpen, Walter Mendenhall FB: Leonard Weaver, Kyle Eckel, Dan Klecko (DT) WR: DeSean Jackson (PR), Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, Reggie Brown, Jeremy Maclin (KR), Hank Baskett, Brandon Gibson TE: Brent Celek, Matt Schobel, Cornelius Ingram K: David Akers, Sam Swank
St. Louis
QB: Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge, Chris Pizzotti RB: Thomas Jones, Leon Washington (3RB/KR/PR), Shonn Greene, Danny Woodhead FB: Tony Richardson, Jehuu Caulcrick, Brannan Southerland WR: Jerricho Cotchery, Chansi Stuckey, Brad Smith, David Clowney, Wallace Wright, Marcus Henry, Huey Whittaker TE: Dustin Keller, Bubba Franks, Andrew Davie (LS), Rob Myers, J’Nathan Bullock K: Jay Feely
SAINTS
RAMS
QB: Marc Bulger, Kyle Boller, Keith Null, Brock Berlin RB: Steven Jackson, Antonio Pittman, Kenneth Darby (3RB), Chris Ogbonnaya (3RB), Sam Gado FB: Mike Karney, Chris Massey (LS), Jerome Johnson WR: Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton, Laurent Robinson, Derek Stanley, Brooks Foster, Travis Brown, Tim Carter TE: Randy McMichael, Joe Klopfenstein, Daniel Fells, Billy Bajema K: Josh Brown
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N F L D E P T H C HAR TS
Oakland
RAIDERS
San Francisco
QB: JaMarcus Russell, Jeff Garcia, Andrew Walter, Bruce Gradkowski RB: Darren McFadden, Justin Fargas, Michael Bush (FB), Gary Russell, Louis Rankin FB: Lorenzo Neal, Oren ONeal, Luke Lawton, Marcel Reece WR: Chaz Schilens, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Johnnie Lee Higgins, Javon Walker (inj), Louis Murphy, Todd Watkins, Arman Shields TE: Zach Miller, Tony Stewart, Brandon Myers K: Sebastian Janikowski Pittsburgh
STEELERS
San Diego
CHARGERS
SEAHAWKS
QB: Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Mike Teel, Jeff Rowe RB: Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett (SD), Justin Forsett (KR), Devin Moore, Tyler Roehl FB: Owen Schmitt, Justin Griffith, David Kirtman WR: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Nate Burleson, Deion Branch, Deon Butler, Jordan Kent, Ben Obomanu, Logan Payne TE: John Carlson, Cameron Morrah, John Owens K: Olindo Mare, Brandon Coutu
Tampa Bay
QB: Philip Rivers, Billy Volek, Charlie Whitehurst RB: LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles (KR/PR), Gartrell Johnson, Jacob Hester, Michael Bennett, Curtis Brinkley FB: Mike Tolbert, Billy Latsko WR: Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd, Craig Davis, Legedu Naanee, Kassim Osgood, Demetrius Byrd TE: Antonio Gates, Brandon Manumaleuna, Kris Wilson (FB), Kory Sperry K: Nate Kaeding
Tennessee
QB: Shaun Hill, Damon Huard, Alex Smith, Nate Davis RB: Frank Gore, Michael Robinson (FB), Glen Coffee, Thomas Clayton, Kory Sheets FB: Moran Norris, Zak Keasey WR: Michael Crabtree, Isaac Bruce, Josh Morgan, Brandon Jones, Jason Hill, Arnaz Battle, Dominique Zeigler TE: Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker, Bear Pascoe K: Joe Nedney
Seattle
QB: Ben Roethlisberger, Charlie Batch, Dennis Dixon, Mike Reilly RB: Willie Parker, Mewelde Moore (3RB), Rashard Mendenhall, Justin Vincent, Stefan Logan FB: Carey Davis, Frank Summers WR: Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Limas Sweed, Mike Wallace, Shaun McDonald, Dallas Baker, Martin Nance TE: Heath Miller, Matt Spaeth, David Johnson, Sean McHugh (FB/TE) K: Jeff Reed, Piotr Czech
TITANS
BUCCANEERS
QB: Luke McCown, Byron Leftwich, Josh Freeman, Josh Johnson RB: Derrick Ward (3RB), Earnest Graham, Clifton Smith (KR), Josh Vaughan, Kareem Huggins, Cadillac Williams (inj) FB: B.J. Askew, Jameel Cook WR: Antonio Bryant, Michael Clayton, Dexter Jackson (PR), Maurice Stovall, Sammie Stroughter, Cortez Hankton, Amarri Jackson TE: Kellen Winslow Jr, Jerramy Stevens, John Gilmore, Ryan Purvis K: Matt Bryant, Mike Nugent
Washington
QB: Kerry Collins, Vince Young, Patrick Ramsey, Alex Mortenson RB: Chris Johnson (3RB/KR), LenDale White, Chris Henry, Javon Ringer, Quinton Ganther, Rafael Little FB: Ahmard Hall, Casey Cramer WR: Justin Gage, Nate Washington, Kenny Britt, Lavelle Hawkins, Justin McCareins, Chris Davis (PR), Mark Jones (KR/PR), Paul Williams, Dudley Guice TE: Bo Scaife, Alge Crumpler, Jared Cook, Craig Stevens K: Rob Bironas
49ers
REDSKINS
QB: Jason Campbell, Todd Collins, Colt Brennan, Chase Daniels RB: Clinton Portis, Ladell Betts (3RB), Rock Cartwright (KR), Marcus Mason, Anthony Alridge, Dominique Dorsey FB: Mike Sellers, Jonathan Evans WR: Santana Moss (PR), Antwaan Randle El, Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, James Thrash, Roydell Williams, Jaison Williams TE: Chris Cooley, Fred Davis, Todd Yoder, Eddie Williams (HB/FB) K: Shaun Suisham
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HOW TO NAVIGATE THE
INJURY REPORT By Dr. W. David Hovis, M.D. and Dr. Jene Bramel, M.D. with Joe Bryant
“S
tay healthy.” If you listen to opposing players talk after a game, that’s the parting phrase you’ll hear repeated. And for good reason – avoiding serious injury is a key to success. But in a game like football, few players dodge the injury bullet for long. There will come a time when your player is injured. To succeed in fantasy football, you’ll need to understand the basics of the different injuries, and more importantly, what kind of timeframe the injured player is looking at before returning to action. To find answers to these questions, we consulted experts. Dr. David Hovis is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in Sports Medicine. He’s a Team Physician for the United States Alpine Ski Team and he served as the Assistant Team Physician for the Denver Broncos. He’s published numerous articles and has made many national presentations covering Sports Medicine with a particular focus on knee and shoulder injuries. He was gracious enough to give us the inside scoop on navigating the injury report. Dr. Jene Bramel is a member of our Footballguys staff, but his real job is at an Urgent Care Unit where he often diagnoses and treats the types of injuries discussed here.
SPRAINS VS. STRAINS A sprain refers to a stretching injury to a ligament. Regardless, of the anatomic location, sprains are generally graded 1, 2, or 3, depending on severity. A Grade 1 sprain is simply a stretch injury to the ligament without significant tearing of fibers and no instability. Grade 1 sprains heal without surgery. A Grade 2 sprain denotes a partial tear to the ligament and while mild instability is possible, these injuries generally heal without surgery. Grade 3 sprains are complete tears of the ligament. Instability exists and treatment depends upon anatomic location. Surgery is often required, depending on where the injury occurs. A strain is a stretching injury to a muscle or tendon. Hamstring or groin pulls are strain injuries. Strains can be graded as well, just like sprains. A Grade 1 muscle strain will be fairly minor, a Grade 2 strain would be a partial tear of the muscle and a Grade 3 strain would be a complete tear of the muscle belly. As we all know from following players with hamstring injuries, these problems can be nagging and extremely troublesome. The pressure of returning too quickly from injury can often entrap the player in a cycle of rehab followed by re-injury. Let’s take a look at some injuries and how they’re treated.
SHOULDER INJURIES Acromioclavicular joint (AC) shoulder separation. This is also known as a separated shoulder. This injury occurs as a result of a hit or blow to the top part of the shoulder, depressing the scapula (shoulder blade) and tearing the ligaments between the scapula and clavicle (collar bone). The classic case where you see this injury is when a QB is sacked and driven to the turf shoulder first. These don’t usually require surgery and length of rehab depends upon severity and player position. For example, a quarterback with an AC separation on his throwing shoulder will obviously be a more serious injury than a similar injury to a wide receiver. Treatment and Return to play: For less severe Grade 1 injuries, return to play may be immediate, especially with a pain killing injection. More severe injuries with Grade 2 or Grade 3 damage may take six weeks or even more. Dislocated shoulder with anterior instability. The most common shoulder dislocation in football is out the front, or anterior. Dislocations occurring traumatically in this direction often tear the labrum in the front part of the shoulder, leaving the shoulder at risk for recurring dislocations. Treatment and Return to play: For return to play, surgery is usually required to repair the torn labrum. The subsequent rehab is about four months, which means these are often season ending injuries. Note the big difference between a shoulder separation and a shoulder dislocation.
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KNEE INJURIES There are two types of cartilage in the knee, meniscal cartilage and articular cartilage. The great majority of knee cartilage injuries involve the meniscal cartilage. There are four major ligaments and several smaller ligaments around the knee. The major ligaments, in descending order of frequency of injury, are: medial collateral ligament (MCL), anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL). MCL and ACL injuries comprise the majority of knee ligament injuries. Meniscal tear. Think of the meniscal cartilage as a “shock absorber” between the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shin bone). Isolated meniscal tears are the most common knee injury in football. They are easily and commonly treated with arthroscopic resection (surgery). Making two or three tiny incisions on the front part of the knee, a camera and instruments can be inserted to clean out, or resect, the torn cartilage. The procedure is quick and players begin rehab immediately.
Treatment and Return to play: Recovery times for meniscal tears vary widely. Return to play usually depends on return of muscle strength and also depends heavily on the individual. Quick healers with minor tears may return to action quickly, but most players take longer to return. Often, arthroscopic surgery is necessary to repair torn meniscal cartilage. Most players take four weeks to return after surgery, as Reggie Bush did in 2008. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. If you were going to design a sport to create ACL tears, you would be hard-pressed to do better than football. The ACL controls stability to the knee by limiting anterior translation or shifting of the knee and coupling rotational motion of the knee. When the player plants his foot to cut and change direction, the ACL is placed under stress as it controls and couples the motion. If the stress is too much, the ligament can tear in a non-contact injury. Add to this scenario a blow from the side as in a linebacker tackling a running back, and the prevalence of ACL injuries goes way up. A healthy anterior cruciate ligament is a requirement to effectively cut side-to-side on the field. While there are some players who have navigated the football field for a whole career with an ACL deficient knee
(John Elway had torn ACLs in both knees his whole career), today, a torn anterior cruciate ligament almost always means reconstruction. ACL reconstruction is performed by taking a tendon graft either from the player’s own knee or from donated tissue in a tissue bank and routing it through drill holes in the bone to the exact location of the once-healthy ACL. The graft is generally fixed with screws on either side. Treatment and Return to play: It’s interesting that for ACL injuries, a great majority of them are Grade 3 or complete tears. In other words, when you hear “ACL Injury,” there’s a very good chance we’re talking about a serious injury. Six months or longer is often required for a player to return from reconstructive ACL surgery. There are anecdotal stories of athletes returning to play in the same season but often with negative consequences. Jerry Rice reinjured his knee after returning in the same season with a very accelerated rehab program. If a player has an ACL reconstruction, this should be considered a season-ending injury. In fact, there is rampant speculation that a player may take up to 18 months to fully return to his pre-injury form. Medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear. The MCL is subject to injury from a blow to the side of the knee. Offensive linemen are particularly prone to MCL injuries and most are prophylactically (not a word I get to write every day) braced to help prevent injury. In general, the braces are too restricting to be tolerated by most agility and speed players, but for lineman and less mobile QBs, it’s a common protective precaution. (Peyton Manning has worn a protective knee brace on his left knee for several years.)
Treatment and Return to play: An injured medial collateral ligament often heals without surgery and responds well to bracing and rehab. Return to play depends on the grade of injury and player position. Most quarterbacks, receivers and running backs will return within two weeks with a Grade 1 sprain, as Indianapolis TE Dallas Clark did early in 2008. For a Grade 3 or complete tear, it can take up to six weeks to return. Houston QB Matt Schaub’s month long recovery from a torn MCL in 2008 is the norm.
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H O W T O N AV I G AT E T H E I N J U R Y R E P O R T
FOOT AND ANKLE INJURIES High ankle sprain. High ankle sprains are different from traditional sprained ankles in that the damaged ligaments are between the tibia and fibula, the lower leg bones that run from the knee to the ankle. The stout ligaments, called the “syndesmosis” or “syndesmotic ligaments” hold these bones together and can be stretched with a twisting mechanism of injury about the ankle. If severe enough, the ligaments can completely tear (Grade 3 sprain) and the fibula can even break. The most recent high profile instance of such a severe injury was that of Terrell Owens in 2004. Syndesmotic injuries tend to heal more slowly than more common lateral ankle sprains. Treatment is determined by the stability of the ankle. If the ankle is stable, then the high ankle sprain can be treated in a cast or immobilizing boot. If the ankle is unstable, then “syndesmotic screws” can be placed between the tibia and fibula to hold the bones in proper alignment while the syndesmotic ligaments heal. Obviously, this would indicate a more serious injury with a longer recovery time. Treatment and Return to play: For a Grade 1 or 2 high ankle sprain, a player can likely return in two to four weeks. If surgery is required, he can be out up to 12 weeks. Again, the fitness and motivation of the athlete can determine in large part how quickly he returns. For some athletes with little to play for, surgery following a high ankle sprain can end their season. Turf toe. Turf toe is a hyperflexion injury of the big (great) toe. That means the big toe bends too far. Usually it’s too far backward. This can produce a sprain of the capsule on the plantar (bottom) surface of the foot. Turf toe injuries are named due to the increased frequency with which these injuries are seen on artificial turf. Studies have shown that up to 87 percent of the turf toe injuries occur on artificial turf. The disparity
is expected to decrease with the introduction of more playerfriendly Field Turf, but turf toe injuries are expected to continue to be a common problem. Treatment and Return to play: A Grade 1 sprain of the capsule is treated symptomatically and a rigid shoe insert often allows an immediate return to the field. “Treated symptomatically” means treating the symptoms of the injury, pain or swelling and so on. Grade 2 and 3 injuries are associated with increasing pain and usually require one to two weeks of rest, anti-inflammatories and icing. The rigid orthotics in the shoe usually allows return to play at that time. Also note that turf toe is similar to hamstring injuries in that it’s one of those nagging types of injuries. Players often try to return too quickly and wind up injuring themselves even more. Darren McFadden’s frustrating rookie season is a prime example of how difficult a turf toe injury can be to treat and return effectively in the same year.
STAPHYLOCOCCAL INFECTION Infection has always been a known risk after a surgical procedure. In recent seasons, however, staph infections have approached epidemic proportions in NFL locker rooms. The problem first made headlines after multiple members of the Cleveland Browns were infected over a short period of time. In 2008, both Tom Brady and Peyton Manning had post-surgical complications blamed on a staph infection. The severity of these infections can be highly variable. Some minor infections may go unreported. More severe infections after major operations could set recovery times back by months. Invasive staph infections continue to steadily increase in frequency among the general public. Despite the best efforts of team training and medical staffs, these infections are likely to continue to be a problem in the NFL in coming seasons.
MRIS AND GAME-TIME DECISIONS With the advancement in MRI diagnostics today, team physicians have a tremendous ability to diagnose injuries. MRIs show damage to the muscles, ligaments and tendons which an X-ray does not show well. When a player is injured, an MRI can be administered immediately and the results will be known right away. The team will often withhold that information until a course of action is determined, but they know what they’re dealing with very soon after the injury occurs. Often times, an athlete’s playing status won’t be determined until just before kickoff. This is the dreaded “game-time decision.” In a great many cases, this decision has been made well before game time, but the team doesn’t want to show its hand. In these cases, the best bet is to watch a player’s participation in practice (or lack of it) through the week. Every team is different and one of the primary in-season tasks we perform at Footballguys is deciphering the signals regarding who will play and how effectively. Knowing that Jeff Fisher’s “Questionable” is different from Andy Reid’s “Questionable” or knowing which coaches enforce a fairly strict “practice to play” rule can make all the difference. That knowledge and experience with the coaches, plus the injury information here, should help shed some light as you navigate the sometimes tricky path of the injury report. Best of luck and here’s hoping all your guys “stay healthy.”
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by Mark Wimer
INJURY RECAP P
ro football players often suffer injuries that linger from one season into the next. Below is a review of the most significant injuries that fantasy relevant skill position players are afflicted with entering the 2009 training camps. For the latest and most complete injury news (and other news), check out the player pages and news blogger at Footballguys.com.
Darren McFadden
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+ QUARTERBACKS + Cleveland QB Derek Anderson did not have offseason surgery on the knee injury he suffered last season. The injury healed naturally. New England QB Tom Brady is participating fully in the team’s offseason workouts and is working without limitations on his surgically repaired knee (ACL, September 2008). He is expected to be at full speed for training camp. Buffalo QB Trent Edwards is rehabbing a shoulder injury but should be ready for the start of training camp. Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck said his offseason weight training regimen has been successful (April 7th), and he participated fully in the team’s first minicamp in April. So far, his injured back looks to be at 100 percent. Cincinnati QB Carson Palmer avoided further surgery on his injured right elbow early this year and as of April 26 was said to be ready to participate full speed in offseason OTAs. He’s said to have a “chip on his shoulder” and is eager to prove he’s back to 100 percent. Cleveland QB Brady Quinn was reportedly near 100 percent recovered from finger surgery as of February 2009. “It feels great,” he said. “It’s amazing. This is what I was born to do and it feels great to be throwing again. I’m pain-free and everything was 100 percent successful.” Quinn should be at full speed for training camp. Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers played through a sprained throwing shoulder since week 4 of 2008, but did not require offseason surgery as of mid-May. San Francisco QB Alex Smith threw in minicamps during April but was seen holding his sore throwing arm shoulder (surgically repaired last November). It remains to be seen if he can get to 100 percent healthy in time for training camp. Arizona QB Kurt Warner had surgery in mid-March to repair a torn labrum in his left hip. As of May 4, he was participating in minicamp on a limited basis and appears to be on schedule to return to full participation by training camp.
+ RUNNING BACKS + Denver RB J.J. Arrington was unable to participate in May mini-camp as he continues to recover from a torn meniscus cartilage in his knee. He may be on the bubble if he can’t get into action soon. Dallas RB Marion Barber’s dislocated pinkie toe (an issue at the end of last season) is apparently healed – he’s been doing strenuous offseason workouts with no reported problems. New Orleans RB Reggie Bush is said to be recovering well from his late December knee surgery (microfracture surgery/ knee cartilage repair). The team hopes he’ll be ready to go for the start of training camp. NY Giants RB Ahmad Bradshaw suffered a minor ankle sprain while stepping off a street curb on April 2. He resumed full participation in OTAs on April 21. Chicago RB Matt Forte reports that the sore toe that bothered him at the end of 2008 has completely healed during the offseason. Tampa Bay RB Earnest Graham suffered a high ankle
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sprain with ligament damage back in November of 2008, but he is expected to be able to participate in OTAs/training camp. On May 8 his agent Drew Rosenhaus asserted that Graham is fully healed. Indianapolis RB Mike Hart is said to be “on schedule” for returning from a torn ACL (suffered last October). He may be on the bubble with the Colts since they drafted Donald Brown. Dallas RB Felix Jones is apparently 100 percent recovered from his surgically repaired turf toe (November 2008 surgery on ligaments attached to his left big toe). He has been running and cutting in workouts and looks solid. Tennessee RB Chris Johnson reported in early April that his injured ankle was 95 percent healed and that he expects to participate in minicamps and training camp at 100 percent. He’s been working out extensively with a speed and performance expert. Cleveland RB Jamal Lewis is recovering from an arthroscopic procedure on his ankle performed in February – no rookie RBs were picked in the 2009 Draft, so the Browns are presumably comfortable with Lewis’ health. New England RB Laurence Maroney believes he is 100 percent recovered from his troublesome shoulder injury of last October. We’ll see when training camp rolls around. Oakland RB Darren McFadden is said to be 100 percent recovered from an arthroscopic shoulder surgery performed in January. He should be fine for training camp. Baltimore RB Willis McGahee revealed in May he had arthroscopic surgery on an ankle, not on the knee that has been troubling him in the past (as the team first indicated, in error). He expects to be fully recovered for the start of training camp in late July. Pittsburgh RB Rashard Mendenhall has participated in offseason sessions and minicamps and looks fully recovered from last September’s broken shoulder. Kansas City RB Kolby Smith did not participate in the first minicamp as his sprained knee is still an issue early in the offseason. New England RB Fred Taylor suffered a minor wrist (sprained left wrist) injury in early May while lifting weights. He should be fine well before training camp opens. San Diego RB LaDainian Tomlinson participated fully in May minicamps and appears 100 percent recovered from the groin injury that sidelined him during the playoffs at the end of last season. “No, I wasn’t restricted and I did everything. Of course you are always concerned because it is the first time back on the field and especially after being injured. But I wasn’t restricted at all and it was great.” Tomlinson commented. Denver RB Ryan Torain suffered an ACL tear in early November and wasn’t able to participate in May mini-camps. He’ll likely begin the season on the PUP list. Philadelphia RB Brian Westbrook talked about his recent arthroscopic knee surgery on April 9th and said for the first time in years, he doesn’t feel any pain heading into an offseason. He should be ready for the start of training camp.
+ WIDE RECEIVERS + St. Louis WR Donnie Avery played 2008 with a cracked hip – he was told at the end of the season he’d need 8-10 weeks of rest to heal. He should be ready for training camp.
NY Giants WR Ramses Barden suffered a hamstring injury during minicamp in early May. The injury isn’t considered serious, but nagging hamstring injuries have dogged more than one WR so we’ll keep an eye on his recovery. Arizona WR Anquan Boldin was sent for an MRI after reporting a hamstring injury at the mandatory 3-day minicamp in early May. It appears the “hamstring” complaint may have had more to do with his contractual squabble with the team than an actual injury, however. Seattle WR Nate Burleson is running pass patterns again without any problem. Burleson, eight months removed from reconstructive knee surgery, is catching “everything thrown his way” and is said to be running effortlessly. He should participate fully in training camp. Seattle WR Deion Branch had arthroscopic knee surgery after the 2008 season and was seen in street clothes at the teams’ first minicamps. The team hopes he’ll be ready for training camp. San Diego rookie WR Demetrius Byrd (seventh round pick, once considered a first round prospect), is recovering from a serious car accident suffered just days before the NFL draft. He’s been released from the hospital and continues his rehab. Miami WR Greg Camarillo is recovering from late-season ACL/meniscus surgery in his knee. He hopes to be ready for training camp, but that goal may be tough only six months removed from knee surgery as of mid-May. New Orleans WR Marques Colston is recovering well from arthroscopic knee surgery. The Saints hope he’ll participate at some point during their OTAs, targeting a June return. He should be 100 percent for training camp. San Francisco WR Michael Crabtree is recovering from a foot injury. He is expected to get in the mix by the end of May and should be ready for training camp. Dallas WR Patrick Crayton had arthroscopic ankle surgery in January, but he is expected to be healthy for training camp. Philadelphia WR Kevin Curtis had sports hernia surgery in mid-April (a follow-up to last year’s surgery, performed in August 2008). Curtis is expected to be up to speed by training camp, hopefully. San Diego WR Craig Davis is expected to be 100 percent for training camp after rehabbing a groin injury that landed him on IR last year. Arizona WR Larry Fitzgerald played with a broken left thumb and torn cartilage in his left hand between his middle and ring fingers during 2008. “My hands are so messed up right now,” he said in February. “I’m just glad I don’t have to catch a ball again for a couple months. I can mend up.” Fitzgerald is expected to be fine for training camp. Buffalo WR James Hardy is coming off a torn ACL suffered last season and may not be ready for the start of training camp as of mid-May 2009. He said in March (two months after knee surgery) that he hopes to play in the last preseason game. Oakland rookie WR Derrius Heyward-Bey sat out of Sunday, May 10th’s workout due to a sore hamstring. The injury isn’t considered serious but does bear watching as nagging hamstring injuries are the sort of injury that can dog a player. Green Bay WR James Jones battled a torn PCL throughout last season, but he is expected to be fine for training camp. Washington WR Malcolm Kelly is recovering from offseason (March) knee surgery. He may not be ready for the
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start of training camp. Fellow 2008 draft pick Devin Thomas was coming along nicely in mini-camp, but then injured his hamstring. The team hopes Thomas will be able to participate in June OTAs. Baltimore WR Derrick Mason underwent surgery to fix the scapula and the labrum in his left shoulder in March, and may miss all of training camp as a result: “It turned out to be more than we anticipated,” he said in early May. “But great doctors find a way to mend you back.” He expects to be in the Week 1 starting lineup, but he turns 35 this year and his recovery may not go as smoothly as planned. Missing training camp may mean that he’ll get off to a slow start in 2009. Denver WR Brandon Marshall continues to recover from early April hip surgery. He may not be ready for the start of training camp, although in recent comments he indicated his hip is feeling “great.” The Broncos are installing a new offense during the offseason and minicamps, and Marshall won’t get any reps in the new system until training camp. New Orleans WR Lance Moore tore the labrum and dislocated his left shoulder working out in mid-April. He had surgery to repair the damage but may be iffy for the start of training camp as of mid-May. The team is hopeful he’ll be ready for the start of regular season. Washington WR Santana Moss missed May minicamp due to shin splints – he’s expected to be fine for training camp. St. Louis WR Derrick Stanley suffered a torn ACL and cartilage damage in his knee during mid-December and underwent surgery to repair the damage. It is unclear if he’ll be ready for training camp. New England WR Brandon Tate (#83 pick in the 2009 Draft) is recovering from ACL and MCL (October 2008) injuries in his knee. He may not contribute to the Patriots this season. Washington WR James Thrash missed May minicamp due to a neck injury of unspecified type. He is expected back for June minicamps. Pittsburgh WR Hines Ward is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery (torn rotator cuff). He won’t participate in OTA/minicamps but is expected to be back for training camp. Oakland WR Javon Walker surprised the Raiders in early May by revealing he had further knee surgery on the right knee originally repaired in 2007 (while he was with Denver) – the team didn’t know about the procedure until a mandatory minicamp, when Walker was unable to participate. HC Tom Cable doesn’t expect Walker to be ready for the start of training camp, but he looks very dicey for 2009. Baltimore WR Demetrius Williams recently indicated his 80 percent recovered from a late-October/early-November Achilles/ankle injury/surgery. He has been running in practices, but still walks with a limp so we’ll see if he’s 100 percent by training camp. Dallas WR Roy Williams is apparently over his late-season plantar fascia foot injury and the Cowboys are reportedly “elated” with his progress this offseason in the team’s offensive system.
+ TIGHT ENDS+ NY Giants rookie TE Travis Beckum suffered a broken leg as a senior in college, but is expected to be fine for the start of training camp. Cincinnati TE Chase Coffman (#98 pick in the 2009 Draft)
is coming off a broken foot suffered in the Alamo Bowl. It’s unclear if he will be able to participate in training camp. San Diego TE Antonio Gates sat out May minicamp due to soreness in his injured big toe, and lingering effects from a late season high ankle sprain. “I don’t know how I got through last season,” Gates said. “The toe bothered me for months and then I hurt the ankle. But, somehow, I made it through.” The toe is said to be “structurally” fine, but pain management is obviously part of the package for Gates with this injury. He should be ready for training camp. Baltimore TE Todd Heap was still struggling with his sore back as of minicamps. It remains to be seen if he’ll be able to participate fully in OTAs and minicamps, let alone training camp. Cleveland TE Steve Heiden had ACL and MCL surgery in December – he probably won’t be ready for training camp and may not contribute much for the first half of the season. Philadelphia rookie TE Cornelius Ingram may need additional surgery to repair a damaged ACL in his knee. If so, he’ll probably sit out the 2009 season. St. Louis TE Randy McMichael, who broke a bone in his lower right leg Sept. 28 vs. Buffalo (also tearing a tendon in his leg), and landed on IR as a result. As of May 8, agent Drew Rosenhaus asserts that McMichael is 100 percent recovered and ready to play ball in 2009. Oakland TE Zach Miller had offseason sports hernia surgery (he disclosed this in early May). He may not participate in June practices, but is hopeful to be in action for training camp. Keep an eye on how Miller progresses once training camp begins as groin injuries are notorious for causing continuing problems even after surgical intervention (see Philadelphia Kevin Curtis above, and Baltimore L.J. Smith, below). Detroit TE Brandon Pettigrew had a minor issue with a tight hamstring in his first practices with Detroit, but he was held out more due to an abundance of caution rather than an actual injury. Carolina TE Dante Rosario underwent lower back surgery in early May. He may be ready for training camp, but that is up in the air as of mid-May. New Orleans TE Jeremy Shockey is said to be fully healed from last season’s sports hernia and is “anxious” to have a big year with the Saints in 2009. Baltimore TE L.J. Smith sat out of early May practices due to ongoing groin problems due to his sports hernia surgery performed a couple of years ago. He’s battled pain from the injury/procedure for years now. Arizona TE Steven Spach had surgery to repair the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his knee in late January. He’ll have a hard time getting on the field for the start of regular season. Baltimore Quinn Sypniewski was signed to a one-year, $1 million contract in early April despite missing last season with an ACL injury (suffered last April). He appears to be recovered from the injury.
+ PLACE KICKER + Dallas PK Nick Folk underwent hip surgery on May 5. The team is hopeful he’ll be back up to speed for training camp.
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Coaching 2009
& Philosophy Changes by Jason Wood he NFL is a demanding league, and the coaching carousel never stops spinning. This offseason was particularly tumultuous. Nine teams hired new head coaches, and two more – Oakland and San Francisco – removed the interim tags from 2008 midseason coaching replacements. Four teams replaced Super Bowl winning head coaches: Denver (Mike Shanahan), Indianapolis (Tony Dungy), Seattle (Mike Holmgren), and Tampa Bay (Jon Gruden). The Broncos looked outside the organization for Shanahan’s replacement, but the other three teams promoted from within. Although the head coaching turnover is what grabs headlines, the changing landscape among assistant coaches remains vitally important to NFL fans and fantasy football owners. This year, an astounding 21 defensive coordinators were replaced; in one case, by the team’s head coach (Wade Phillips in Dallas). That’s clearly a sign of the times, as defenses struggle to keep up with explosive offenses the NFL rules committee seems to be so intent on producing. On the offensive side, 11 new coordinators are in place. Just remember, the smartest hires in February can look like the worst in December; and the guys everyone assumes will struggle are just as likely to emerge from the pack.
T
Arizona Cardinals Head Coach: Ken Whisenhunt Offensive Coordinator: Russ Grimm & Mike Miller (replace Todd Haley) Defensive Coordinator: Bill Davis (replaces Clancy Pendergast) What to expect on offense: The Cardinals offense won’t look much different this year under the watchful eyes of Russ Grimm and Mike Miller. Whisenhunt will call the plays on game day, and work closely with Grimm and Miller to game plan. Grimm, who has worked alongside Whisenhunt for a long time in Pittsburgh and Arizona, will serve as the run game coordinator. Miller, the WR coach last season, will be the passing game coordinator. Expect a renewed emphasis on the ground game. The team drafted Chris “Beanie” Wells in order to inject life and balance into the playcalling. What to expect on defense: Hopefully, improvement. The Cardinals made the Super Bowl last year despite allowing almost 27 points per game defensively. Clancy Pendergast was let go in favor of Bill Davis, the Cardinals linebackers coach. Although it’s hard to argue change was warranted, it’s unclear whether Davis will have more success. Davis struggled as the 49ers defensive coordinator before joining the Cardinals staff, and the Cardinals haven’t done much to improve the defensive roster.
Baltimore Ravens Head Coach: John Harbaugh Offensive Coordinator: Cam Cameron Defensive Coordinator: Greg Mattison (replaces Rex Ryan) What to expect on defense: Fans have to be nervous about the state of the Ravens vaunted defense. Rex Ryan, a fixture on the defensive staff since joining the team in 1999, has taken the Jets head coaching job, and brought a number of assistant coaches with him. The Ravens promoted linebackers coach Greg Mattison, a surprising move after just one season on the staff. Mattison has 36 years of collegiate coaching experience but had never coached in the NFL before last season. He and John Harbaugh coached together under Jack Harbaugh in the 80s, so there is a trust level there. Realistically, Mattison won’t change much about the scheme; an aggressive 3-4 defensive front. He has enormous shoes to fill, but his cupboard is stocked with groceries.
Carolina Panthers Head Coach: John Fox Offensive Coordinator: Jeff Davidson Defensive Coordinator: Ron Meeks (replaces Mike Trgovac) What to expect on defense: One of the more surprising coaching changes this offseason for a number of reasons. Mike Trgovac had been with Carolina for seven seasons, coming aboard with John Fox. Despite a late season defensive swoon, the Panthers offered Trgovac a contract extension but ultimately he opted to depart. Meeks steps in after his own seven-year stint in Indianapolis; where his defenses were known for being undersized but productive. Meeks will continue to run a 43 defensive front that emphasizes consistent pressure on the outside. It’s less clear whether Meeks plans to implement the Cover-2 – a hallmark of the Tony Dungy coaching tree that will depend on what Meeks sees from his players in camp.
Cleveland Browns Head Coach: Eric Mangini (replaces Romeo Crennel) Offensive Coordinator: Brian Daboll (replaces Rob Chudzinski) Defensive Coordinator: Rob Ryan (replaces Mel Tucker) What to expect on offense: We know that the organization will run through Eric Mangini, and very little will be said by
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other coaches or the team’s players to the media. That said, Mangini will let the offense run through Brian Daboll, who takes over the role of offensive coordinator for the first time in his NFL career. Daboll spent two seasons in NY as the QB coach and was the Patriots WR coach for five seasons before that. Daboll will implement a version of Charlie Weis’ pro-style offense, which figures to give Brady Quinn a leg up in the quarterback race. The hallmark of the Weis offense is diversity, and Daboll will want to bring an air of unpredictability to the playcalling. What to expect on defense: Mangini replaces Romeo Crennel in Cleveland just as he replaced Crennel as the Patriots defensive coordinator years ago. Mangini will be the architect of this defense and, schematically, it will look the same. Mangini is a devout disciple of the 3-4 defensive front and eschews exotic blitz packages. While Mangini will call the shots, Rob Ryan will have a heavy hand; he’s too talented not to. Landing Rob Ryan is a coup for a defense that struggled under the old regime. Mangini wanted to hire Ryan to run the Jets defense in 2008, but the Raiders wouldn’t let him out of his contract. Ryan outlasted three head coaches in Oakland, and is known for getting the most out of his players.
Dallas Cowboys Head Coach: Wade Phillips Offensive Coordinator: Jason Garrett Defensive Coordinator: Wade Phillips (replaces Brian Stewart)
tor. Nolan was inconsistent as the 49ers head coach but has vast experience as an NFL coordinator; serving as DC with the Giants, Jets, Redskins and Ravens. The Broncos will need to be patient, as their personnel isn’t ideally suited for a 3-4 yet.
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Head Coach: Josh McDaniels (replaces Mike Shanahan) Offensive Coordinator: Mike McCoy (replaces Rick Dennison) Defensive Coordinator: Mike Nolan (replaces Bob Slowik and Jim Bates)
Head Coach: Jim Schwartz (replaces Rod Marinelli) Offensive Coordinator: Scott Linehan (replaces Jim Colletto) Defensive Coordinator: Gunther Cunningham (replaces Joe Barry)
What to expect on offense: Make no mistake, the Broncos are trying to build Patriots West and owner Pat Bowlen is hoping Josh McDaniels can replicate the success of New England’s offense. Whether McDaniels is up to the task remains to be seen, but he will need to prove that any QB can execute his system after trading Jay Cutler away. McDaniels will call an attacking style of offense that changes its looks to fit the opposing defenses each week. Offensive coordinator Mike McCoy comes over from Carolina where he served as the passing game coordinator and QB coach. About the only other certainty with the offense is that Knowshon Moreno, Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal should be important cogs. What to expect on defense: The Broncos were among the worst defenses in the league last year and are making sweeping changes, including moving from a 4-3 front to a 3-4 front. The Broncos were smart to land Mike Nolan as defensive coordina-
Josh McDaniels
ICON SMI
What to expect on defense: Wade Phillips took over the playcalling from Brian Stewart last year and it became an easy decision to let the DC go this offseason. Interestingly, Jerry Jones opted not to hire a replacement, instead letting Phillips handle both roles. Being an NFL head coach is a daunting task, as is being the defensive play-caller. Needless to say, Phillips is going to have to rely heavily on his defensive assistants during the week to help game plan.
What to expect on offense: Jim Schwartz is a defensive minded coach and he’s going to rely heavily on Scott Linehan to build the offense around first overall pick Matt Stafford. Linehan brings a wealth of experience to his new role, serving as the Rams head coach over the last three seasons and the offensive coordinator in Minnesota and Miami prior to that. He emphasizes a north-south approach and will transition the team away from the zone-blocking scheme utilized by the former coaches. In the passing game, Linehan believes in using multiple sets and taking shots downfield. Daunte Culpepper, who may start to open the season, enjoyed his most productive seasons in Minnesota with Linehan as his coach. What to expect on defense: Jim Schwartz will have a strong hand in rebuilding the 0-16 Lions defensively, but he’ll rely on Gunther Cunningham to do the heavy lifting. Cunningham is a fiery guy, known for expletive-laden tirades as much as he is for his defensive schemes. Even though Cunningham is
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best remembered for his dual stints in Kansas City, it was his time in Tennessee coaching alongside Schwartz that landed him this job. Cunningham has promised an aggressive, blitzhappy defensive approach, and will look to use man coverage much more than he did in Kansas City under Herm Edwards. The defense will be built around the linebacking corps of Ernie Sims, Julian Peterson, Larry Foote and Jordan Dizon.
Williams has carved out an impressive career in a number of NFL stints, he simply wasn’t a good fit with Jack Del Rio and the Jaguars. Mel Tucker joins the Jaguars staff from Cleveland, where he served as defensive coordinator last season and coached defensive backs from 2005-2007. Tucker’s inexperience, particularly in a 4-3 scheme signals that Jack Del Rio will be taking a more hands on approach this year.
Houston Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
Head Coach: Gary Kubiak Offensive Coordinator: Kyle Shanahan Defensive Coordinator: Frank Bush (replaces Richard Smith)
Head Coach: Todd Haley (replaces Herman Edwards) Offensive Coordinator: Chan Gailey Defensive Coordinator: Clancy Pendergast (replaces Gunther Cunningham)
What to expect on defense: The Texans fired Richard Smith after another uninspiring defensive campaign and promoted from within, naming Frank Bush to his first defensive coordinator post. Bush coached the defensive line the last two seasons and plans on using more deception, and running a lot of different blitzes out of the base 4-3 formation. In addition to adding wrinkles to the existing playbook, Bush has to integrate a number of projected new starters. He expects to put more players in the box to stop the run, and that will put pressure on the defensive backs to cover downfield. Bush also wants his defensive lineman to push upfield; he never wants them going sideways.
What to expect on offense: Todd Haley takes over for Herm Edwards fresh from a run to the Super Bowl as the Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator. Haley opted to retain Chan Gailey as offensive coordinator, signaling that he’s serious about the holistic requirements of the head coaching position. Retaining Gailey doesn’t mean the offense won’t look different this year. The team traded for QB Matt Cassel, and you can be sure the Chiefs will throw the ball more than they did under Herman Edwards. It’s unlikely the Chiefs have the offensive personnel to run the 3- and 4-WR sets Haley utilized in Arizona, but they should have a more effective rushing attack now that Larry Johnson is back in the team’s good graces. What to expect on defense: The Chiefs are going to run a 3-4 front this year and drafted Tyson Jackson with the third overall pick to expedite the transition. The Chiefs don’t have the linebackers in place to fully leverage the flexibility of a 3-4 defense, so expect Clancy Pendergast to play a relatively close to the vest scheme in his first season. Pendergast joins Haley from Arizona, where he served as defensive coordinator until being fired after the Super Bowl. Chiefs fans have a right to be skeptical about Pendergast’s appointment, the Cardinals finished no better than 26th in points allowed over the last four seasons.
Indianapolis Colts Head Coach: Jim Caldwell (replaces Tony Dungy) Offensive Coordinator: Clyde Christensen (replaces Tom Moore) Defensive Coordinator: Larry Coyer (replaces Ron Meeks) What to expect on offense: A seismic changeover occurred this offseason as HC Tony Dungy, OC Tom Moore and OL Coach Howard Mudd all retired. Dungy was the least surprising, and the Colts had his replacement formally in place. Jim Caldwell takes over the head reins, and Clyde Christensen will transition to OC following eight seasons as an offensive assistant. On one hand, Tom Moore was the only OC Peyton Manning’s ever known, on the other hand, for years Manning has been taking three plays into the huddle and making the call himself. It’s tough to say how the players will react to the loss of Dungy, Moore and Mudd, but don’t underestimate the preparedness and resiliency of this veteran group. What to expect on defense: While the Colts defense had a reputation for giving up big chunks of yardage under former DC Ron Meeks, the fact remains that Meeks’ defenses were among the stingiest and most aggressive in the AFC under his watch. Regardless, Meeks opted out after Tony Dungy retired, and the Colts have brought in Larry Coyer as his replacement. Schematically, Coyer is cut from the same Cover-2 cloth that Dungy and Meeks are, but he had the tendency to blitz more while calling the defensive plays in Denver a few seasons ago.
Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach: Jack Del Rio Offensive Coordinator: Dirk Koetter Defensive Coordinator: Mel Tucker (replaces Gregg Williams) What to expect on defense: When Mike Smith left to take the Falcons head coaching job, the Jaguars thought they had found the best replacement possible in Gregg Williams. While
New England Patriots Head Coach: Bill Belichick Offensive Coordinator: Vacant (no one replaces Josh McDaniels) Defensive Coordinator: Dean Pees What to expect on offense: For those who argue Josh McDaniels wasn’t a product of Bill Belichick’s system, the fact the Pats aren’t going to hire a coordinator in his place should give them pause. Can you really be irreplaceable when the team doesn’t bother to replace you? Offensively things won’t change in New England regardless of who calls the plays. As long as Tom Brady is healthy, the Pats will have a potent offense.
New Orleans Saints Head Coach: Sean Payton Offensive Coordinator: Pete Carmichael (replaces Doug Marrone) Defensive Coordinator: Gregg Williams (replaces Gary Gibbs) What to expect on offense: When Doug Marrone decided to accept the head coaching position at Syracuse University, the Saints wasted no time in promoting Pete Carmichael to offensive coordinator. Carmichael has been the team’s QB coach the last three seasons and has an excellent working relationship with Drew Brees. Sean Payton will continue calling
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the plays, but Carmichael will be more involved in the gameplanning now. What to expect on defense: Payton’s tenure has been characterized by explosive offenses paired with meandering defenses. Gregg Williams hopes to change that by bringing the most aggressive zone-blitzing scheme to the Big Easy. Williams has been defensive coordinator in Jacksonville, Tennessee and Washington and will be asked to get more out of the Saints front seven. Williams likes to use a lot of man coverage so he can blitz from all over the field, but the Saints defensive backs aren’t particularly well suited to play on an island.
New York Giants Head Coach: Tom Coughlin Offensive Coordinator: Kevin Gilbride Defensive Coordinator: Bill Sheridan (replaces Steve Spagnuolo) What to expect on defense: Giants fans knew this day was coming, but they hoped it wouldn’t be so soon. Steve Spagnuolo, whose arrival in New York coincided with the team’s return to elite status, has taken the head coaching job in St. Louis. The Giants opted to promote from within, naming linebackers coach Bill Sheridan to the post. Sheridan has enormous shoes to fill, but benefits from an absolutely stacked roster. His main job will be maintaining the status quo, while integrating new pieces like Michael Boley, Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty.
New York Jets Head Coach: Rex Ryan (replaces Eric Mangini) Offensive Coordinator: Brian Schottenheimer Defensive Coordinator: Mike Pettine (replaces Bob Sutton) What to expect on offense: New head coach Rex Ryan is a defensive guy through and through, and he was impressed enough with incumbent OC Brian Schottenheimer to retain his services. Schottenheimer is a disciple of both the West Coast offense and the Air Coryell offense and leverages a power running attack to set up downfield passing. The biggest question for Schottenheimer is getting the team’s young QBs ready to play, as either first rounder Mark Sanchez or inexperienced Kellen Clemens will be under center. What to expect on defense: One word – aggression. Ryan’s defenses in Baltimore were ferocious, combining unbridled aggression with world-class preparation and scouting. Even though Ryan’s defenses look chaotic, it’s actually the disciplined roles each man maintains that allow for such attacking play. The Jets will likely undergo a bit of a transition period, but this is a team loaded with quality defensive personnel. Plus, the additions of LB Bart Scott, S Jim Leonhard and CB Lito Sheppard will speed up the process. Mike Pettine will serve as Ryan’s right hand man, just as he did in Baltimore coaching the outside linebackers.
Oakland Raiders Head Coach: Tom Cable (replaces Lane Kiffin) Offensive Coordinator: Ted Tollner (replaces Greg Knapp) Defensive Coordinator: John Marshall (replaces Rob Ryan)
What to expect on offense: The Raiders are going to play Al Davis’ style of ball, and he’s going to put coaches in place to make sure of it. Tom Cable took over as interim head coach last year, and the team’s play improved under his watch. An offensive line coach by nature, Cable will try to bring consistency and toughness to the zone-blocking scheme. He will call the plays but rely heavily on Passing Game Coordinator Ted Tollner and QB coach Paul Hackett for game-planning. Tollner, a journeyman coordinator if there ever was one, has experience in both the West Coast offense and the Air Coryell system. What to expect on defense: Rob Ryan outlasted three Raiders head coaches and has finally moved on to Cleveland as his contract had run out. John Marshall has big shoes to fill, but the Raiders defense ranked 24th and 26th in points allowed over the last two seasons. Marshall has nearly 30 years of NFL coaching experience, including stints as defensive coordinator in San Francisco, Carolina and Seattle. The Raiders will use a 4-3 defensive front under Marshall, and will play a read-andreact 2-gap system.
San Diego Chargers Head Coach: Norv Turner Offensive Coordinator: Clarence Shelmon Defensive Coordinator: Ron Rivera (replaces Ted Cottrell) What to expect on defense: The Chargers fired Ted Cottrell last October and promoted LB coach Ron Rivera. Rivera had been a successful defensive coordinator in Chicago before wearing out his welcome by flirting with too many head coaching opportunities. Rivera is a versatile coach and acquitted himself well last year in a 3-4 scheme. But he prefers a 4-3 front and the Chargers are going to mix up their front seven looks this year to encompass Rivera’s experience calling both schemes.
San Francisco 49ers Head Coach: Mike Singletary (replaces Mike Nolan) Offensive Coordinator: Jimmy Raye (replaces Mike Martz) Defensive Coordinator: Greg Manusky What to expect on offense: Mike Singletary has far more notoriety for his achievements as a player than he does in his brief coaching career. Singletary is going to heavily rely on his assistants in his first full season as the 49ers head coach. Offensively, Jimmy Raye will call the shots. Raye is from the Coryell School, but he’s much more conservative than Mike Martz. The good news is Raye has been an NFL offensive coordinator for six different teams. The bad news is he’s lasted less than two seasons per stop. Raye’s first order of business is choosing a quarterback - no easy feat with this roster. What to expect on defense: On the surface, not much has changed in San Francisco. Manusky was Mike Nolan’s defensive coordinator and Singletary was a defensive assistant, too. So what’s changed from this time last year? Nolan is gone and so is the propensity to play a complex hybrid system that morphs back and forth between 3- and 4-man fronts. Once Singletary took over last year, Manusky ditched the hybrid approach for a pure 3-4 and simplified the playbook. The result was a nearly 10-point improvement in points allowed. Expect more of the same in 2009.
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Seattle Seahawks Head Coach: Jim Mora (replaces Mike Holmgren) Offensive Coordinator: Greg Knapp (replaces Gil Haskell) Defensive Coordinator: Gus Bradley (replaces John Marshall) What to expect on offense: The Seahawks enjoyed a lot of success running a traditional West Coast offense, and that won’t change under the new coaches. Greg Knapp has a long history of working with Jim Mora – both were coordinators in San Francisco and then Knapp was Mora’s OC in Atlanta. While Knapp continues to advocate a WCO passing attack, he developed an affinity for the zone-blocking scheme while in Atlanta and will implement the scheme in Seattle. He believes in using a committee of RBs and emphasizes offensive balance above all else. What to expect on defense: Gus Bradley is the latest in a long line of Monte Kiffin disciples to land a defensive coordinator position. Bradley coached the Bucs’ linebackers in 2007-2008 and has been called a “head coach in waiting” by his mentor. Bradley will run a version of the Cover-2, just as his predecessor did, but expect the team to play a more aggressive 1-gap front than the 2-gap system Marshall advocated. Bradley also expects his defensive backs to play the QB and react rather than play the man.
What to expect on offense: Jeff Jagodzinski left his role as the Packers offensive coordinator for the head coaching position at Boston College. Two seasons later, he’s back in the NFL after being fired by BC for interviewing with the New York Jets. It’s no surprise that Jagodzinski landed on his feet in Tampa Bay, where he will be tasked with taking the Bucs offense in a new direction. Although Jagodzinski has roots in the West Coast offense, he pulls elements from a number of different schemes and is loathe to label his style of playcalling as WCO. He will emphasize a zone-blocking scheme and hopes to use the run to set up downfield passing off play action. What to expect on defense: The pairing of Jim Bates and Raheem Morris is a curious one. Both are advocates of 4-3 fronts, but that’s roughly where the similarities end. Morris is a Tampa Cover-2 guy through and through, believing the defensive tackles need to get upfield and pressure the passer. Bates prefers his tackles to stand their ground and plug holes, letting the linebackers flow to the gaps. Morris will probably look for Bates to have input on the front seven specifically, while he focuses more on the defensive backfield, where he’s most experienced. With the youth movement afoot, there is more uncertainty in Tampa Bay than there’s been in a long, long time.
Tennessee Titans Head Coach: Jeff Fisher Offensive Coordinator: Mike Heimerdinger Defensive Coordinator: Chuck Cecil (replaces Jim Schwartz)
St. Louis Rams Head Coach: Steve Spagnuolo (replaces Scott Linehan) Offensive Coordinator: Pat Shurmur (replaces Al Saunders) Defensive Coordinator: Ken Flajole (replaces Jim Haslett) What to expect on offense: Steve Spagnuolo is a defensive-minded coach through and through, which means he’ll rely heavily on his new OC Pat Shurmur to right an offense that ranked 30th in points scored last season. Shurmur worked with Spagnuolo in Philadelphia, where Shurmur has served as the Eagles QB coach for the last seven years. You can expect Shurmur to implement an offensive system evocative of the Eagles, but he’ll try to attain more balance to take advantage of Steven Jackson, the team’s best offensive weapon. Key to any improvement comes with rebuilding the offensive line and second overall pick Jason Smith needs to perform immediately. What to expect on defense: When Spagnuolo became the DC in New York after serving under Jim Johnson in Philadelphia, many wondered if he could replicate the Eagles success defensively. Not only was Spagnuolo an apt pupil, he overtook his mentor in many ways. A lot of coaches talk about attacking the opponent, but few follow through as aggressively as Spagnuolo did in New York. Now granted, he had the weapons in New York on the defensive line, but there’s no question he’ll turn the Rams into a blitz-happy unit in short order. Ken Flajole, a well respected defensive assistant in Carolina, will handle the DC duties.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach: Raheem Morris (replaces Jon Gruden) Offensive Coordinator: Jeff Jagodzinski (replaces Bill Muir) Defensive Coordinator: Jim Bates (replaces Monte Kiffin)
What to expect on defense: The Titans smartly promoted from within to replace Jim Schwartz, who took the Lions head coaching job. Cecil has been a Titans assistant coach since 2001, coaching the defensive backs for most of his tenure. Don’t expect much to change under Cecil, save for the recognition that no defense is going to be as stout without the services of DT Albert Haynesworth as they were with him.
Other Notable Coaching Changes • Bob Sanders (BUF) – Defensive Line Coach • Richard Smith (CAR) – Linebackers Coach • Rod Marinelli (CHI) – Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line • Joe DeCamillis (DAL) – Special Teams Coordinator • Rick Dennison (DEN) – Offensive Line Coach • Mike Priefer (DEN) – Special Teams Coordinator • Mike Trgovac (GB) – Defensive Line Coach • Shawn Slocum (GB) – Special Teams Coordinator • Russ Purnell (JAX) – Special Teams Coordinator • Gary Gibbs (KC) – Linebackers Coach • Bill Muir (KC) – Offensive Line Coach • Dave DeGuglielmo (MIA) – Offensive Line Coach • Scott O’Brien (NE) – Special Teams Coordinator • Bob Sutton (NYJ) – Defensive Line Coach • John Fassel (OAK) – Special Teams Coordinator • Rob Chudzinski (SD) – Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends • Joe Barry (TB) – Linebackers Coach
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Player Movement Intro/Lead - Michael Brown Quarterback - Jason Wood Running Back – Jeff Pasquino Wide Receiver - Mark Wimer Tight End - Jeff Pasquino Offensive Line - Chris Smith Kicker/Returners - Mike Herman Individual Defensive Players Aaron Rudnicki
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very year, some journeyman turns into a star simply because he’s got a new address. Is it due to a new system? The weather? Something in the water? The answers to these are: probably, probably not, usually. Some situations may upgrade a player for obvious reasons. For instance, if someone was a backup before but now he’s going to start, the chances are pretty good that he’ll be more valuable. But how do we know which players will turn into stars? And how do we know how the stars (I’m looking at you, Jay Cutler) will respond to a change of scenery? That’s where we come in. We’ve broken down each key situation by position to give a comprehensive look at all that has gone on this offseason in the fantasy world. Our team of writers has managed to steal playbooks for all 32 teams to see exactly how these players will be utilized. And even if certain aspects of that last sentence are complete fabrications, just know that you’re in good hands here with our evaluation and analysis. Even if you don’t take our suggestions to the bank, be aware that all of these players are in the unique position of having just about everything you knew about them basically tossed out the window. We simply can’t guarantee with any certainty how one player adjusts or adapts to his new surroundings, especially this early in the offseason. But that’s what makes this part of fantasy football so much fun. It’s also why you’d do well to read what is below, and then follow up with us on our website throughout the summer months to see exactly how each player is adjusting.
Derrick Ward
QUARTERBACK 1. Jay Cutler - Chicago (from Denver)
What happened: Once it became clear that new head coach Josh McDaniels coveted Matt Cassel to run his offense, the coach and Cutler didn’t see eye to eye. Bears GM Jerry Angelo pulled the trigger on a bold move that gives the Bears their best signal caller in decades, if not ever. What it means: Bears fans will now find out if they really have been a quarterback short of a title these last few years. Cutler will solidify the position and should dramatically improve Chicago’s passing attack. 2. Matt Cassel - Kansas City (from NE)
What happened: Cassel stepped in for an injured Tom Brady last year and played quite well. Scott Pioli obtained the rights to Cassel, who will serve as the cornerstone of the Chiefs rebuilding effort. What it means: Cassel will be the unquestioned starter for a team in desperate need of offensive cohesion. The good news is that head coach Todd Haley
worked wonders when he was in Arizona. The bad news is that Kansas City doesn’t have many proven weapons, particularly following the trade of future Hall of Fame TE Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta. 3. Sage Rosenfels - Minnesota (from Houston)
What happened: After three seasons backing up Matt Schaub in Houston, Rosenfels was traded to Minnesota to compete for the starting role with Tarvaris Jackson. What it means: Rosenfels is a gunslinger who brings a startlingly different approach to the position than Jackson. On one hand, Rosenfels completes a high percentage of passes. On the other hand, he’s a turnover machine (29 interceptions in 453 attempts). If he wins the job, Rosenfels could be a fantasy sleeper in leagues that don’t penalize turnovers harshly. Of course, all of this goes out the window if Favre comes to town. 4. Byron Leftwich - Tampa Bay (from Pittsburgh)
What happened: Leftwich played well in limited action last year as Ben Roethlisberger’s backup, and parlayed that into a two-year contract with Tampa.
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What it means: With a new coach, several other veteran quarterbacks on the roster, and a rookie first rounder in tow, Leftwich has precious little time to make his mark. Rookie Josh Freeman realistically needs some seasoning, so Leftwich could emerge as the opening week starter and, if he plays well, could hold onto the job for much of the season. 5. Kyle Orton - Denver (from Chicago)
What happened: The Bears didn’t hesitate to send Orton packing for the chance to bring Jay Cutler aboard. He’ll now compete for the starting job against Chris Simms in Denver. What it means: Most assume Orton will win the job in Denver, which would make him an attractive sleeper given the likes of Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal at his disposal. But Orton is hardly a pedigreed passer and must earn the job against a healthy and focused Simms. 6. Chris Simms - Denver (from Tennessee)
What happened: Last year, Simms quietly served Tennessee well as a backup, and signed with Denver to be Jay Cutler’s backup. But with Cutler’s trade to Chicago, new Head Coach Josh McDaniels has promised an open competition between Simms and Kyle Orton. What it means: While Simms hasn’t done enough to bet on his success, he always possessed the size, mechanics and temperament to earn a starting role. Orton should be considered the favorite, but he’s by no means assured of winning the job. If Simms emerges, he has the supporting cast to put up respectable numbers.
landed in one of the few places he might actually see the field. Oakland is Garcia’s fifth team in six years. What it means: Garcia isn’t the kind of veteran who comfortably mentors a younger player willingly, and he still believes he should start. Make no mistake – the Raiders have every intention of playing JaMarcus Russell. But you can never predict what’s going to happen in Oakland. Garcia won’t hesitate to press for a chance at the first sign of discontent with his young teammate. OTHER NOTABLE QUARTERBACKS WHO CHANGED TEAMS: Kyle Boller - Saint Louis (from Baltimore) Ryan Fitzpatrick - Buffalo (from Cincinnati) Damon Huard - San Francisco (from Kansas City) J.T. O’Sullivan - Cincinnati (from San Francisco) Dan Orlovsky - Houston (from Detroit) Patrick Ramsey - Tennessee (from Denver) Brett Ratliff - Cleveland (from NY Jets) Note: As of press time, Brett Favre was still unsigned but was possibly contemplating a comeback with the Minnesota Vikings.
RUNNING BACK 1. Derrick Ward - Tampa Bay (from NYG)
What happened: The Bucs added Derrick Ward as a free agent, awarding him a four-year contract. What it means: Tampa Bay’s running back stable got pretty thin in a hurry. Warrick Dunn was not re-signed and Cadillac Williams blew out his knee again late last year and may be lost for 2009. Although he’ll share carries with Earnest Graham, Ward looks to be the favorite to start and to repeat a 1,000yard season.
7. Jon Kitna - Dallas (from Detroit)
2. Fred Taylor - New England (from Jacksonville)
What happened: The Cowboys struggled when Tony Romo was sidelined last season, so they made acquiring Kitna a priority to insulate against a similar occurrence in the future. What it means: Kitna has been a Top 10 fantasy quarterback for three different teams and gives the Cowboys the safety valve they sorely missed in 2008. Just as importantly, he has chemistry with wideout Roy Williams, having thrown to him in Detroit during both of Kitna’s 4,000yard passing seasons.
What happened: The Patriots signed the veteran Jaguar to a two-year deal. What it means: New England loves to use a committee approach to running the ball, and they certainly love veteran contributors looking to go on one last championship run. Taylor will compete with Laurence Maroney for the bulk of the work, and both are likely to share touches with Kevin Faulk and Sammy Morris.
8. Jeff Garcia - Oakland (from Tampa Bay)
What happened: After two seasons starting in Tampa, the new regime decided to go in a different direction. Garcia
3. Maurice Morris - Detroit (from Seattle)
What happened: The long-time Seahawk inked a three-year deal to join the Lions. What it means: After Kevin Smith, the tailback depth chart gets very thin in Detroit. The Lions are bolstering their
offense with additional weapons, so if Smith needs to share time or gets injured, the job would be Morris’s to lose. 4. Dominic Rhodes - Buffalo (from Indianapolis)
What happened: Rhodes signed a twoyear deal with the Bills after his second go-round with Indianapolis last season. What it means: Buffalo is preparing for a suspension of as many as three games for starter Marshawn Lynch. That would promote Fred Jackson to a starting role and leave the backup role vacant. Enter Rhodes, who is a strong secondary back and is used to a committee approach. 5. Leonard Weaver - Philadelphia (from Seattle)
What happened: The Eagles added Leonard Weaver via free agency, signing him to a one-year contract. What it means: When Correll Buckhalter left for Denver, Philadelphia was devoid of talent after starter Brian Westbrook. So, they went out and signed Weaver. Weaver has good hands and can rush inside, and also stepped up when injuries afforded him more playing time. Weaver’s role, however, is likely to be diminished once rookie LeSean McCoy learns the Eagle offense. 6. LaMont Jordan - Denver (from NE) 7. Correll Buckhalter - Denver (from Philadelphia) 8. J.J. Arrington - Denver (from Arizona)
What happened: Denver added three backs to form a new group of potential rushers during the free agency period prior to the NFL Draft. What it means: New head coach Josh McDaniels appeared to be repeating his previous approach from New England, gathering several backs to put together a large, running back committee. All that changed on Draft Day, however, as the Broncos used their first pick to select Knowshon Moreno from Georgia. They will likely insert him as their primary ball carrier. Barring an injury or a holdout, all three backs may not see much in the way of playing time for Denver in 2009. OTHER NOTABLE RUNNING BACKS WHO CHANGED TEAMS (INCLUDES FBS): Heath Evans - New Orleans (from New England) Noah Herron - Cleveland (from New York Jets) Jason Wright - Arizona (from Cleveland) Note: As of press time, four high-profile running backs (Warrick Dunn, Edgerrin James, Rudi Johnson, and Deuce McAllister) remained unsigned.
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WIDE RECEIVER 1. Terrell Owens - Buffalo (from Dallas)
What happened: After Owens was released by the Cowboys, he surprisingly signed to play for the Bills. What it means: Owens will team with Lee Evans to form an impressive starting duo, but will he be able to be a good teammate this year? Historically, he behaves fairly well in his first year in a new city. If he’s got his attitude where it needs to be, Owens can still be a dominant player. 2. T.J. Houshmandzadeh - Seattle (from Cincinnati)
What happened: Houshmandzadeh was an unrestricted free agent and got a huge deal to play for Seattle. What it means: Houshmandzadeh was one of the best receivers in this year’s free-agent pool. Despite working with sub-par quarterback talent for parts of the last three years, he still caught at least 90 passes each season. It remains to be seen how he’ll transition from the Bengals’ to the Seahawks’ system, but he is expected to be their top receiver in 2009. 3. Laveranues Coles - Cincinnati (from NYJ)
What happened: After the Jets released Coles, he got a four-year deal to join Cincinnati. He’ll attempt to fill the void left by the departed T.J. Houshmandzadeh. What it means: Coles is a hard working player who landed in a potentially good spot (depending on whether Carson Palmer returns to full health). If Palmer struggles again this year, though, Coles will have a hard time making an impact fantasy-wise. 4. Torry Holt - Jacksonville (from St. Louis)
What happened: Holt was released by the Rams and signed with Jacksonville for three years. What it means: Holt has been a leading NFL wideout for many years, but he’s starting to show all the mileage on his legs. He’ll be a veteran leader for the Jaguars, but the drop-off to 64 receptions and three touchdowns last year with Saint Louis was an ominous sign. Still, a change of scenery could rejuvenate him. 5. Bryant Johnson - Detroit (from San Francisco)
What happened: Johnson was an unrestricted free agent and signed with Detroit to play second-fiddle to Calvin
Johnson. What it means: Though he was given a shot to be a featured receiver in San Francisco, he put up mediocre numbers (45/546/3). Now he joins an 0-16 team that figures to start a rookie quarterback for most of the year.
OTHER NOTABLE WIDE RECEIVERS WHO CHANGED TEAMS: Bobby Engram - Kansas City (from Seattlee) Note: As of press time, Plaxico Burress, D.J. Hackett and Marvin Harrison, and Amani Toomer remained unsigned.
TIGHT END
6. Brandon Jones - San Francisco (from Tennessee)
What happened: Jones was an unrestricted free agent who was signed by the 49ers. What it means: Jones historically had trouble staying healthy in Tennessee, but he did set career highs in targets (62), receptions (41) and yards receiving (449) while playing in all 16 games. He’ll get the same shot that Bryant Johnson got last year – to be a starter – but it remains to be seen if Jones is up to the task. 7. Nate Washington - Tennessee (from Pittsburgh)
What happened: An unrestricted free agent, Washington got $9 million in guaranteed money from Tennessee to join their squad. What it means: Washington is an upgrade for the Titans and could flourish if he gets on the same page with Kerry Collins. However, the Titans’ style of offense doesn’t typically produce top-tier fantasy wide receivers. They were 27th in passing offense in 2008 with Collins at the helm (2,819 pass yards) and 28th in passing touchdowns, with 13. 8. Jabar Gaffney - Denver (from NE)
What happened: Gaffney was an unrestricted free agent and followed coach Josh McDaniels from New England to Denver. What it means: Gaffney usually plays a solid 16 games and snagged 38/468/2 receiving from Matt Cassel last year. He should be a viable third receiver for the Broncos. 9. Joey Galloway - New England (from TB)
What happened: Galloway was released by the Bucs after an injurymarred season. New England decided that the 37-year old may still have some gas in the tank and signed him. What it means: Galloway is just one season removed from a string of three consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns. He probably won’t approach those numbers as New England’s third receiver, but he might have some decent games left in the old legs.
1. Tony Gonzalez - Atlanta (from Kansas City)
What happened: The Falcons addressed their glaring need for a passcatching tight end by trading their 2010 second-round draft choice to the Chiefs for Gonzalez. What it means: Gonzalez is a future Hall of Fame tight end and is coming off a 96-catch season. Matt Ryan now has Roddy White and Gonzalez to go along with Michael Turner in what appears to be a very formidable offense for 2009. 2. Kellen Winslow - Tampa Bay (from Cleveland)
What happened: Cleveland traded away its young and talented tight end for undisclosed future draft picks. What it means: The Bucs needed options in their passing attack, and Winslow should instantly add a strong second option to complement WR Antonio Bryant. Whoever wins the quarterback job in Tampa should be looking for Winslow quite a bit, especially in the red zone. 3. L.J. Smith - Baltimore (from Philadelphia)
What happened: Free agent L.J. Smith signed a one-year deal with the Ravens. What it means: The writing is on the wall for Todd Heap in Baltimore. Heap’s health is waning and he was used mostly as a blocker last year, so Smith becomes the receiving tight end in the Ravens offense. It is uncertain if Smith can rekindle his career and get back to being a Top 10 fantasy tight end, especially in a run-first Ravens offense. 4. Chris Baker - New England (from NY Jets)
What happened: Baker signed a five-year deal with New England in free agency. What it means: The Patriots needed depth behind Ben Watson, who has missed an average of three games a year the past three seasons. Watson has also seen his catches and yards per catch drop in each of the last two seasons, so additional help was warranted. With Tom Brady expected back, Baker has
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decent upside to be a serviceable fantasy backup. 5. Robert Royal - Cleveland (from Buffalo)
What happened: The Browns traded Kellen Winslow to Tampa Bay and added Royal via free agency. What it means: Cleveland looks to be a team in turmoil with so many changes on offense for 2009. Royal may have the inside track to start at tight end but is unlikely to be a major contributor as a receiver. OTHER NOTABLE TIGHT ENDS WHO CHANGED TEAMS: Alex Smith - New England (from Tampa Bay) Anthony Becht - St. Louis (from Arizona) Dan Campbell - New Orleans (from Detroit) Michael Gaines - Chicago (from Detroit) Will Heller - Detroit (from Seattle) Tony Curtis - Kansas City (from Dallas)
OFFENSIVE LINE 1. T Jason Peters - Philadelphia (from Buffalo)
What happened: The Bills traded their former franchise LT to Philadelphia because of a contract dispute. The Eagles gave up three picks (including the 28th overall pick this season) for the rights to Peters. What it means: Peters has become one of the more dominant left tackles in the game. He has the speed and quickness to deal with the speed rushers and the strength to punish defenders in the running game. He is an upgrade for the Eagles over longtime starter Tra Thomas. 2. C Jason Brown - Saint Louis (from Baltimore)
What happened: The Rams needed a lot of offensive line help and landed a huge piece in revamping it this offseason when they inked Brown. What it means: Brown is a talented, young center who will become the leader of an offensive line looking to improve this season. He is just 25 and entering his fifth season in the league. Having played in all 16 games each of the last two seasons, he is a great player to re-build a team around. 3. T Stacy Andrews - Philadelphia (from Cincinnati)
What happened: It is going to be the Andrews brothers show in 2009 after Stacy signed a six-year deal to join his brother Shawn on the right side of the Eagles offensive line. What it means: Andrews has played in 29 of 32 games over the last two seasons
and is a large, punishing lineman. He doesn’t have great quickness and can be exposed by speed rushers but his addition, along with fellow newcomer Jason Peters, ensures the Eagles offensive line will be big and physical in 2009. 4. C Matt Birk - Baltimore (from Minnesota)
What happened: The Ravens lost talented young center Jason Brown to the Rams in free agency this offseason, but somewhat made amends by signing veteran center Matt Birk to a four-year deal. What it means: Birk has 11 years of experience. While he may not be the player he once was, his veteran savvy and talent will definitely fill the hole in the middle of the Ravens offensive line. 5. G Derrick Dockery - Washington (from Buffalo)
What happened: Dockery played well, but the Bills could not justify his salary and released him. The Redskins had a hole at the guard position and welcomed Dockery back with open arms. What it means: He has played with the other starting linemen in the past, and he will have an easy transition back into the Redskins fold. 6. T Marvel Smith - San Francisco (from Pittsburgh)
What happened: Smith was a very good player early on in his career, but a nagging back injury has derailed his productivity. Now he is looking to regain his reputation as a top tackle with a new franchise. What it means: If Smith can put injury woes behind him, he can step into a starting role and do a good job. It is just as likely, however, that his bad back will persist for the rest of his career, limiting his effectiveness. 7. C Samson Satele - Oakland (from Miami)
What happened: A few weeks after signing Jake Grove, the Dolphins traded their gifted, young center Samson Satele to the Raiders for a draft choice. What it means: Satele had shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum but should be back to full health by the start of the season. He is a strong, intelligent player and the Raiders will be very happy to have him manning the interior of their offensive line. 8. C Jake Grove - Miami (from Oakland)
What happened: Grove was unable to stay healthy throughout his five seasons in Oakland, and the Raiders allowed him
to leave and sign with Miami. What it means: He is a very talented player, and the Dolphins believe his upside outweighs the likelihood for injury. The Dolphins gave up a talented young center in his own right in Samson Satele, so Grove needs to play exceptionally well and stay healthy this season. 9. T Tra Thomas - Jacksonville (from Philadelphia)
What happened: Jacksonville suffered through horrible injury woes along the offensive line last season. In an attempt to stabilize the offensive line and return to dominance, the Jaguars picked up Thomas. What it means: Thomas is getting a little long in the tooth at 34, but should still have another good season or two and is certainly an upgrade at the right tackle position. 10. T Orlando Pace - Chicago (from St. Louis)
What happened: The Bears signed formerly-elite lineman Orlando Pace in an attempt to shore up a weakness at left tackle. What it means: At the top of his game, Pace was truly dominant. He has been injury prone for a few seasons now, however, and has not been as effective as he was early in his career. Still, his arrival alone is a boon for the offensive line as he’ll give them a strong, veteran presence. Pace has had a Hall of Fame career, and if he can come even close to his past production, he could have a Pro Bowl season for the club. OTHER NOTABLE OFFENSIVE LINEMEN WHO CHANGED TEAMS: T Khalif Barnes - Oakland (from Jacksonville) G Mike Goff - Kansas City (from San Diego) C Geoff Hangartner - Buffalo (from Carolina) T Daniel Loper - Detroit (from Tennessee) T Frank Omiyale - Chicago (from Carolina) T Erik Pears - Oakland (from Denver) G Duke Preston - Green Bay (from Buffalo) T Kevin Shaffer - Chicago (from Cleveland) T John St. Clair - Cleveland (from Chicago) G Floyd Womack - Cleveland (from Seattle)
DEFENSIVE LINE 1. DT Albert Haynesworth - Washington (from Tennessee)
What happened: The league’s most dominant defensive tackle left the Titans and signed with the Redskins for seven years. What it means: Haynesworth has yet to play a full 16-game season, but over the past couple of years he has clearly
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emerged as one of the best fantasy defensive tackles in the game. He will certainly help solidify the interior of the Redskins defensive line and should make things much easier for pass rushers like Andre Carter and rookie Brian Orakpo.
near the size or strength of Haynesworth, Haye is one of the quickest defensive tackles in the league. The Titans will likely use a committee approach to try and fill Haynesworth’s shoes, but Haye could become a serviceable starter in DTrequired leagues.
2. DE Antonio Smith - Houston (from Arizona)
What happened: Smith left Phoenix and signed a five-year contract to play opposite Mario Williams. What it means: A former fifth-round pick with just 15.5 career sacks, Smith was the best pass rusher available in free agency this year. Playing opposite Mario Williams along with the switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 defense should boost his numbers and could make him a Top 20 fantasy defensive end. 3. DE Chris Canty - NY Giants (from Dallas)
What happened: The Giants added a versatile player for their defensive line by signing Canty from Dallas to a six-year deal. What it means: Canty’s numbers in Dallas were not that impressive (10 career sacks in 64 games), but he is moving to a much better situation. The Giants have the league’s best collection of pass rushers, which should create a lot of oneon-one situations. Canty could see a lot of snaps at defensive tackle, but he can also play end on run downs and the contract he signed should ensure that he gets plenty of playing time. 4. DE Kenyon Coleman - Cleveland (from NY Jets)
What happened: In a draft day trade, the Jets shipped Kenyon Coleman and a package of players and picks to the Browns for the chance to draft Mark Sanchez. What it means: Coleman has been an effective starter for the past two years and should make a quick adjustment playing in the same scheme under Eric Mangini. Look for him to start at DE on a strong defensive line. Although he has limited upside as a pass rusher, Coleman is a reliable fantasy option due to his surprisingly high tackle numbers. 5. DT Jovan Haye - Tennessee (from Tampa Bay)
What happened: After losing Albert Haynesworth in free agency, the Titans signed Haye to a four-year contract. What it means: Haye broke out in 2007 and finished as the top fantasy defensive tackle, but he struggled with injuries for much of 2008. While he doesn’t have
OTHER NOTABLE DEFENSIVE LINEMEN WHO CHANGED TEAMS: DT Rocky Bernard - NY Giants (from Seattle) DT Shaun Cody - Houston (from Detroit) DT Colin Cole - Seattle (from Green Bay) DT Rod Coleman - New Orleans (from Atlanta) DE Demetric Evans - San Francisco (from Washington) DT Grady Jackson - Detroit (from Atlanta) DT Tank Johnson - Cincinnati (from Dallas) DT C.J. Mosley - Cleveland (from NY Jets) DT Cory Redding - Seattle (from Detroit) DE Darrell Reid - Denver (from Indianapolis) DE Darrell Robertson - Kansas City (from New England)
LINEBACKER 1. ILB Bart Scott - New York Jets (from Baltimore)
What happened: Scott signed a sixyear contract to follow Rex Ryan out of Baltimore and join him with the Jets. What it means: Ryan signed Scott to become a focal point of the new defense. Scott has often been overshadowed by Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs in Baltimore, but he’ll combine with David Harris to give the Jets a very strong ILB tandem. While he may not live up to the huge contract, Scott should see a bump in his production and wind up as a Top 20 fantasy LB. 2. OLB Julian Peterson - Detroit (from Seattle)
What happened: Peterson refused to take a salary cut, so the Seahawks traded him to Detroit for Cory Redding and a fifth round pick. What it means: The Seahawks felt Peterson’s skills were on the decline and that he was no longer worth the money he was due. Peterson should provide a big boost to the Lions defense. He’s expected to line up at SLB in the base package but could also see plenty of time as a DE in passing situations after averaging eight sacks per year over the last three seasons.
a breakout season in 2007. Although he played SLB in Atlanta and wasn’t always a three-down player, he’ll likely be moved to WLB with the Giants and play in all downs and situations. With all the talent the Giants have on the defensive line and an aging Antonio Pierce at MLB, Boley is in a great situation and could produce like a LB3 for fantasy owners. 4. ILB Kevin Burnett - San Diego (from Dallas)
What happened: Burnett joins a very strong LB group in San Diego after signing a two year contract. What it means: Although Burnett was never able to emerge as a starter during his four years in Dallas, he proved to be a very strong nickel linebacker. The Chargers have not gotten a lot of production from Matt Wilhelm and Tim Dobbins at ILB, so they should give Burnett a chance to win that job. Given his strength in coverage, there is a good chance that Burnett could emerge as a three-down linebacker alongside Stephen Cooper. 5. OLB Angelo Crowell - Tampa Bay (from Buffalo)
What happened: After spending last year on injured reserve, Crowell left the Bills and signed a one-year contract with Tampa. What it means: Crowell has been a very productive fantasy linebacker in Buffalo, but he may be limited to a twodown role in Tampa. Initial indications are that Jermaine Phillips will be moved from safety to WLB replace Derrick Brooks, which would leave Crowell at SLB. He’s an athletic and versatile linebacker, but he may need some breaks to become a quality fantasy starter again. OTHER NOTABLE LINEBACKERS WHO CHANGED TEAMS: OLB Tully Banta-Cain - New England (from San Francisco) ILB Eric Barton - Cleveland (from NY Jets) ILB Keith Brooking - Dallas (from Atlanta) ILB Andra Davis - Denver (from Cleveland) OLB Cato June - Houston (from Tampa Bay) OLB Niko Koutouvides - Tampa Bay (from Denver) OLB Mike Peterson - Atlanta (from Jacksonville) ILB Pat Thomas - Buffalo (from Kansas City) ILB Zach Thomas - Kansas City (from Dallas) OLB Mike Vrabel - Kansas City (from New England)
3. OLB Michael Boley - New York Giants (from Atlanta)
What happened: Boley left the Falcons to sign a five-year contract with the Giants. What it means: Boley was a threeyear starter for the Falcons and enjoyed
DEFENSIVE BACK 1. S Gibril Wilson - Miami (from Oakland)
What happened: One year after signing a big contract, the Raiders released
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Wilson and he quickly signed a five-year contract with the Dolphins. What it means: Wilson has been one of the most consistent fantasy defensive backs in the league over the last five seasons. Although he is at his best playing up in the box, the Dolphins already use Yeremiah Bell in that role. Therefore, Wilson is expected to start out at free safety. His tackle numbers will likely take a hit, but he could also see a corresponding bump in big plays. He should remain a top ten safety. 2. S Sean Jones - Philadelphia (from Cleveland)
What happened: Jones left the Browns to sign a one-year contract with the Eagles. What it means: Jones has proven to be one of the league’s best playmaking safeties, with 14 interceptions over the past three seasons. Although he played strong safety in Cleveland, he’s expected to compete for the free safety spot vacated by Brian Dawkins. He’ll get competition for the starting spot from Quintin Demps, but Jones is a physical presence and a ballhawk who should be an excellent fit in the Eagles aggressive defense. 3. S Brian Dawkins - Denver (from Philadelphia)
What happened: The longtime Eagle left Philadelphia by signing a five-year contract with the Broncos. What it means: Dawkins has been one of the best safeties in the league and a great leader for the Eagles over the years. At 35, he’s probably lost a step, but he’ll be a great addition for a Broncos defense that struggled to stop anybody last year. While he may not get as many opportunities to blitz in Denver, he should remain a reliable fantasy option as long as he is healthy. 4. CB Leigh Bodden - New England (from Detroit)
What happened: After a disappointing season in Detroit, Bodden signed a oneyear deal with the Patriots. What it means: Bodden finished 2007 as the highest scoring fantasy cornerback in the league, but struggled in 2008 after a trade to Detroit. There were reports that the Patriots offered a multiyear deal, but it appears that Bodden hopes to turn his career around with a big 2009 and then sign an even bigger contract next season. Bodden is a physical cornerback who excels in man-to-man coverage, and the Patriots system should be a great fit.
5. S James Butler - St. Louis (from NY Giants)
What happened: Butler signed a fouryear contract to be the Rams strong safety. What it means: Butler’s production with the Giants was not that impressive, but he was often splitting time with others. He has ideal size for strong safety and should see plenty of time up in the box as O.J. Atogwe patrols the deep secondary. With rookie James Laurinaitis playing in front of him, Butler could be headed for a breakout season. OTHER NOTABLE DEFENSIVE BACKS WHO CHANGED TEAMS: S CC Brown - New York Giants (from Houston) CB Phillip Buchanon - Detroit (from Tampa Bay) S Josh Bullocks - Chicago (from New Orleans) CB Chris Carr - Baltimore (from Tennessee) S Sean Considine - Jacksonville (from Philadelphia) CB Travis Daniels - Kansas City (from Miami) CB Drayton Florence - Buffalo (from Jacksonville) CB Domonique Foxworth - Baltimore (from Atlanta) CB Andre Goodman - Denver (from Miami) CB Eric Green - Miami (from Arizona) CB Jabari Greer - New Orleans (from Buffalo) CB Anthony Henry - Detroit (from Dallas) S Renaldo Hill - Denver (from Miami) CB Corey Ivy - Cleveland (from Baltimore) CB Eric King - Detroit (from Tennessee) S Jim Leonhard - NY Jets (from Baltimore) CB Bryant McFadden - Arizona (from Pittsburgh) CB Karl Paymah - Minnesota (from Denver) CB Hank Poteat - Cleveland (from NY Jets) S Gerald Sensabaugh - Dallas (from Jacksonville) S Darren Sharper - New Orleans (from Minnesota) CB Lito Sheppard - NY Jets (from Philadelphia) CB Shawn Springs - New England (from Washington) CB Donald Strickland - NY Jets (from San Francisco)
KICKER 1. Mike Nugent - Tampa Bay (from NY Jets)
What happened: After suffering a quad injury in Week 1, Nugent did not play the remainder of the year. Jay Feely then kicked well enough to keep the job even after Nugent was healthy. Nugent made the decision of which kicker to keep a relatively easy call by opting to test free agency. What it means: The Bucs signed Nugent to compete with incumbent Matt Bryant. Bryant, meanwhile, had a strong scoring year in 2008, although he did miss some long range kicks, which continues to be his weak area. 2. Dave Rayner - Washington (from Cincinnati)
Rayner’s sixth stop in the NFL. He previously played for Indianapolis, Green Bay, Kansas City, San Diego and Cincinnati. What it means: Rayner, whose strength is on kickoffs, will compete with incumbent Shaun Suisham. Suisham struggled last year and missed 10 field goal attempts (although some of that has been attributed to his holder, punter Ryan Plackemeier - who is no longer with the team). Note: As of press time, three high-profile kickers (John Carney, Martin Gramatica, and Matt Stover) remained unsigned.
RETURNER 1. CB Chris Carr - Baltimore (from Tennessee)
After several years of quantity with the Raiders, and a year of quality with the Titans in 2008, Carr landed with the Ravens. He’ll take over on both kickoff and punt returns. WR Yamon Figurs gradually lost both jobs last year due to injury and ineffectiveness. 2. RB J.J. Arrington - Denver (from Arizona)
Eddie Royal was drafted by the Broncos last year to be their return specialist but quickly emerged as a starting wide receiver. So, his special teams work was scaled back to just punt returns. Arrington emerged as a decent threat on kickoff return with the Cardinals, and should step into that role for Denver. 3. WR Mark Jones - Tennessee (from Carolina)
Jones has evolved into a journeyman return specialist. He grew into the role with Tampa before getting injured. Last year, the Panthers brought him in after WR Ryne Robinson was injured. This year, he’ll take over the job for the Titans after Chris Carr landed in Baltimore. 4. WR Glenn Holt - Minnesota (from Cincinnati)
Holt will compete for a spot on the roster as starting kickoff returner and backup wide receiver. The Vikings have had a different annual leading kickoff returner for 11 consecutive years. OTHER NOTABLE RETURNERS WHO CHANGED TEAMS: CB Phillip Buchanon - Detroit (from Tampa Bay) RB Correll Buckhalter - Denver (from Philadelphia) WR Bobby Engram - Kansas City (from Seattle) CB Ellis Hobbs - Philadelphia (from New England) WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh - Seattle (from Cincinnati) RB Derrick Ward - Tampa Bay (from NY Giants)
What happened: Washington is FREE DAILY EMAIL: http://footballguys.com/email
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by Jason Wood, Senior Writer
2009 Preseason
2009
Watch List
2009
J
ICON SMI
ust because games aren’t being played doesn’t mean there isn’t a tremendous amount of football activity afoot. Between scouting, the draft, free agency, mini-camps, training camp, preseason games and the occasional holdout or trade demand, there’s almost always something worth discussing or analyzing regardless of the time of year. At Footballguys.com we strive to provide fantasy leaguers with all the relevant information in a timely manner, and we’ll give you our honest assessments every step of the way. Below you’ll find a compilation of some of the situations we’re watching as the preseason turns into training camp. With new developments arising daily, remember that this is merely a STARTING POINT. To find up-to-date information and analysis that looks at these situations and hundreds more, be sure to visit www.footballguys.com and take advantage of our Daily Email Updates, industry-best News Blogger, best-in-class message boards and our thousands of pages of analysis and statistical data. Matthew Stafford
Quarterback Situations to Watch • How good can Trent Edwards be (Buffalo)? — Edwards completed almost 66 percent of his passes last year and now gets Terrell Owens added to his arsenal. With the promise of a no huddle offense, can Edwards become a reliable fantasy starter? • Was Delhomme’s contract extension a good idea (Carolina)? — Jake Delhomme had one of the worst playoff games in league history and was then rewarded with a hefty new extension. Does the 34-year old justify his new deal? • Is Jay Cutler the missing piece (Chicago)? — Bears fans have long believed they were a QB short of a Super
Bowl. Jay Cutler is the best QB they’ve had in a long time, if not ever, will he really be the missing piece?
Kyle Orton will start, but Chris Simms is healthy and will give him a run for his money.
• Can Palmer stay healthy (Cincinnati)? — Carson Palmer missed the majority of last season with a torn elbow ligament but avoided Tommy John surgery. Will that decision come back to haunt him?
• When does Stafford play (Detroit)? — Matthew Stafford will start sooner rather than later, but will he get the green light in Week 1?
• Is Romo as good without Owens (Dallas)? — The Cowboys believe waiving Terrell Owens was addition by subtraction, but the fact is QBs enjoy their career seasons with him in the lineup. Can Romo find new weapons and remain a top fantasy passer? • Kyle Orton or Chris Simms (Denver)? — The consensus believes
• Will Tom Moore’s retirement affect Manning? (Indianapolis)? — Peyton Manning lost the only OC he’s known in the NFL to retirement. Will there be a period of adjustment to worry about? • Will we see the Garrard of 2007 or 2008? (Jacksonville)? — Garrard’s TD rate was cut in half last year and his sack total doubled, with the additions of WR Torry Holt and two new bookend rookie tackles put him back on track?
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• Is Matt Cassel a franchise QB (Kansas City)? — The Chiefs traded for Matt Cassel and plan to rebuild around him. Is he really a special QB or a byproduct of the Patriots way? • What do the Dolphins have planned for Pat White (Miami)? — Chad Pennington has security after a stellar 2008 season, but the Fins have plans for Pat White. How many reps do they plan on giving him? • Favre or Rosenfels or Jackson (Minnesota)? — The Brett Favre soap opera continues, but even if he doesn’t suit up, Rosenfels and Jackson will wage an intense battle for the job. • Is Brady healthy (New England)? — About all we know of Tom Brady’s offseason is that he married the world’s most famous supermodel. But far more important is to know whether he’s fully recovered from last season’s injury. Would the Pats have traded Matt Cassel if there were lingering concerns?
the Eagles pass-happy WCO to St. Louis, will that make Bulger relevant again? • The QB pecking order (Tampa Bay)? — Josh Freeman, Byron Leftwich, Luke McCown and Josh Johnson all think they should start, which one is right? • Can Vince Young dig himself out of the dog house (Tennessee)? — The Titans re-signed Kerry Collins to start, but he’s still a short-term option. Can Vince Young do enough to at least resume his QB2 role? • Can Jason Campbell look past this offseason (Washington)? — Jason Campbell has to wonder what he ever did to Daniel Snyder. With overtures about trading for Jay Cutler and drafting Mark Sanchez, can Campbell maintain his confidence and prove he should be the team’s starter beyond 2009?
Running Back Situations to Watch
comparison to DeAngelo Williams. Will the Panthers maintain their roughly 60/40 split or is Stewart in line for a different workload? • Will Matt Forte get as many touches (Chicago)? — Forte was impressive as a rookie but wore down at the end of the season. With Jay Cutler in town, will the Bears run less as a team, and will they follow through on their promise to use Kevin Jones more? • Cedric Benson: Franchise Back (Cincinnati)? — The Bengals released Chris Perry, signed Benson to a new deal and didn’t draft anyone until the sixth round. Is Benson really their answer at tailback? • Is Jamal Lewis entrenched (Cleveland)? — Jamal Lewis disappointed last season and the new coaches owe him nothing, but is there a RB on the roster that poses a credible threat? • Will the Boys use a three-headed monster (Dallas)? — Tashard Choice ran hard last year, Felix Jones is healthy and a home run threat on every play, and Marion Barber is the starter with a megacontract. Will Dallas go back to Barber being the main man, or will they use all three talented runners liberally?
• Can Manning find his new Plax (New York Giants)? — Manning isn’t the same without Plaxico Burress, and he has to build rapport with a collection of young receivers this year or risk further regression.
• Will Beanie have to share carries (Arizona)? — The Cardinals drafted Beanie Wells in the first round, and he should be the starter from day one. But will they make him share carries with Tim Hightower or the other backups?
• Does Sanchez play immediately (New York Jets)? — Mark Sanchez is the future of the New York Jets, but is he the present? Kellen Clemens doesn’t think so.
• What can Michael Turner do for an encore (Atlanta)? — Michael Turner ran for 1,699 yards in his first season in Atlanta on a league high 376 carries. Can he do more with less this year? Can any back handle that kind of workload repeatedly?
• Will Knowshon Moreno be the workhorse (Denver)? — The Broncos stockpiled RBs this offseason and appeared ready to mimic New England’s committee approach, but then they used the 12th overall pick on Moreno. Will they give him 20 touches a game or make him share time?
• Who’s going to get the carries (Baltimore)? — The Ravens have worked out Le’Ron McClain at fullback this offseason, which would suggest the Ravens plan on spreading out the carries again between him, Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. Will the picture become clearer as camp progresses?
• Do the Lions believe in Kevin Smith (Detroit)? — Kevin Smith was one of the few bright spots last year, but the Lions reportedly wanted Beanie Wells in the April draft. They also signed Maurice Morris. Do they think Smith can be a full-time workhorse?
• Was JaMarcus Russell worth the first pick (Oakland)? — JaMarcus Russell quietly played good football at the end of the season, but overall his book remains unwritten. Will he finally emerge this year as a true franchise cornerstone? • Shaun Hill vs. Alex Smith (San Francisco)? — New OC Jimmy Raye has to figure out the QB pecking order quickly. Alex Smith took a pay cut to stay in the fight, but will it matter? • Is Hasselbeck’s back okay (Seattle)? — A bulging disc robbed Matt Hasselbeck of more than half the season, yet he opted against surgery to repair it. Is there a risk of recurrence, and if so, do the Seahawks have a backup plan?
• Will Marshawn Lynch come back to a committee (Buffalo)? — Lynch faces suspension for a gun possession charge, and Fred Jackson and Dominic Rhodes will do everything in their power to earn significant playing time in his stead. When Lynch returns, will the job be his or will he have to share?
• Will Bulger flourish in the WCO? — Mark Bulger needs a bounce back year. New OC Pat Shurmur is bringing
• How much time will Jonathan Stewart get (Carolina)? – Stewart was impressive last year but paled in
• Can Ryan Grant put it all together (Green Bay)? — Grant ran for more than 1,200 yards last year but averaged less than four yards and only scored five TDs. Can he match his 2007 TD and YPC numbers with his 2008 workload? • Will Steve Slaton handle the monster workload (Houston)? — Steve Slaton had an amazing rookie season, but some wonder if he can handle a heavier workload. Yet the Texans have no one on the roster worthy of sharing touches.
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• How much work will Donald Brown take from Joseph Addai (Indianapolis)? — The Colts drafted Donald Brown in the first round, and he’ll definitely play a large role. The question is how will he eat into Joseph Addai’s workload?
• Will the Jets appease Thomas Jones and Leon Washington (New York Jets)? — Thomas Jones wants a new deal. Leon Washington wants a new deal. Rookie Shonn Greene wants to take their jobs. Will NY get their vet tandem signed and sealed?
• Is Maurice Jones-Drew ready to be THE man (Jacksonville)? — MJD has been an all-purpose weapon for years, but this year he’s in line for a dramatic increase in his workload following the release of Fred Taylor. Is he up to the task or will the Jags need to find someone to pair him with?
• Is Darren McFadden a go-to weapon (Oakland)? — McFadden ran for less than 50 yards in all but one game last year, but he should be healthy and ready for a larger role this season. Is he a major weapon or a fantasy tease?
• Has Larry Johnson mended fences (Kansas City)? — With a new regime aboard, Larry Johnson seemed a good bet to be cut or traded. Yet his quiet offseason appears to have appeased the new brass, and LJ now looks to be a focal point of the offense. • Does Ronnie Brown have to share the load with Ricky Williams (Miami)? — Ronnie Brown is ultra-productive as both a runner and receiver when he’s healthy. But he’s always nicked up it seems, and Ricky Williams played hard in 2008. Will the Fins make them share the role again? • Is 2,000 yards within reach for Peterson (Minnesota)? — When you run for 1,760 yards as a second-year player, is 2,000 yards really out of the question? If anyone can do it, it’s Peterson especially if the Vikings can get the QB situation settled. • Is Fred Taylor the new Corey Dillon (New England)? — The Patriots have a trove of RBs on the roster, but none have Fred Taylor’s career numbers. Will the Pats give Taylor a major role as they did with Corey Dillon? • Will Pierre Thomas build off his strong second half (New Orleans)? — The Saints cut Deuce McAllister and ignored RB in the draft; which bodes well for Pierre Thomas. Can he build off his late season heroics or will we look back on them as a fluke? • Can Ahmad Bradshaw replace Derrick Ward (New York Giants)? — Derrick Ward ran for 1,000 yards as a backup, can Ahmad Bradshaw step in and provide the necessary complement to bruising Brandon Jacobs?
• Is Brian Westbrook still an elite RB (Philadelphia)? — Brian Westbrook saw his YPR and YPC drop last season, and his ability to stay on the field is always a worry. Is Brian Westbrook nearing the end of his time as one of the NFL’s most explosive runners? • Does Rashard Mendenhall play a big role (Pittsburgh)? — Rashard Mendenhall was supposed to be a short yardage bell cow last year before getting hurt. Will he lock down an important role this year or can Fast Willie Parker eek out another solid season? • Will LaDainian Tomlinson have to share carries (San Diego)? — Tomlinson had to redo his deal to stay in San Diego and has plenty of competition for touches. Will LT have the chance to regain his 20-carry form? • Is Glen Coffee going to spell Frank Gore from time to time (San Francisco)? — Frank Gore is the centerpiece but third round rookie Glen Coffee needs to contribute, as well. Will the 49ers integrate Coffee immediately? • Can Steven Jackson stay on the field (St. Louis) — Jackson has missed eight games in the last two seasons, keeping him from a spot atop the fantasy elite. Is this the year he regains his premiere form? • How will Earnest Graham and Derrick Ward split the touches (Tampa Bay)? — The Bucs wasted little time this offseason signing Derrick Ward to a long-term deal following his 1,000-yard season in New York. Is Ward the clear cut starter or will the Bucs find a role for Earnest Graham, too? • Are Chris Johnson and LenDale White satisfied with their two-headed approach (Tennessee)? — White was
the short yardage hammer last year while Chris Johnson did everything else. Are those roles constant? • Will Clinton Portis outperform his ADP again (Washington)? — Every year it’s the same old story. Teams bet Clinton Portis will wear down and then he goes out and puts up another monster season. Is it possible to be drafted too low nearly every year of your career?
Wide Receiver Situations to Watch • Can the Cardinals bring Anquan Boldin back into the fold (Arizona)? — The trade rumors were rampant this offseason, but it appears the Cardinals want to keep Boldin for another run at the title. Can they make peace in the absence of a new long-term contract? • How will Roddy White adjust to Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta)? — Roddy White was Matt Ryan’s top option in 2008. Will the addition of a HOF tight end make things easier for him, or will he need to adjust to fewer targets? • Are the Ravens happy going to war with this WR corps (Baltimore)? — The Ravens were rumored to be pursuing Anquan Boldin, yet they ignored the position in the draft. Are they confident in the guys behind Derrick Mason? • Will Terrell Owens presence help Lee Evans (Buffalo)? — We know Owens will get his, and that he’ll help Trent Edwards. But will T.O.’s presence help or hurt Evans? • Can Muhsin Muhammad keep fighting father time (Carolina)? — Muhsin Muhammad had 923 yards receiving last year at 35 years old. Is there any reason to worry he can’t maintain that level as a 36-year old? • Defining the WR pecking order (Chicago) — The Bears have a gunslinger now, but Jay Cutler needs people to throw to. Will Devin Hester start? Is Earl Bennett ready to emerge? Will the rookies contribute? • Integrating Laveranues Coles (Cincinnati) — The Bengals lost T.J. Houshmandzadeh in free agency but signed Laveranues Coles to a multi-year deal. Will he quickly integrate into the fold, and how will Chad Ochocinco handle his new running mate?
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2 0 0 9 P R E S E AS O N WAT C H L I S T
• Do the Browns intend to keep Braylon Edwards (Cleveland)? — The new Browns regime wasted little time trading away Kellen Winslow but haven’t accepted any of the offers for Braylon Edwards. Are they content to keep him, and if so, will he be the focal point of the new offense? • Do the Cowboys have someone worthy to start (Dallas)? — Roy Williams will be asked to replace T.O., but beyond that there are lots of question marks. Patrick Crayton is better suited for the slot, but that means Miles Austin or someone else needs to clearly establish himself in camp.
• Who starts alongside Calvin Johnson (Detroit)? — Calvin Johnson proved last year he’ll produce in any situation. But who starts opposite CJ this year is very much in question. Bryant Johnson, Ron Curry, Adam Jennings and Derrick Williams all have designs on the job. • Will Donald Driver have to share more time (Green Bay)? — GM Ted Thompson believes Driver remains an elite talent, but the Packers have a number of talented young receivers who deserve playing time, too. Will Driver remain a full-time starter?
TJ Houshmandzadeh
• Who starts opposite Dwayne Bowe (Kansas City)? — The rebuilding Chiefs lost Tony Gonzalez and they need a number of receivers to emerge as complements to Dwayne Bowe. Does Bobby Engram have gas left in the tank? Is Mark Bradley an NFL starter?
ICON SMI
• Adjusting to a new offense (Denver) — Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal have major adjustments to make, including a new coaching staff, new playbook and most importantly a new quarterback. How will they handle the transition?
• How long will Lance Moore be out (New Orleans)? — Lance Moore was set to test the free agent waters after a breakout season, but he tore his labrum lifting weights and now must play under a one-year deal in New Orleans. How long will his rehab take? • Replacing Plaxico and Toomer (New York Giants) — The Giants need to replace both Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer - no small feat. Will Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon hold down the jobs or will rookies Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden push for time immediately?
• Does Kevin Walter have a higher ceiling (Houston)? — Kevin Walter delivered a Top 20 season last year, but many believe he’s capable or more than 60 catches and 899 yards. Does he have more upside or was 2008 a career year?
• Sorting out the pecking order (Miami) — The Dolphins drafted two receivers and have Ted Ginn, Davone Bess, Greg Camarillo and Brandon London all vying for roles. No one’s job should be considered secure entering camp.
• Can Anthony Gonzalez replace Marvin Harrison (Indianapolis)? — Anthony Gonzalez regressed in his second season, yet he will be counted on to replace Marvin Harrison in the starting lineup. Is Gonzalez up to the task?
• Will Percy Harvin start immediately (Minnesota)? — The Vikings need Percy Harvin to provide offensive versatility, and he will be on the field quickly. But is he a polished enough receiver to start in Week 1?
• Who is going to catch the ball besides Jerricho Cotchery (New York Jets)? — Jerricho Cotchery is the clear cut WR1, but the Jets have major question marks beyond him. Is David Clowney or Chansi Stuckey ready to start full-time?
• Is Torry Holt still an impact receiver (Jacksonville)? — Torry Holt was cut by the Rams and signed with Jacksonville – filling a desperate need for the Jaguars. But is Holt still an impact receiver or have age and injury caught up to him?
• Who fills Jabar Gaffney’s spot (New England)? — Jabar Gaffney played a lot more offensive snaps than the typical WR3 but left for Denver in the offseason. Is Joey Galloway a lock to fill that role or will a younger receiver surprise?
• Who starts in Oaktown (Oakland)? — Javon Walker had another knee operation and seems unlikely to start. Is rookie first rounder Darrius Heyward-Bey polished enough to start immediately, and can Chaz Schilens hold off Johnnie Lee Higgins?
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2 0 0 9 P R E S E AS O N WAT C H L I S T
• What do the Eagles have planned for Jeremy Maclin (Philadelphia)? — The Eagles didn’t draft Jeremy Maclin 19th overall to sit him on the bench, but where does he fit? Is he a starter opposite DeSean Jackson or better suited for the slot? • Does Limas Sweed earn a role (Pittsburgh)? — Ward and Holmes are the starters, but there’s an opportunity for Limas Sweed to step into the role vacated by Nate Washington. Can he win the coaches over, or will veteran Shaun McDonald fill the slot? • What does Vincent Jackson do for an encore (San Diego)? — Vincent Jackson broke out last year with 1,098 yards and seven TDs. Was that the start of great things, or will we look back on that as his career best? • How good can Michael Crabtree be (San Francisco)? — The 49ers resigned Isaac Bruce and signed Brandon Jones, but then Michael Crabtree fell into their laps on draft day. Crabtree should start immediately; will he live up to the mountainous expectations? • Can T.J. Houshmandzadeh be the top Hawk (Seattle)? — T.J. Houshmandzadeh has lived in Chad Ochocinco’s shadow for a long time but is now set to be the Seahawks new top receiver. Is he ready for the attention that brings from opposing defenses? • Who starts opposite Donnie Avery (St. Louis)? — Donnie Avery is an emerging star, but someone needs to start alongside him. Will it be Laurent Robinson, Keenan Burton or Derek Stanley?
• Is Devin Thomas or Malcolm Kelly ready to contribute (Washington)? — Antwaan Randle El shouldn’t be starting, but the Redskins need at least one of last year’s rookie WRs to emerge in their second season.
• How do you replace Tony Gonzalez (Kansas City)? — You simply can’t replace a HOF tight end, but the Chiefs will need to start someone in his old spot. Will Brad Cottam, Sean Ryan, Tony Curtis or Jake O’Connell get the nod?
Tight End Situations to Watch
• Is Visanthe Shiancoe legit (Minnesota)? — Visanthe Shiancoe came out of nowhere to post a Top 5 fantasy finish in 2008, was that a sign of things to come or a fluke born out of his seven TDs in 42 catches?
• Will Tony Gonzalez adjust to his new surroundings (Atlanta)? — Tony Gonzalez finds himself starting anew in his 13th season. Will he be able to step into the same kind of go-to role as an Atlanta Falcon? • Defining Todd Heap and L.J. Smith’s roles (Baltimore) — Todd Heap is great when healthy, and L.J. Smith started for most of his career in Philadelphia, where John Harbaugh coached before Baltimore. How will the Ravens divide the touches between these two talented but inconsistent players? • Does Greg Olsen emerge as an elite playmaker (Chicago)? — Greg Olsen was a Top 10 fantasy TE last year despite starting only seven games. This year, he’ll start right away and have Jay Cutler throwing him passes. Watch out. • Replacing Kellen Winslow (Cleveland) — The Browns cut ties with Kellen Winslow and can’t possibly replace him with any one player. Will the combination of Robert Royal, Steve Heiden and Martin Rucker be enough?
• Defining roles for the new additions (New England)? — The Patriots never sit idly by, and this year they targeted upgrading the TE position by signing Chris Baker and trading for Alex Smith. How will they fit into the rotation, and does this mean Ben Watson’s days are numbered? • Can Jeremy Shockey re-establish himself (New Orleans)? — Jeremy Shockey missed four games and was hobbled for most of last season. Will full health and a training camp to work with the offense allow him to reestablish himself as an elite TE? • Finding depth beyond Dustin Keller (New York Jets) — Dustin Keller is going to catch a lot of passes this year, but the Jets are woefully undermanned at the position. Right now Bubba Franks and undrafted free agent J’Nathan Bullock are the most likely backups.
• Will Bryant and Clayton earn their new paydays (Tampa Bay)? — Antonio Bryant resurrected his career last season and was franchised, and Michael Clayton was given a monster new contract in spite of pedestrian numbers. Can they live up to their new contracts or will these deals be ridiculed this time next year?
• Can Jason Witten lead the league in receptions (Dallas)? — With Terrell Owens gone, Jason Witten is almost assured of being the most targeted TE in the league. Might he lead the NFL in receptions?
• Can the veterans hold off Cornelius Ingram (Philadelphia)? — Matt Schobel and Brent Celek wouldn’t start for many teams and are the weak links in a stellar offensive cast. Can rookie Cornelius Ingram overtake them this season?
• Does Tony Scheffler have a future with the Broncos (Denver)? — Tony Scheffler has allegedly been on the trading block ever since Josh McDaniels took over. If they don’t trade him, will they make use of his receiving prowess or has the sun set on his time as a Bronco?
• How is Antonio Gates’ ankle (San Diego)? — Antonio Gates wasn’t himself last year rehabbing a bum toe, and then hurt his ankle come playoff time. He admitted to lingering pain in the ankle at mini-camp. Is that an ominous sign for the league’s most explosive TE?
• Have the Titans done enough at WR (Tennessee)? — The Titans signed Nate Washington in the offseason and then drafted Kenny Britt in the first round. Are those additions enough to improve the Titans weak link on offense?
• Are expectations too high for Brandon Pettigrew (Detroit)? — Brandon Pettigrew was the cream of the rookie TE crop, and his future is bright. But are expectations too big for the rookie on a team desperate to erase the memories of an 0-16 season?
• Kellen Winslow gets a new lease on life (Tampa Bay) — Winslow was traded to Tampa Bay and then signed to a monster new deal. Will the fire still burn bright in his new digs, and how good can he be now that he’s back in Florida?
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2009 NFL Team Schedules All Times Are Eastern
ARIZONA CARDINALS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 14 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
San Francisco @ Jacksonville Indianapolis Week 4 Bye Houston @ Seattle @ NY Giants Carolina @ Chicago Seattle @ St. Louis @ Tennessee Minnesota @ San Francisco @ Detroit St. Louis Green Bay
CAROLINA PANTHERS
4:15pm 1:00pm 8:20pm
Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 28
4:15pm 4:05pm 8:20pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 4:15pm
Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 19 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
ATLANTA FALCONS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 2 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
Miami Carolina @ New England Week 4 Bye @ San Francisco Chicago @ Dallas @ New Orleans Washington @ Carolina @ NY Giants Tampa Bay Philadelphia New Orleans @ NY Jets Buffalo @ Tampa Bay
1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 8:20pm 4:15pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
BALTIMORE RAVENS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 16 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 7 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
Kansas City @ San Diego Cleveland @ New England Cincinnati @ Minnesota Week 7 Bye Denver @ Cincinnati @ Cleveland Indianapolis Pittsburgh @ Green Bay Detroit Chicago @ Pittsburgh @ Oakland
1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 3 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
@ New England Tampa Bay New Orleans @ Miami Cleveland @ NY Jets @ Carolina Houston Week 9 Bye @ Tennessee @ Jacksonville Miami NY Jets @ Kansas City New England @ Atlanta Indianapolis
1:00pm 1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 4:15pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
CHICAGO BEARS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 12 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 28 Jan 3
@ Green Bay Pittsburgh @ Seattle Detroit Week 5 Bye @ Atlanta @ Cincinnati Cleveland Arizona @ San Francisco Philadelphia @ Minnesota St. Louis Green Bay @ Baltimore Minnesota @ Detroit
DALLAS COWBOYS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 28 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 26 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 19 Dec 27 Jan 3
Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
7:00pm 4:05pm 4:05pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 4:05pm 1:00pm
Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1
1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
Nov 16 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 10 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
Denver @ Green Bay Pittsburgh @ Cleveland @ Baltimore Houston Chicago Week 8 Bye Baltimore @ Pittsburgh @ Oakland Cleveland Detroit @ Minnesota @ San Diego Kansas City @ NY Jets
8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm
1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
CLEVELAND BROWNS Minnesota @ Denver @ Baltimore Cincinnati @ Buffalo @ Pittsburgh Green Bay @ Chicago Week 9 Bye Baltimore @ Detroit @ Cincinnati San Diego Pittsburgh @ Kansas City Oakland Jacksonville
@ Tampa Bay NY Giants Carolina @ Denver @ Kansas City Week 6 Bye Atlanta Seattle @ Philadelphia @ Green Bay Washington Oakland @ NY Giants San Diego @ New Orleans @ Washington Philadelphia
1:00pm 8:20pm 8:30pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 4:15pm 4:15pm 8:20pm 8:20pm 1:00pm
DENVER BRONCOS
8:20pm 4:15pm 4:05pm 1:00pm
Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 19 Nov 1 Nov 9 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 26 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
CINCINNATI BENGALS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25
1:00pm 1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm
BUFFALO BILLS Sep 14 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1
Philadelphia @ Atlanta @ Dallas Week 4 Bye Washington @ Tampa Bay Buffalo @ Arizona @ New Orleans Atlanta Miami @ NY Jets Tampa Bay @ New England Minnesota @ NY Giants New Orleans
1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
@ Cincinnati Cleveland @ Oakland Dallas New England @ San Diego Week 7 Bye @ Baltimore Pittsburgh @ Washington San Diego NY Giants @ Kansas City @ Indianapolis Oakland @ Philadelphia Kansas City
1:00pm 4:15pm 4:15pm 4:15pm 4:15pm 8:30pm
Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 26 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
@ New Orleans Minnesota Washington @ Chicago Pittsburgh @ Green Bay Week 7 Bye St. Louis @ Seattle @ Minnesota Cleveland Green Bay @ Cincinnati @ Baltimore Arizona @ San Francisco Chicago
Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 26 Dec 7 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
Chicago Cincinnati @ St. Louis @ Minnesota Week 5 Bye Detroit @ Cleveland Minnesota @ Tampa Bay Dallas San Francisco @ Detroit Baltimore @ Chicago @ Pittsburgh Seattle @ Arizona
NY Jets @ Tennessee Jacksonville Oakland @ Arizona @ Cincinnati San Francisco @ Buffalo @ Indianapolis Week 10 Bye Tennessee Indianapolis @ Jacksonville Seattle @ St. Louis @ Miami New England
1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Sep 13 Sep 21 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 17 Dec 27 Jan 3
1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18
1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm
Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 17 Dec 27 Jan 3
Jacksonville @ Miami @ Arizona Seattle @ Tennessee Week 6 Bye @ St. Louis San Francisco Houston New England @ Baltimore @ Houston Tennessee Denver @ Jacksonville NY Jets @ Buffalo
1:00pm 8:30pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 4:15pm 1:00pm
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
GREEN BAY PACKERS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 5
Nov 23 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 4:15pm
DETROIT LIONS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18
HOUSTON TEXANS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8
8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 12:30pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm
@ Indianapolis Arizona @ Houston Tennessee @ Seattle St. Louis Week 7 Bye @ Tennessee Kansas City @ NY Jets Buffalo @ San Francisco Houston Miami Indianapolis @ New England @ Cleveland
1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
@ Baltimore Oakland @ Philadelphia NY Giants Dallas @ Washington San Diego Week 8 Bye @ Jacksonville @ Oakland Pittsburgh @ San Diego Denver Buffalo Cleveland @ Cincinnati @ Denver
1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm
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MIAMI DOLPHINS Sep 13 Sep 21 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 12 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 19 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
@ Atlanta Indianapolis @ San Diego Buffalo NY Jets Week 6 Bye New Orleans @ NY Jets @ New England Tampa Bay @ Carolina @ Buffalo New England @ Jacksonville @ Tennessee Houston Pittsburgh
1:00pm 8:30pm 4:15pm 4:05pm 8:30pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
NEW YORK GIANTS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 22 Nov 26 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 21 Dec 27 Jan 3
MINNESOTA VIKINGS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 5 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 28 Jan 3
@ Cleveland @ Detroit San Francisco Green Bay @ St. Louis Baltimore @ Pittsburgh @ Green Bay Week 9 Bye Detroit Seattle Chicago @ Arizona Cincinnati @ Carolina @ Chicago NY Giants
Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 30 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
Buffalo @ NY Jets Atlanta Baltimore @ Denver Tennessee @ Tampa Bay Week 8 Bye Miami @ Indianapolis NY Jets @ New Orleans @ Miami Carolina @ Buffalo Jacksonville @ Houston
Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 12 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1
1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 8:30pm 1:00pm
Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 3 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
7:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 4:15pm 8:30pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 2 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 30 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 19 Dec 27 Jan 3
Detroit @ Philadelphia @ Buffalo NY Jets Week 5 Bye NY Giants @ Miami Atlanta Carolina @ St. Louis @ Tampa Bay New England @ Washington @ Atlanta Dallas Tampa Bay @ Carolina
1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 8:30pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
4:15pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 4:15pm 4:15pm
PITTSBURGH STEELERS Sep 10 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25
1:00pm 8:20pm 4:15pm 8:20pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
Nov 9 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 10 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 8:30pm 4:15pm 4:05pm 1:00pm
Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1
1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm
Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
NEW YORK JETS
1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS Sep 14 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25
Washington @ Dallas @ Tampa Bay @ Kansas City Oakland @ New Orleans Arizona @ Philadelphia San Diego Week 10 Bye Atlanta @ Denver Dallas Philadelphia @ Washington Carolina @ Minnesota
@ Houston New England Tennessee @ New Orleans @ Miami Buffalo @ Oakland Miami Week 9 Bye Jacksonville @ New England Carolina @ Buffalo @ Tampa Bay Atlanta @ Indianapolis Cincinnati
Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 26 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
San Diego @ Kansas City Denver @ Houston @ NY Giants Philadelphia NY Jets @ San Diego Week 9 Bye Kansas City Cincinnati @ Dallas @ Pittsburgh Washington @ Denver @ Cleveland Baltimore
10:15pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 4:05pm 4:05pm 4:05pm 4:15pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 4:15pm
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 26 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
@ Carolina New Orleans Kansas City Week 4 Bye Tampa Bay @ Oakland @ Washington NY Giants Dallas @ San Diego @ Chicago Washington @ Atlanta @ NY Giants San Francisco Denver @ Dallas
8:30pm 4:15pm 4:15pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
ST. LOUIS RAMS
OAKLAND RAIDERS Sep 14 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 1
Tennessee @ Chicago @ Cincinnati San Diego @ Detroit Cleveland Minnesota Week 8 Bye @ Denver Cincinnati @ Kansas City @ Baltimore Oakland @ Cleveland Green Bay Baltimore @ Miami
1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 8:30pm 4:15pm 8:20pm 4:15pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
@ Seattle @ Washington Green Bay @ San Francisco Minnesota @ Jacksonville Indianapolis @ Detroit Week 9 Bye New Orleans Arizona Seattle @ Chicago @ Tennessee Houston @ Arizona San Francisco
Oct 19 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 25 Jan 3
@ Oakland Baltimore Miami @ Pittsburgh Week 5 Bye Denver @ Kansas City Oakland @ NY Giants Philadelphia @ Denver Kansas City @ Cleveland @ Dallas Cincinnati @ Tennessee Washington
1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm
10:15pm 4:15pm 4:15pm 8:20pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 4:15pm 4:15pm 4:15pm 4:05pm 4:05pm 4:15pm 4:05pm 7:30pm 4:15pm
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 12 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 14 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
@ Arizona Seattle @ Minnesota St. Louis Atlanta Week 6 Bye @ Houston @ Indianapolis Tennessee Chicago @ Green Bay Jacksonville @ Seattle Arizona @ Philadelphia Detroit @ St. Louis
Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
St. Louis @ San Francisco Chicago @ Indianapolis Jacksonville Arizona Week 7 Bye @ Dallas Detroit @ Arizona @ Minnesota @ St. Louis San Francisco @ Houston Tampa Bay @ Green Bay Tennessee
4:15pm 4:05pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 4:15pm
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS Sep 14 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18
4:15pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 8:20pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 4:15pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm
Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3
Dallas @ Buffalo NY Giants @ Washington @ Philadelphia Carolina New England Week 8 Bye Green Bay @ Miami New Orleans @ Atlanta @ Carolina NY Jets @ Seattle @ New Orleans Atlanta
1:00pm 4:05pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm
TENNESSEE TITANS Sep 10 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Nov 1 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 23 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 25 Jan 3
@ Pittsburgh Houston @ NY Jets @ Jacksonville Indianapolis @ New England Week 7 Bye Jacksonville @ San Francisco Buffalo @ Houston Arizona @ Indianapolis St. Louis Miami San Diego @ Seattle
8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:20pm 4:15pm 4:05pm 4:15pm 1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 7:30pm 4:15pm
WASHINGTON REDSKINS Sep 13 Sep 20 Sep 27 Oct 4 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 26 Nov 8 Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Dec 13 Dec 21 Dec 27 Jan 3
@ NY Giants St. Louis @ Detroit Tampa Bay @ Carolina Kansas City Philadelphia Week 8 Bye @ Atlanta Denver @ Dallas @ Philadelphia New Orleans @ Oakland NY Giants Dallas @ San Diego
4:15pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 8:30pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 1:00pm 4:05pm 8:30pm 8:20pm 4:15pm
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2009 NFL Schedule Week 1 Thursday, September 10 Tennessee at Pittsburgh Sunday, September 13 Miami at Atlanta Denver at Cincinnati Minnesota at Cleveland Jacksonville at Indianapolis Detroit at New Orleans Dallas at Tampa Bay Philadelphia at Carolina Kansas City at Baltimore NY Jets at Houston Washington at NY Giants San Francisco at Arizona St. Louis at Seattle Chicago at Green Bay Monday, September 14 Buffalo at New England San Diego at Oakland Week 2 Sunday, September 20 Carolina at Atlanta Minnesota at Detroit Cincinnati at Green Bay Houston at Tennessee Oakland at Kansas City New England at NY Jets New Orleans at Philadelphia St. Louis at Washington Arizona at Jacksonville Tampa Bay at Buffalo Seattle at San Francisco Pittsburgh at Chicago Baltimore at San Diego Cleveland at Denver NY Giants at Dallas Monday, September 21 Indianapolis at Miami Week 3 Sunday, September 27 Washington at Detroit Green Bay at St. Louis San Francisco at Minnesota Atlanta at New England Tennessee at NY Jets Kansas City at Philadelphia NY Giants at Tampa Bay Cleveland at Baltimore Jacksonville at Houston New Orleans at Buffalo Chicago at Seattle Miami at San Diego Pittsburgh at Cincinnati Denver at Oakland Indianapolis at Arizona Monday, September 28 Carolina at Dallas
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Week 4 TIME Sunday, October 4 Detroit at Chicago 1:00 PM Cincinnati at Cleveland 1:00 PM Seattle at Indianapolis 1:00 PM NY Giants at Kansas City 1:00 PM Baltimore at New England 1:00 PM Tampa Bay at Washington 1:00 PM Tennessee at Jacksonville 1:00 PM Oakland at Houston 1:00 PM NY Jets at New Orleans 4:05 PM Buffalo at Miami 4:05 PM St. Louis at San Francisco 4:15 PM Dallas at Denver 4:15 PM San Diego at Pittsburgh 8:20 PM Monday, October 5 Green Bay at Minnesota 8:30 PM • Bye: Atlanta, Philadelphia, Arizona, Carolina Week 5 Sunday, October 11 Cleveland at Buffalo Dallas at Kansas City Minnesota at St. Louis Oakland at NY Giants Tampa Bay at Philadelphia Pittsburgh at Detroit Washington at Carolina Cincinnati at Baltimore Atlanta at San Francisco Jacksonville at Seattle
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Houston at Arizona 4:15 PM New England at Denver 4:15 PM Indianapolis at Tennessee 8:20 PM Monday, October 12 NY Jets at Miami 8:30 PM • Bye: Chicago, Green Bay, New Orleans, San Diego Week 6 Sunday, October 18 Houston at Cincinnati Detroit at Green Bay Baltimore at Minnesota NY Giants at New Orleans Cleveland at Pittsburgh Carolina at Tampa Bay Kansas City at Washington St. Louis at Jacksonville Arizona at Seattle Philadelphia at Oakland Tennessee at New England Buffalo at NY Jets Chicago at Atlanta Monday, October 19 Denver at San Diego • Bye: Dallas, Indianapolis, Miami, San Francisco Week 7 Sunday, October 25 Chicago at Cincinnati Green Bay at Cleveland San Diego at Kansas City Indianapolis at St. Louis San Francisco at Houston Minnesota at Pittsburgh New England at Tampa Bay Buffalo at Carolina NY Jets at Oakland New Orleans at Miami Atlanta at Dallas Arizona at NY Giants Monday, October 26 Philadelphia at Washington • Bye: Denver, Detroit, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Baltimore
TIME 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 4:05 4:05 4:15 4:15 8:20
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TIME 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 4:05 4:05 4:15 4:15 8:20
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8:30 PM Seattle,
Week 8 TIME Sunday, November 1 Houston at Buffalo 1:00 PM Cleveland at Chicago 1:00 PM Seattle at Dallas 1:00 PM St. Louis at Detroit 1:00 PM Minnesota at Green Bay 1:00 PM San Francisco at Indianapolis 1:00 PM Miami at NY Jets 1:00 PM Denver at Baltimore 1:00 PM Oakland at San Diego 4:05 PM Jacksonville at Tennessee 4:05 PM NY Giants at Philadelphia 4:15 PM Carolina at Arizona 4:15 PM Monday, November 2 Atlanta at New Orleans 8:30 PM • Bye: Cincinnati, Kansas City, New England, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Washington Week 9 TIME Sunday, November 8 Washington at Atlanta 1:00 PM Arizona at Chicago 1:00 PM Baltimore at Cincinnati 1:00 PM Houston at Indianapolis 1:00 PM Miami at New England 1:00 PM Green Bay at Tampa Bay 1:00 PM Kansas City at Jacksonville 1:00 PM Detroit at Seattle 4:05 PM Carolina at New Orleans 4:05 PM San Diego at NY Giants 4:15 PM Tennessee at San Francisco 4:15 PM Dallas at Philadelphia 8:20 PM Monday, November 9 Pittsburgh at Denver 8:30 PM • Bye: Buffalo, Cleveland, Oakland, St. Louis, Minnesota, NY Jets Week 10 Thursday, November 12 Chicago at San Francisco Sunday, November 15 Buffalo at Tennessee New Orleans at St. Louis Tampa Bay at Miami Detroit at Minnesota
TIME 8:20 PM 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00
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Jacksonville at NY Jets Cincinnati at Pittsburgh Denver at Washington Atlanta at Carolina Kansas City at Oakland Dallas at Green Bay Seattle at Arizona Philadelphia at San Diego New England at Indianapolis Monday, November 16 Baltimore at Cleveland • Bye: NY Giants, Houston Week 11 Thursday, November 19 Miami at Carolina Sunday, November 22 Washington at Dallas Cleveland at Detroit San Francisco at Green Bay Pittsburgh at Kansas City Atlanta at NY Giants New Orleans at Tampa Bay Buffalo at Jacksonville Indianapolis at Baltimore Seattle at Minnesota Arizona at St. Louis NY Jets at New England Cincinnati at Oakland San Diego at Denver Philadelphia at Chicago Monday, November 23 Tennessee at Houston Week 12 Thursday, November 26 Green Bay at Detroit Oakland at Dallas NY Giants at Denver Sunday, November 29 Tampa Bay at Atlanta Miami at Buffalo Cleveland at Cincinnati Arizona at Tennessee Seattle at St. Louis Chicago at Minnesota Carolina at NY Jets Washington at Philadelphia Indianapolis at Houston Kansas City at San Diego Jacksonville at San Francisco Pittsburgh at Baltimore Monday, November 30 New England at New Orleans Week 13 Thursday, December 3 NY Jets at Buffalo Sunday, December 6 Philadelphia at Atlanta St. Louis at Chicago Detroit at Cincinnati Tennessee at Indianapolis Denver at Kansas City New Orleans at Washington Tampa Bay at Carolina Houston at Jacksonville Oakland at Pittsburgh San Diego at Cleveland San Francisco at Seattle Dallas at NY Giants Minnesota at Arizona New England at Miami Monday, December 7 Baltimore at Green Bay Week 14 Thursday, December 10 Pittsburgh at Cleveland Sunday, December 13 New Orleans at Atlanta Green Bay at Chicago St. Louis at Tennessee Denver at Indianapolis Buffalo at Kansas City NY Jets at Tampa Bay Miami at Jacksonville Detroit at Baltimore Seattle at Houston Cincinnati at Minnesota Carolina at New England Washington at Oakland San Diego at Dallas
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8:30 PM TIME 12:30 PM 4:15 PM 8:20 PM 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 4:05 4:05 8:20
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Philadelphia at NY Giants Monday, December 14 Arizona at San Francisco Week 15 Thursday, December 17 Indianapolis at Jacksonville Saturday, December 19 Dallas at New Orleans Sunday, December 20 New England at Buffalo Arizona at Detroit Miami at Tennessee Cleveland at Kansas City Houston at St. Louis Atlanta at NY Jets San Francisco at Philadelphia Green Bay at Pittsburgh Chicago at Baltimore Cincinnati at San Diego Oakland at Denver Tampa Bay at Seattle Minnesota at Carolina Monday, December 21 NY Giants at Washington Week 16 Friday, December 25 San Diego at Tennessee Sunday, December 27 Buffalo at Atlanta Kansas City at Cincinnati Oakland at Cleveland Seattle at Green Bay Baltimore at Pittsburgh Houston at Miami Jacksonville at New England Tampa Bay at New Orleans Carolina at NY Giants Denver at Philadelphia St. Louis at Arizona Detroit at San Francisco NY Jets at Indianapolis Dallas at Washington Monday, December 28 Minnesota at Chicago Week 17 Sunday, January 3 Indianapolis at Buffalo Jacksonville at Cleveland Philadelphia at Dallas Chicago at Detroit Atlanta at Tampa Bay New Orleans at Carolina New England at Houston San Francisco at St. Louis Pittsburgh at Miami NY Giants at Minnesota Cincinnati at NY Jets Green Bay at Arizona Washington at San Diego Tennessee at Seattle Baltimore at Oakland Kansas City at Denver Postseason Saturday, January 9, 2010 AFC and NFC wild-card playoffs
8:20 PM 8:30 PM TIME 8:20 PM 8:20 PM 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 1:00 4:05 4:05 4:15 8:20
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NBC
Sunday, January 10 AFC and NFC wild-card playoffs CBS & FOX Saturday, January 16 AFC and NFC divisional playoffs CBS & FOX Sunday, January 17 AFC and NFC divisional playoffs CBS & FOX
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Sunday, January 24 AFC and NFC championship games CBS & FOX Sunday, January 31 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl at Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla. ESPN Sunday, February 7 Super Bowl XLIV at Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla. CBS
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OffensiveOvLine erview
By Chris Smith
GRADING SYSTEM A B+ B C+ C D F
Excellent Very Good Good Fair Average Poor Terrible
Arizona Cardinals Overall Grade: C+ / Overall Rank 14th 2009 Grades Run blocking: C Pass blocking: B+ Depth: C
Cohesion: A Experience: A Potential: B+
Projected Starters LT Mike Gandy – 16 starts in 2008 / 8th season LG Reggie Wells – 16 starts in 2008 / 7th season C Lyle Sendlein – 16 starts in 2008 / 3rd season RG Deuce Lutui – 16 starts in 2008 / 4th season RT Levi Brown – 16 starts in 2008 / 3rd season
Steve Hutchinson
Team Notes • New Additions: T Herman Johnson • Key Losses: None • Yet to sign: None
Baltimore Ravens Overall Grade: C / Overall Rank 20th
Atlanta Falcons
2009 Grades Run blocking: B+ Pass blocking: C Depth: A
Overall Grade: B+ / Overall Rank 8th 2009 Grades Run blocking: A Pass blocking: A Depth: C
ICON SMI
Key Backups: G Elton Brown, T Elliot Vallejo, T Herman Johnson [R], C Donovan Raiola
Cohesion: B Experience: B Potential: A
Projected Starters LT Sam Baker – 5 starts in 2008 / 2nd season LG Justin Blalock – 16 starts in 2008 / 3rd season C Todd McClure – 16 starts in 2008 /10th season RG Harvey Dahl- 16 starts in 2008 / 4th season RT Tyson Clabo – 16 starts in 2008 / 3rd season Key Backups: C/G Ben Wilkinson, G Brett Romberg, T Garrett Reynolds [R] Team Notes • New Additions: Brett Romberg, T Garrett Reynolds [R] • Key Losses: None • Yet to Sign: Harvey Dahl (RFA) • Center Todd McClure has not missed a start since 2001
Cohesion: C Experience: B Potential: B
Projected Starters LT Jared Gaither - 15 starts in 2008 / 3rd season LG Ben Grubbs – 16 starts in 2008 / 3rd season C Matt Birk – new addition / 12th season RG Marshall Yanda- 5 starts / 3rd season RT Michael Oher – rookie (first round pick) Key Backups: G/C Chris Chester, T Adam Terry Team Notes • New Additions: Center Matt Birk (Minnesota), T Michael Oher [R] • Key Losses: Jason Brown (St. Louis) • Yet to Sign: None
Buffalo Bills Overall Grade: F / Overall Rank 32nd 2009 Grades Run blocking: D Pass blocking: D Depth: C+
Cohesion: F Experience: C Potential: D
Projected Starters LT Langston Walker – 16 starts / 8th season LG Kirk Chambers – 4 starts / 6th season C Geoff Hangartner – new addition / 5th season RG Brad Butler – 13 starts / 4th season RT Demetrius Bell – 0 starts / 2nd season Key Backups: C/G Seth McKinney, C Eric Wood [R], T Jonathon Scott, T Chris Denman, G Andy Levitre [R] Team Notes • New Additions: G/C - Seth McKinney (Cleveland), C/G - Geoff Hangartner (Carolina), C Eric Wood [R], G Andy Levitre [R] • Key Losses: LT Jason Peters (traded to Philadelphia), C/G Duke Preston (Green Bay), G Derrick Dockery (Washington)
Carolina Panthers Overall Grade: B+ / Overall Rank 9th 2009 Grades Run blocking: A Pass blocking: A Experience: B
Depth: B Cohesion: C Potential: A
Projected Starters LT Jordan Gross – Pro Bowl – 15 starts / 7th season
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LG Travelle Wharton – 14 starts / 6th season C Ryan Kalil – 12 starts / 3rd season RG Keydrick Vincent – 14 starts / 9th season RT Jeff Otah – 12 starts / 2nd season Key Backups: G Jeremy Bridges (likely to sign), T Jonathon Palmer, G Mackenzy Bernadeau, T/G Duke Robinson [R], G Justin Geisinger Team Notes • New Additions: T Duke Robinson [R], G Justin Geisinger • Key Losses: T Frank Omiyale (Chicago), C Geoff Hangartner (Buffalo) • LT Jordan Gross re-signs for 6 years ($60 million contract)
Cleveland Browns Overall Grade: C+ / Overall Rank 15th 2009 Grades Run blocking: C+ Pass blocking: B+ Depth: C+
Cohesion: C+ Experience: A Potential: B+
Projected Starters LT Joe Thomas – Pro Bowl – 16 starts / 3rd season LG Eric Steinbach – 14 starts / 7th season C Hank Fraley – 15 starts / 10th season RG Floyd Womack – new addition / 9th season RT John St. Clair – new addition / 10th season Key Backups: G Rex Hadnot, C Alex Mack [R], T Isaac Sowells, T Ryan Tucker
Chicago Bears Overall Grade: D / Overall Rank 26th 2009 Grades Run blocking: C Cohesion: C+ Pass blocking rank: C Experience: B Depth: C+ Potential: C+ Projected Starters LT Orlando Pace – new addition / 13th season LG Josh Beekman – 16 starts / 3rd season C Olin Kreutz – 16 starts / 12th season RG Roberto Garza – 16 starts / 9th season RT– Chris Williams – 0 starts / 2nd season Key Backups: T Frank Omiyale (could start at RT), T Kevin Shaffer (could also start at RT), G Dan Buenning Team Notes • New Additions: LT Orlando Pace (St. Louis), Kevin Shaffer (Cleveland), Frank Omiyale (Carolina) • Key Losses: T John St. Clair (Cleveland) • Yet to Sign: T Fred Miller
Cincinnati Bengals Overall Grade: D+ / Overall Rank 24th 2009 Grades Run blocking: C Pass blocking: B Depth: C+
Cohesion: C Experience: C+ Potential: C+
Projected Starters LT Andrew Whitworth – 10 starts / 4th season LG Nate Livings – 6 starts / 4th season C Kyle Cook – 0 starts / 2nd season RG Bobbie Williams – 16 starts – 10th season RT Andre Smith – rookie (first round pick) Key Backups: G Scott Kooistra, C Jonathon Luigs [R], T Anthony Collins, C Dan Santucci Team Notes • New Additions – C Jonathon Luigs [R] • Key Losses – Stacy Andrews (Philadelphia) • Yet to sign – G Even Mathis
Team Notes • New Additions: T/G Floyd Womack (Seattle), T John St. Clair (Chicago), C Alex Mack [R] • Key Losses: T Kevin Shaffer (Chicago), C/G Seth McKinney (Buffalo) • Yet to Sign: none
Dallas Cowboys Overall Grade: B / Overall Rank 11th 2009 Grades Run blocking: B Pass blocking: B Depth: B+
Cohesion: A Experience: A Potential: B+
Projected Starters LT Flozell Adams – Pro Bowl replacement player – 16 starts / 12th season LG Cory Procter – 11 starts / 5th season C Andre Gurode – Pro Bowl – 16 starts / 8th season RG Leonard Davis – Pro Bowl – 16 starts / 9th season RT Marc Colombo – 16 starts / 8th season Key Backups: T Pat McQuistan, G Montrae Holland, T Doug Free, G Kyle Kosier (could start), T Robert Brewster [R] Team Notes • New Additions: T Robert Brewster [R] • Key Losses: G Joe Berger (Miami)
Denver Broncos
Team Notes • New Additions: G Seth Olsen [R], C Blake Schlueter [R] • Key Losses: T Erik Pears (Oakland) • Yet to Sign: none
Detroit Lions Overall Grade: D / Overall Rank 29th 2009 Grades Run blocking: C Pass blocking: F Depth: C+
Cohesion: B Experience: C+ Potential: C+
Projected Starters LT Jeff Backus – 16 starts / 9th season LG Manuel Ramirez – 3 starts / 3rd season C Dominic Raiola – 12 starts / 9th season RG Stephen Peterman – 14 starts / 6th season RT Gosder Cherilus – 13 starts / 2nd season Key Backups: T Daniel Loper, G Dylan Gandy, T Damion Cook Team Notes • New Additions: T Daniel Loper (Tennessee), G Dylan Gandy (Oakland), T Lydon Murtha [R] • Key Losses: Edwin Mulitalo (released) • Yet to sign: none
Green Bay Packers Overall Grade: C- / Overall Rank 21st 2009 Grades Run blocking: B Pass blocking: C+ Depth: C+
Cohesion: B Experience: B Potential: B
Projected Starters LT Chad Clifton – 15 starts / 10th season LG Daryn Colledge – 16 starts / 4th season C Scott Wells – 13 starts / 6th season RG Jason Spitz – 16 starts / 4th season RT Tony Moll – 5 starts / 4th season Key Backups: T/G James Meredith [R], T T.J. Lang [R], C/G Duke Preston (could start at LG and have Colledge slide to RT) Team Notes • New Additions: C/G Duke Preston (Buffalo), T James Meredith [R], T T.J. Lang [R] • Key Losses: none • Yet to Sign: Mark Tauscher (should start somewhere if not Green Bay)
Overall Grade: C / Overall Rank 18th 2009 Grades Run blocking: B Pass blocking: B Depth: C
Cohesion: A Experience: B Potential: B
Projected Starters LT Ryan Clady – 16 starts / 2nd season LG Ben Hamilton – 16 starts / 9th season C Casey Wiegmann – Pro Bowl replacement player – 16 starts / 14th season RG Chris Kuper – 16 starts / 4th season RT Ryan Harris – 16 starts / 3rd season Key Backups: T Brandon Gorin, G Mitch Erickson, G Seth Olsen [R], C Kory Lichtensteiger
Houston Texans Overall Grade: B / Overall Rank 12th 2009 Grades Run blocking: B Pass blocking: B Depth: B
Cohesion: A Experience: A Potential: A
Projected Starters LT Duane Brown – 16 starts / 2nd season LG Chester Pitts – 16 starts / 8th season C Chris Myers – 16 starts / 5th season RG Mike Brisiel – 16 starts / 4th season RT Eric Winston – 16 starts / 4th season
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Jacksonville Jaguars Overall Grade: B+ / Overall Rank 6th 2009 Grades Run blocking: A Pass blocking: C+ Depth: A
Cohesion: B Experience: A Potential: A
Projected Starters LT Tra Thomas – new addition – 12th season LG Vince Manuwai – 1 start (injured knee) / 7th season C Brad Meester – 10 starts / 10th season RG Maurice Williams – injured DNP / 8th season RT Tony Pashos – 16 starts / 7th season Key Backups: T Eugene Monroe (rookie), T Eben Britton (rookie), G Uche Nwaneri, G/T Dennis Norman Team Notes • New Additions: T William (Tra) Thomas (Philadelphia), T Eugene Monroe [R], T Eben Britton [R] • Key Losses: T Khalif Barnes (Oakland) • Yet to sign: None
Kansas City Chiefs Overall Grade: D+ / Overall Rank 23rd
ICON SMI
2009 Grades Run blocking: B Pass blocking: C Depth: D
Jordan Gross
Key Backups: G Antoine Caldwell [R], T Rashard Butler, C Chris White, T Adrian Jones Team Notes • New Additions: G Antoine Caldwell [R] • Key Losses: T Ephraim Salaam (released) • Yet to sign: none
Indianapolis Colts
Cohesion: B Experience: B Potential: B
Projected Starters LT Branden Albert – 15 starts / 2nd season LG Brian Waters – Pro Bowl – 16 starts / 10th season C Rudy Niswanger – 15 starts / 4th season RG Mike Goff – new addition / 12th season RT Damion McIntosh – 16 starts / 10th season Key Backups: T Colin Brown [R], T Herb Taylor, C Eric Ghiacius Team Notes • New Additions: Mike Goff (San Diego), T Colin Brown [R] • Key Losses: none
Overall Grade: C+ / Overall Rank 17th 2009 Grades Run blocking: C+ Pass blocking: A Depth: C+
Cohesion: B Experience: B Potential: B
Projected Starters LT Tony Ugoh – 12 starts / 3rd season LG Charlie Johnson – 16 starts / 4th season C Jeff Saturday – 12 starts / 11th season RG Mike Pollak – 13 starts / 2nd season RT Ryan Diem – 16 starts / 9th season Key Backups: T Charlie Johnson / G Jamey Richard / T Dan Federkeil Team Notes • New Additions: none • Key Losses: none • Yet to Sign: none • Jeff Saturday signed to new contract
Miami Dolphins Overall Grade: C- / Overall Rank 22nd 2009 Grades Run blocking: B Pass blocking: B Depth: C
Cohesion: C+ Experience: B Potential: B
Projected Starters LT Jake Long – Pro Bowl replacement – 16 starts / 2nd season LG Justin Smiley – 12 starts / 6th season C Jake Grove – new addition / 6th season RG Ikechuku Ndukwe - 15 starts / 4th season RT Vernon Carey – 16 starts / 6th season Key Backups: G Donald Thomas, T Andre Gardner (rookie), C Andy Alleman
Team Notes • New Additions: C Jake Grove (Oakland), G Joe Berger (Dallas), T Andre Gardner [R] • Key Losses: C Samson Satele (traded to Oakland) • Yet to sign: None • Dolphins re-signed RT Vernon Carey with lucrative contract to remain in Miami
Minnesota Vikings Overall Grade: C+ / Overall Rank 16th 2009 Grades Run blocking: A Pass blocking: C Depth: C+
Cohesion: B Experience: B Potential: A
Projected Starters LT Bryant McKinnie – 12 starts / 8th season LG Steve Hutchinson – Pro Bowl – 16 starts / 9th season C John Sullivan – 0 starts / 2nd season RG Anthony Herrera – 16 starts / 6th season RT Phil Loadholt – rookie (second round pick) Key Backups: G/T Artis Hicks, T Ryan Cook, T Phil Loadholt [R] Team Notes • New Additions: T Phil Loadholt [R] • Key Losses: C Matt Birk (Baltimore)
New England Patriots Overall Grade: A / Overall Rank 1st 2009 Grades Run blocking: A Pass blocking: B Depth: A
Cohesion: A Experience: A Potential: A
Projected Starters LT Matt Light – 16 starts / 9th season LG Logan Mankins – 16 starts / 5th season C Dan Koppen – 16 starts / 7th season RG Steve Neal – 9 starts / 8th season RT Nick Kaczur – 14 starts / 5th season Key Backups: G/T Russ Hochstein, T Sebastian Vollmer [R], G Rich Ohrnberger [R], T Ryan O’Callaghan Team Notes • New Additions: T Sebastian Vollmer [R], G Rich Ohrnberger [R] • Key Losses: G Billy Yates (released) • Yet to sign: None
New Orleans Saints Overall Grade: C / Overall Rank 19th 2009 Grades Run blocking: C Pass blocking: A Depth: C+
Cohesion: B Experience: B Potential: B
Projected Starters LT Jammal Brown – Pro Bowl replacement – 15 starts / 5th season LG Carl Nicks – 13 starts / 2nd season
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O F F E N S IVE L I N E OVE R VI EW
C Jonathan Goodwin – 13 starts / 8th season RG Jahri Evans (RFA) – 16 starts / 4th season RT Jon Stinchcomb – 16 starts / 7th season Key Backups: G/C Nick Leckey, G Jamar Nesbit, T Jermon Bushrod Team Notes • New Additions: G/C Nick Leckey (St. Louis) • Key Losses: none • Saints re-signed veteran RT Jon Stinchcomb to a five-year / $22.5 million dollar deal
New York Giants Overall Grade: A / Overall Rank 5th 2009 Grades Run blocking: A Pass blocking: B Depth: B
Cohesion: A Experience: A Potential: A
Projected Starters LT David Diehl – 16 starts / 7th season LG Rich Seubert – 16 starts / 9th season C Shaun O’Hara – Pro Bowl – 16 starts / 10th season RG Chris Snee – Pro Bowl – 16 starts / 6th season RT Kareem McKenzie – 16th start / 9th season Key Backups: T William Beatty [R], RG Kevin Boothe, T Adam Koets, T Guy Whimper Team Notes • New Additions: T William Beatty [R] • Key Losses: none • Yet to sign: None
New York Jets Overall Grade: B+ / Overall Rank 7th 2009 Grades Run blocking: A Pass blocking: B Depth: C
Cohesion: A Experience: A Potential: A
Projected Starters LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson – 16 games / 4th season LG Alan Faneca – Pro Bowl – 16 games / 12th season C Nick Mangold – Pro Bowl – 16 games / 4th season RG Brandon Moore – 16 games / 7th season RT Damien Woody – 16 games / 11th season Key Backups: G Matt Slauson [R], G Mike Kracilik, G Robert Turner Team Notes • New Additions: G Matt Slauson [R] • Key Losses: none • Yet to Sign: none • Jets re-signed G Brandon Moore to a four-year / $16 million dollar contract
Oakland Raiders Overall Grade: D / Overall Rank 28th 2009 Grades Run blocking: C+ Pass blocking: D Depth: C+
Cohesion: CExperience: B Potential: C
Projected Starters LT Cornell Green – 16 starts / 11th season LG Robert Gallery – 16 starts / 6th season C Samson Satele – new addition / 3rd season RG Cooper Carlisle – 16 starts / 10th season RT Khalif Barnes – new addition / 5th season Key Backups: T/G Erik Pears, T Mario Henderson, T James Marten, T Marcus Johnson Team Notes • New Additions: C Samson Satele (trade with Miami), T Khalif Barnes (Jacksonville), T Erik Pears (Denver), T Marcus Johnson (Minnesota) • Key Losses: C Jake Grove (Miami), Kwame Harris (released) • Yet to Sign: none • Raiders re-signed dependable right guard Cooper Carlisle (terms undisclosed)
Philadelphia Eagles Overall Grade: B / Overall Rank 10th 2009 Grades Run blocking: A Pass blocking: B Depth: B
Cohesion: C+ Experience: A Potential: A
Projected Starters LT Jason Peters – new addition (Pro Bowl as Bills LT) / 6th season LG Todd Herremans – 15 starts / 5th season C Jamaal Jackson – 16 starts / 6th season RG Stacy Andrews – new addition / 6th season RT Shawn Andrews- 2 starts / 6th season Key Backups: T Fenuki Tupou [R], G Max JeanGilles, T Winston Justice, C Nick Cole Team Notes • New Additions: T Stacy Andrews (Cincinnati), T Jason Peters (trade with Buffalo), T Fenuki Tupou [R], G/C Nick Cole • Key Losses: T William (Tra) Thomas (Jacksonville), T Jon Runyan
Pittsburgh Steelers Overall Grade: D / Overall Rank 30th 2009 Grades Run blocking: C Pass blocking: D Depth: C
Cohesion: B Experience: B Potential: C
Projected Starters LT Max Starks – 11 starts / 6th season LG Chris Kemoeatu – 16 starts / 5th season C Justin Hartwig – 16 starts / 8th season RG Darnell Stapleton – 12 starts / 3rd season RT Willie Colon – 16 starts / 4th season
Key Backups: T Kraig Urbik [R], C A.Q. Shipley [R], G Trai Essex Team Notes • New Additions: T Kraig Urbik [R], C A.Q. Shipley [R] • Key Losses: T Marvel Smith (San Francisco) • Yet to Sign: none • Steelers re-signed Max Starks, Chris Kemoeatu, Willie Colon and Trai Essex
San Diego Chargers Overall Grade: B / Overall Rank 13th 2009 Grades Run blocking: B Pass blocking: B+ Depth: B
Cohesion: B Experience: A Potential: A
Projected Starters LT Marcus McNeill – 14 starts / 4th season LG Kris Dielman – Pro Bowl – 15 starts / 7th season C Nick Hardwick – 13 starts/ 6th season RG Kynan Forney – 0 starts / 9th season RT Jeromey Clary – 16 starts / 3rd season Key Backups: G Louis Vasquez [R], G Tyrone Green [R], T L.J. Shelton Team Notes • New Additions: G Louis Vasquez [R], G Tyrone Green [R] • Key Losses: G Mike Goff (Kansas City) • Yet to Sign: C Jeremy Newberry (UFA) • G Kynan Forney re-signs with Chargers
San Francisco 49ers Overall Grade: D+ / Overall Rank 25th 2009 Grades Run blocking: C+ Pass blocking: D Depth: C
Cohesion: C+ Experience: A Potential: C+
Projected Starters LT Joe Staley – 16 starts / 3rd season LG David Baas – 9 starts / 5th season C Eric Heitmann – 16 starts / 8th season RG Chilo Rachal – 6 starts / 2nd season RT Marvel Smith – 5 starts (Pit) / 10th season Key Backups: G Joe Toledo, G/C Tony Wragge, G/T Adam Snyder, T Barry Simms Team Notes • New Additions: T Marvel Smith (Pittsburgh) • Key Losses: T Jonas Jennings (released) • Yet to sign: None
Seattle Seahawks Overall Grade: D- / Overall Rank 31st 2009 Grades Run blocking: C Cohesion: C Pass blocking: D Experience: B Depth: C Potential: C Projected Starters LT Walter Jones – Pro Bowl (DNP) – 12 starts / 13th season LG Mike Wahle – 10 starts / 12th season
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O F F E N S IVE L I N E OVE R VI EW
C Chris Spencer – 11 starts / 5th season RG Rob Sims – 1 start / 4th season RT Sean Locklear – 11 starts / 6th season
Offensive Line Rankings
Key Backups: T Max Unger [R], G Mansfield Wrotto, T Ray Willis Team Notes • New Additions: T Max Unger [R] • Key Losses: Floyd Womack (Cleveland) • Seahawks re-sign T/G Ray Willis to stay on as #1 backup and spot starter
St. Louis Rams Overall Grade: D / Overall Rank 27th 2009 Grades Run blocking: C Pass blocking: C Depth: B
Cohesion: C Experience: C+ Potential: C+
Projected Starters LT Alex Barron – 15 starts / 5th season LG Jacob Bell – 13 starts / 6th season C Jason Brown – new addition / 5th season RG Richie Incognito – 15 starts / 5th season RT Jason Smith – rookie (first round pick) Key Backups: G/T Adam Goldberg, G Mark Setterstrom Team Notes • New Additions: C Jason Brown (Baltimore - $20 million guaranteed in contract), LT Jason Smith [R] • Key Losses: LT Orlando Pace (new era as former franchise LT has moved on to Chicago), C Brett Romberg (Atlanta), C Nick Leckey (New Orleans) • T Adam Goldberg and G Mark Setterstrom have resigned to remain with Rams, likely as depth players.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Overall Grade: A / Overall Rank 4th 2009 Grades Run blocking: A Pass blocking: B Depth: B
Cohesion: A Experience: A Potential: A
Projected Starters LT Donald Penn – 16 starts / 4th season LG Arron Sears – 15 starts / 3rd season C Jeff Faine – 16 starts / 7th season RG Davin Joseph – Pro Bowl replacement – 12 starts / 4th season RT Jeremy Trueblood – 16th start / 4th season Key Backups: T Anthony Alabi, G/C Sean Mahan Team Notes • New Additions: none • Key Losses: none • Yet to Sign: none • RFA LT Donald Penn signed his one-year RFA tender at $2.8 million. He hopes to secure a longrange contract in the months ahead.
Rk 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
2008 Rankings (from 1st through 32nd) 2009 Ratings (on a 10-point scale) Team Rush Yards YPC TDs PA/Sck Yds/PA AvgRk Run Pass Depth Coh Exp Pot Score 2009 Grade New England Patriots 4 6 7 4 16 26 11 10 6 10 10 10 10 54 A Tennessee Titans 5 7 10 2 25 4 4 10 10 2 10 10 10 54 A Washington Redskins 8 8 7 22 24 20 18 10 10 1 10 10 10 53 A Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11 15 18 19 19 13 17 10 6 6 10 10 10 51 A New York Giants 7 1 1 8 18 16 6 10 6 6 10 10 10 51 A Jacksonville Jaguars 18 18 14 10 19 23 22 10 4 10 6 10 10 48 B+ New York Jets 19 9 5 5 22 13 12 10 6 2 10 10 10 48 B+ Atlanta Falcons 2 2 7 3 5 6 1t 10 10 2 6 6 10 48 B+ Carolina Panthers 6 3 2 1 4 8 1t 10 10 6 2 6 10 48 B+ Philadelphia Eagles 17 22 21 14 21 5 15 10 6 6 4 10 10 47 B Dallas Cowboys 25 21 10 22 11 13 15 6 6 8 10 10 8 45 B Houston Texans 16 13 10 11 2 17 7 6 6 6 10 10 10 45 B San Diego Chargers 20 20 18 19 1 10 9 6 8 6 6 10 10 45 B Arizona Cardinals 32 32 31 18 7 6 20 2 8 2 10 10 8 38 C+ Cleveland Browns 24 26 26 31 32 9 29 4 8 4 4 10 8 38 C+ Minnesota Vikings 3 5 6 14 15 28 13 10 2 4 6 6 10 38 C+ Indianapolis Colts 30 31 32 19 12 3 21 4 10 4 6 6 6 38 C+ Denver Broncos 28 12 2 14 9 1 3 6 6 2 10 6 6 36 C New Orleans Saints 26 28 21 5 3 2 8 2 10 4 6 6 6 35 C Baltimore Ravens 1 4 21 5 13 22 10 8 2 10 2 6 6 33 C Green Bay Packers 14 17 18 24 8 18 14 6 4 4 6 6 6 32 CMiami Dolphins 12 11 14 9 7 11 4 6 6 2 4 6 6 32 CKansas City Chiefs 29 16 2 28 28 19 26 6 2 1 6 6 6 26 D+ Cincinnati Bengals 21 29 30 31 31 30 32 2 8 4 2 4 4 26 D+ San Francisco 49ers 27 27 21 25 10 32 32 4 1 2 4 10 4 23 D+ Chicago Bears 15 24 26 14 29 12 24 2 2 4 4 6 4 20 D St. Louis Rams 22 25 21 30 26 25 30 2 2 6 2 4 4 18 D Oakland Raiders 10 10 10 28 27 27 25 4 1 4 2 6 2 18 D Detroit Lions 31 30 28 25 23 31 31 2 0 4 6 4 4 17 D Pittsburgh Steelers 9 23 29 11 13 29 23 2 1 2 6 6 2 17 D Seattle Seahawks 22 19 14 25 30 21 27 2 1 2 2 6 2 14 DBuffalo Bills 13 14 14 11 17 24 19 1 1 4 0 2 1 8 F Key
Rush - Number of rushing attempts Yards - Number of rushing yards YPC - Rushing yards per carry TDs - Number of rushing TDs PA/Sck - Number of passing yards per sack Yds/PA - Passing yards per attempt AvgRk - Average rank of all categories
Run - Run blocking ability Pass - Pass blocking ability Depth - Quality of reserve linemen Coh - Cohesion of offensive line Exp - Experience of linemen Pot - Potential of offensive line Score - Based on all categories
Tennessee Titans
Washington Redskins
Overall Grade: A / Overall Rank 2nd
Overall Grade: A / Overall Rank 3rd
2009 Grades Run blocking: A Pass blocking: A Depth: C
2009 Grades Run blocking: A Pass blocking: A Depth: D
Cohesion: A Experience: A Potential: A
Projected Starters LT Michael Roos – Pro Bowl – 16 starts / 5th season LG Eugene Amano – 16 starts / 6th season C Kevin Mawae – Pro Bowl – 15 starts / 16 seasons RG Jake Scott – 16 starts / 6th season RT David Stewart – 16 starts / 5th season Key Backups: G/C Leroy Harris, T Mike Otto, T Troy Kropog [R] Team Notes • New Additions: T Troy Kropog [R] • Key Losses: T Daniel Loper (Detroit) • Yet to Sign: none
Cohesion: A Experience: A Potential: A
Projected Starters LT Chris Samuels – Pro Bowl (DNP) – 12 starts / 10th season LG Derrick Dockery – new addition – 7th season C Casey Rabach – 16 starts / 9th season RG Randy Thomas – 16 starts / 11th season RT Jon Jansen – 11 starts / 11th season Key Backups: T Stephon Heyer, OL Chad Rinehart, OL Will Montgomery Team Notes • New Additions: Derrick Dockery (Buffalo), G Jeremy Bridges • Key Losses: none • Yet to sign: T/G Jason Fabini (UFA)
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or yf a d To p nU Sig
E tes a E pd U Fily REmail
Da
OVERALL
Wood
1 3 2 8 7 5 6 4 21 10 11 13 22 9 19 12 28 23 15 14 30 27 16 26 18 38 20 17 29 37 24 35 36 --47 41 25 40 --31 -42 45 50 48 39 44 --
Wimer
1 3 2 8 6 4 5 10 12 9 13 16 26 7 17 15 14 11 18 19 20 22 41 21 -29 33 24 31 30 27 32 37 39 -36 23 25 34 38 28 42 43 --35 45 40 44 --
Tremblay
1 2 3 5 4 6 7 12 9 8 10 13 16 11 18 15 14 17 20 25 26 29 24 27 21 33 23 31 34 30 37 28 19 35 22 -38 -48 36 40 41 43 49 -42 -47 45 39
Tefertiller
3 1 4 6 12 5 10 2 7 9 13 19 8 33 15 16 22 18 20 29 25 17 31 27 11 26 14 34 30 24 21 36 35 32 37 40 48 -39 --28 38 -41 43 45 23 -50
Rudnicki
Hicks
2 4 5 3 1 17 6 19 11 20 8 7 18 24 10 21 13 16 15 28 25 27 12 26 37 14 32 -22 34 36 31 43 9 41 -29 -33 23 44 -30 ---50 --49
Pasquino
Henry
1 3 6 5 2 9 13 10 7 4 11 8 14 20 30 18 12 19 27 17 22 16 21 26 15 25 38 28 24 35 31 39 33 -32 48 37 50 36 -29 -42 45 -34 47 44 -40
Norton
Haseley
1 3 2 17 5 4 7 8 9 6 11 12 13 19 10 14 15 16 24 20 18 28 33 23 27 21 40 25 29 22 36 26 43 -38 34 -37 31 -39 -30 35 32 49 42 50 45 --
Gray
1 2 3 5 4 6 14 7 11 16 10 12 9 8 19 22 13 25 18 15 17 26 20 23 21 31 35 24 29 30 41 32 33 -45 40 34 27 36 48 -44 --39 38 37 50 47 28
Borbely
1. RB Adrian Peterson, MIN 2. RB Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX 3. RB Michael Turner, ATL 4. RB LaDainian Tomlinson, SD 5. RB Steven Jackson, STL 6. RB Matt Forte, CHI 7. RB Brian Westbrook, PHI 8. RB DeAngelo Williams, CAR 9. RB Frank Gore, SF 10. RB Chris Johnson, TEN 11. WR Larry Fitzgerald, ARI 12. WR Randy Moss, NE 13. RB Steve Slaton, HOU 14. RB Clinton Portis, WAS 15. RB Brandon Jacobs, NYG 16. WR Andre Johnson, HOU 17. WR Calvin Johnson, DET 18. RB Marion Barber, DAL 19. QB Drew Brees, NO 20. WR Reggie Wayne, IND 21. WR Steve Smith, CAR 22. WR Greg Jennings, GB 23. QB Tom Brady, NE 24. WR Roddy White, ATL 25. RB Ronnie Brown, MIA 26. WR Anquan Boldin, ARI 27. RB Knowshon Moreno, DEN 28. QB Peyton Manning, IND 29. WR Marques Colston, NO 30. WR Dwayne Bowe, KC 31. RB Ryan Grant, GB 32. RB Reggie Bush, NO 33. RB Kevin Smith, DET 34. RB Larry Johnson, KC 35. RB Marshawn Lynch, BUF 36. TE Jason Witten, DAL 37. WR Terrell Owens, BUF 38. RB Pierre Thomas, NO 39. WR Brandon Marshall, DEN 40. RB Thomas Jones, NYJ 41. RB Jonathan Stewart, CAR 42. WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, SEA 43. WR Wes Welker, NE 44. QB Kurt Warner, ARI 45. QB Aaron Rodgers, GB 46. WR Braylon Edwards, CLE 47. TE Antonio Gates, SD 48. WR Antonio Bryant, TB 49. QB Donovan McNabb, PHI 50. RB Darren McFadden, OAK
Bloom
OVERALL
Bryant
RANKINGS RANKINGS Avg
1 3 2 9 4 6 7 12 8 5 15 20 14 13 11 18 22 10 16 17 19 24 30 33 29 23 27 26 31 25 32 21 35 -28 36 --45 47 41 49 37 34 -42 50 -38 48
1 2 4 11 6 5 7 3 8 21 9 14 17 10 16 12 19 13 26 15 23 31 27 30 20 25 -33 28 24 35 36 38 18 22 34 39 48 32 46 49 41 -29 43 45 42 40 -47
1 2 8 4 3 6 12 14 10 13 38 11 17 7 5 23 21 9 20 37 31 33 15 -34 35 29 47 50 45 24 32 16 25 18 30 -19 39 41 22 -------36 28
1 5 4 2 3 18 12 9 6 16 11 10 8 7 15 17 14 13 21 20 22 28 25 30 40 34 19 23 33 45 31 39 24 27 36 26 43 -48 46 44 37 ----29 -42 32
1 3 6 2 28 11 4 7 15 25 8 18 5 14 13 20 12 30 17 9 32 19 -22 39 34 24 27 33 29 38 23 26 16 -36 42 --35 -21 45 47 10 -31 46 43 48
1 2 5 4 10 7 13 6 11 23 12 14 3 8 9 15 19 33 18 31 21 30 28 22 25 41 32 26 20 24 46 42 39 34 -35 29 16 -17 50 --38 49 36 --44 --
1.2 2.8 4.1 6.5 7.0 7.9 8.4 8.9 10.3 13.0 13.1 13.5 13.9 14.0 14.5 16.6 17.3 17.5 19.8 21.6 24.2 25.5 27.2 28.0 28.2 29.1 29.4 30.2 30.3 31.1 32.2 32.3 32.6 33.8 36.8 38.8 40.2 40.5 40.5 41.0 41.5 41.9 43.3 44.2 44.4 44.6 44.8 44.9 45.0 45.0
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QUARTERBACKS
RANKINGS
Baker
Bloom
Borbely
Gray
Haseley
Henry
Hicks
Norton
Pasquino
Rudnicki
Terfertiller
Tremblay
Wimer
1. Drew Brees, NO 2. Tom Brady, NE 3. Peyton Manning, IND 4. Kurt Warner, ARI 5. Aaron Rodgers, GB 6. Donovan McNabb, PHI 7. Philip Rivers, SD 8. Tony Romo, DAL 9. Jay Cutler, CHI 10. Carson Palmer, CIN 11. Matt Ryan, ATL 12. Matt Schaub, HOU 13. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT 14. David Garrard, JAX 15. Eli Manning, NYG 16. Matt Hasselbeck, SEA 17. Matt Cassel, KC 18. Trent Edwards, BUF 19. Kyle Orton, DEN 20. Jake Delhomme, CAR 21. Joe Flacco, BAL 22. Jason Campbell, WAS 23. Chad Pennington, MIA 24. Shaun Hill, SF 25. JaMarcus Russell, OAK 26. Marc Bulger, STL 27. Sage Rosenfels, MIN 28. Kerry Collins, TEN 29. Brady Quinn, CLE 30. Mark Sanchez, NYJ 31. Byron Leftwich, TB 32. Daunte Culpepper, DET 33. Matthew Stafford, DET 34. Derek Anderson, CLE 35. Tarvaris Jackson, MIN
Bryant
QUARTERBACKS
Rookie-Only Rankings: Sigmund Bloom, Anthony Borbely, Jene Bramel, Jeff Haseley, Bob Henry, John Norton, Jeff Pasquino, Aaron Rudnicki, Jeff Tefertiller, Matt Waldman and Jason Wood. IDP Rankings: David Baker, Sigmund Bloom, Anthony Borbely, Jene Bramel, Bob Magaw, John Norton, Jeff Pasquino, and Aaron Rudnicki.
Here are the experts that contributed to this feature: Offensive Rankings: Joe Bryant, David Baker, Sigmund Bloom, Anthony Borbely, Clayton Gray, Jeff Haseley, Bob Henry, Mike Herman, Andy Hicks, John Norton, Jeff Pasquino, Aaron Rudnicki, Jeff Tefertiller, Maurile Tremblay, Mark Wimer, and Jason Wood.
1 2 3 6 4 5 7 8 9 14 12 13 10 11 18 15 16 17 24 23 19 22 21 20 26 29 30 28 31 25 32 -27 34 --
3 1 2 5 6 4 9 7 10 8 17 14 13 15 12 11 16 23 20 18 24 25 21 22 26 19 27 29 31 33 32 28 30 34 35
1 4 2 6 3 7 5 8 10 9 13 11 14 12 17 16 15 23 21 18 19 25 26 22 20 24 27 29 28 32 35 31 33 ---
2 1 3 4 6 7 10 8 13 5 12 9 11 16 15 20 17 23 14 22 24 19 30 18 28 21 25 27 26 35 29 33 31 ---
2 1 6 5 3 8 4 10 11 14 9 7 20 17 16 15 24 13 12 18 19 23 25 21 22 29 27 28 31 26 30 32 34 35 33
1 2 3 6 4 7 5 8 11 9 12 13 14 17 15 16 19 18 10 20 21 25 22 26 28 27 24 31 23 30 29 -32 -33
1 2 3 6 7 5 4 10 13 15 11 8 9 12 14 19 17 18 16 23 21 22 20 27 25 31 26 30 29 24 -32 34 33 28
1 3 2 7 5 4 6 9 11 12 13 17 8 14 10 23 15 24 26 21 18 19 20 16 22 27 30 28 25 32 29 31 34 -33
1 2 3 4 7 6 10 5 12 9 8 14 11 17 15 13 16 31 21 20 23 28 18 32 22 27 29 19 33 24 26 25 34 30 --
1 3 2 4 8 5 6 7 10 13 9 14 12 18 11 16 15 21 19 17 24 20 27 23 25 22 31 28 29 26 -32 -33 34
1 2 4 3 6 7 5 11 10 13 9 8 12 14 17 15 19 16 18 25 23 22 21 20 24 26 32 29 27 30 31 -28 -33
2 1 5 7 8 4 9 3 10 15 13 6 18 14 19 25 12 21 11 22 16 27 24 17 34 28 20 30 23 26 -31 35 32 --
1 3 2 5 6 4 7 8 11 13 14 9 12 10 16 15 23 22 27 17 19 18 21 28 25 20 30 26 24 33 31 29 35 32 --
2 8 3 6 1 5 12 4 14 7 13 20 15 9 18 10 11 19 33 23 24 16 17 22 27 25 21 30 28 29 26 -32 ---
Wood
N
o matter if you are a first-time player or a longtime fantasy shark, it’s always nice to compare your efforts to experts in the industry. We asked 23 of our staff experts to rank the positions you see in these pages. We have cut some of these lists off at 50 players, but you can find the full rankings at Footballguys.com.
1 3 2 4 7 5 8 11 6 9 10 15 13 16 18 19 14 12 31 22 17 20 21 25 23 27 26 24 29 28 33 30 34 ---
Avg 1.4 2.5 3.0 5.2 5.4 5.5 7.1 7.8 10.7 11.0 11.7 11.9 12.8 14.1 15.4 16.5 16.6 20.1 20.2 20.6 20.7 22.1 22.3 22.6 25.1 25.5 27.0 27.7 27.8 28.9 31.4 31.9 32.6 34.3 34.5
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Borbely
Gray
Haseley
Henry
Hicks
Norton
Pasquino
Rudnicki
Tefertiller
Tremblay
Wimer
1 2 3 5 4 6 11 7 10 8 12 9 13 15 14 20 21 18 19 25 22 23 17 16 31 27 32 29 26 35 24 30 28 -43 48 37 33 41 39 47 34 44 38 42 36 40 --49
1 3 7 2 4 10 5 6 9 8 13 11 14 12 19 20 18 17 22 15 16 21 25 30 29 26 24 23 32 34 36 27 31 37 35 28 33 41 43 44 40 45 39 46 38 49 -47 48 --
1 3 2 13 5 4 7 8 9 14 6 11 10 12 16 21 17 15 23 30 19 27 29 18 20 22 28 26 32 24 31 42 40 33 47 37 25 48 34 39 36 45 46 38 -44 -35 -43
1 3 6 5 2 8 10 9 7 14 4 11 16 13 12 20 17 21 19 29 18 28 22 25 15 23 24 26 30 34 36 27 40 31 42 32 44 35 39 41 33 49 46 48 45 38 --47 --
2 4 5 3 1 11 6 13 9 16 14 12 8 10 20 18 19 17 24 7 22 15 26 38 25 33 23 35 29 27 46 21 30 43 32 -48 34 31 28 36 --45 39 -50 40 37 44
3 1 4 6 12 5 10 2 7 18 9 8 14 15 11 13 16 20 19 17 21 24 22 30 29 27 34 28 32 33 25 39 35 23 42 31 26 36 47 40 37 38 43 46 50 48 -45 44 41
1 2 3 5 4 6 7 10 9 11 8 12 14 13 17 15 22 19 16 21 18 24 23 30 26 29 28 20 36 31 27 25 33 40 37 41 43 39 46 35 38 34 44 -49 45 ---48
1 3 2 8 6 4 5 10 12 7 9 15 13 11 23 19 16 18 20 22 28 21 33 14 17 25 26 29 24 31 32 35 30 34 27 40 -41 37 50 44 49 -45 36 42 39 -48 --
1 3 2 8 7 5 6 4 14 9 10 15 12 16 11 13 17 22 23 28 32 25 24 18 33 19 27 20 21 38 29 30 36 26 34 45 31 -40 37 46 44 39 35 -41 -50 ---
1 3 2 9 4 6 7 12 8 13 5 14 11 10 18 16 19 15 20 33 17 23 24 27 21 28 25 22 39 30 26 29 37 46 40 32 34 38 31 42 50 36 44 41 47 -45 35 49 --
1 2 4 10 6 5 7 3 8 9 16 13 12 11 15 27 18 19 20 14 17 21 22 23 24 28 25 26 30 32 29 31 34 41 -33 48 36 42 40 38 45 35 44 49 37 47 43 -46
1 2 8 4 3 6 11 13 10 7 12 15 5 9 25 23 19 24 14 20 16 27 22 17 18 30 28 26 36 37 34 43 47 21 35 50 48 44 31 -29 41 42 39 33 ----40
1 5 4 2 3 14 10 9 6 7 13 8 12 11 23 15 18 22 16 17 21 26 19 31 25 20 24 29 28 30 44 27 36 43 47 35 40 49 50 33 41 38 34 42 32 45 37 -39 --
1 3 6 2 17 7 4 8 11 10 15 5 9 18 21 14 20 13 16 12 24 19 23 31 32 34 22 36 27 26 33 30 28 42 25 29 45 41 --47 48 40 -38 35 37 44 43 --
Wood
Bloom
1. Adrian Peterson, MIN 2. Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX 3. Michael Turner, ATL 4. LaDainian Tomlinson, SD 5. Steven Jackson, STL 6. Matt Forte, CHI 7. Brian Westbrook, PHI 8. DeAngelo Williams, CAR 9. Frank Gore, SF 10. Clinton Portis, WAS 11. Chris Johnson, TEN 12. Steve Slaton, HOU 13. Brandon Jacobs, NYG 14. Marion Barber, DAL 15. Ronnie Brown, MIA 16. Knowshon Moreno, DEN 17. Ryan Grant, GB 18. Reggie Bush, NO 19. Kevin Smith, DET 20. Larry Johnson, KC 21. Marshawn Lynch, BUF 22. Thomas Jones, NYJ 23. Darren McFadden, OAK 24. Pierre Thomas, NO 25. Jonathan Stewart, CAR 26. Chris Wells, ARI 27. Willie Parker, PIT 28. Joseph Addai, IND 29. Cedric Benson, CIN 30. Donald Brown, IND 31. Derrick Ward, TB 32. Jamal Lewis, CLE 33. LenDale White, TEN 34. Felix Jones, DAL 35. LeRon McClain, BAL 36. Willis McGahee, BAL 37. Ray Rice, BAL 38. Julius Jones, SEA 39. Earnest Graham, TB 40. Fred Taylor, NE 41. Rashard Mendenhall, PIT 42. Leon Washington, NYJ 43. Jerious Norwood, ATL 44. Darren Sproles, SD 45. Fred Jackson, BUF 46. Chester Taylor, MIN 47. Ricky Williams, MIA 48. Tim Hightower, ARI 49. Justin Fargas, OAK 50. Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG
Baker
RUNNING BACKS
Bryant
RUNNING BACKS
RANKINGS 1 2 5 4 10 7 12 6 11 8 15 3 9 19 16 18 24 23 22 20 28 14 27 13 26 25 29 40 35 21 17 34 30 48 31 46 37 32 41 36 47 33 42 38 -39 43 --45
Avg 1.2 2.8 4.3 5.8 6.0 7.0 7.6 8.1 9.3 10.8 10.6 10.9 11.4 12.9 17.6 18.0 18.6 18.9 19.6 20.4 21.2 22.5 24.4 24.6 24.3 26.4 26.2 27.6 30.8 30.6 31.8 31.4 34.8 36.3 37.5 37.9 39.5 40.4 40.2 40.5 40.1 42.6 42.6 43.5 43.5 44.0 46.8 46.1 47.2 47.4
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Bloom
Borbely
Gray
Haseley
Henry
Hicks
Norton
Pasquino
Rudnicki
Tefertiller
Tremblay
Wimer
Wood
1. Larry Fitzgerald, ARI 2. Randy Moss, NE 3. Andre Johnson, HOU 4. Calvin Johnson, DET 5. Reggie Wayne, IND 6. Steve Smith, CAR 7. Greg Jennings, GB 8. Roddy White, ATL 9. Anquan Boldin, ARI 10. Marques Colston, NO 11. Dwayne Bowe, KC 12. Terrell Owens, BUF 13. Brandon Marshall, DEN 14. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, SEA 15. Wes Welker, NE 16. Braylon Edwards, CLE 17. Chad Ochocinco, CIN 18. Antonio Bryant, TB 19. Eddie Royal, DEN 20. Santonio Holmes, PIT 21. Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ 22. Roy Williams, DAL 23. Santana Moss, WAS 24. Hines Ward, PIT 25. Vincent Jackson, SD 26. DeSean Jackson, PHI 27. Laveranues Coles, CIN 28. Bernard Berrian, MIN 29. Anthony Gonzalez, IND 30. Lance Moore, NO 31. Lee Evans, BUF 32. Donnie Avery, STL 33. Donald Driver, GB 34. Torry Holt, JAX 35. Michael Crabtree, SF 36. Derrick Mason, BAL 37. Devin Hester, CHI 38. Kevin Walter, HOU 39. Ted Ginn, MIA 40. Steve Breaston, ARI 41. Chris Chambers, SD 42. Mark Clayton, BAL 43. Kevin Curtis, PHI 44. Deion Branch, SEA 45. Steve Smith, NYG 46. Domenik Hixon, NYG 47. Justin Gage, TEN 48. Muhsin Muhammad, CAR 49. Hakeem Nicks, NYG 50. Patrick Crayton, DAL
Baker
WIDE RECEIVERS
Bryant
WIDE RECEIVERS
RANKINGS 1 2 6 3 4 5 8 7 11 9 10 12 13 16 21 14 15 19 25 22 20 27 23 26 24 17 28 34 33 39 31 18 30 29 32 35 36 41 37 38 40 45 --44 49 47 43 42 --
2 1 3 4 5 6 9 14 7 8 13 10 11 12 17 16 15 24 22 23 18 20 28 26 32 33 19 31 34 25 30 35 29 21 36 27 40 41 43 47 37 38 46 39 48 44 45 50 -42
1 2 3 4 6 5 9 8 7 11 10 20 13 18 12 16 19 17 15 14 22 26 21 30 28 32 23 37 24 29 25 27 34 36 31 35 33 44 42 38 40 41 45 50 39 --43 ---
2 1 6 3 5 7 4 11 10 9 13 15 14 21 17 12 8 19 18 16 27 30 24 25 23 32 20 26 22 40 34 37 29 33 28 36 31 39 41 44 49 35 45 50 38 46 -----
2 1 5 3 10 7 9 8 4 6 14 11 13 24 12 22 21 34 29 25 16 19 26 28 15 23 48 17 44 18 49 20 37 35 27 30 33 39 45 46 40 42 41 36 43 32 31 ----
1 4 2 5 12 8 3 10 9 13 7 20 15 11 14 17 19 6 31 23 22 16 26 30 29 27 36 21 35 18 28 24 40 37 45 43 -33 34 25 -48 32 42 41 -44 -38 --
1 2 4 3 5 6 8 7 10 11 9 12 18 13 15 14 16 17 22 21 19 20 30 29 23 24 28 25 27 26 32 42 33 39 36 34 31 35 40 37 38 -46 --47 48 49 41 --
1 4 3 2 5 6 8 7 10 12 11 9 13 16 17 14 26 15 37 34 21 19 24 22 23 28 27 33 32 36 29 18 44 20 35 38 30 31 -50 41 25 40 42 -46 -49 ---
1 3 2 7 4 9 6 5 12 8 11 15 14 10 21 17 16 13 25 18 28 20 32 19 26 24 29 36 22 34 23 39 31 27 41 42 37 47 50 43 45 -38 33 -----46
1 5 3 6 2 4 8 11 7 10 9 18 16 17 12 14 19 36 21 13 27 20 15 24 39 25 31 34 22 35 23 38 26 37 28 44 42 30 40 32 33 -43 50 41 47 -45 ---
1 3 2 5 4 6 11 10 8 9 7 13 12 15 18 16 17 14 22 25 26 23 29 28 19 36 24 21 30 27 20 31 34 33 32 35 37 39 38 43 45 -40 50 49 41 42 47 48 44
8 1 3 2 7 4 5 14 6 12 10 13 9 21 15 22 19 30 11 29 18 35 17 26 27 24 16 33 32 28 36 23 20 46 31 25 40 41 -38 -37 ----49 -34 44
2 1 4 3 5 6 7 8 10 9 13 12 14 11 16 23 19 27 18 20 25 15 32 22 17 26 29 35 24 21 31 28 33 34 38 30 39 49 40 -43 41 -36 47 50 42 -46 37
1 4 6 3 2 10 5 8 12 11 9 14 33 7 15 35 48 16 13 37 27 21 31 19 -29 25 24 18 17 20 45 28 43 22 26 30 40 23 ---44 49 -36 -34 47 39
1 2 3 4 11 6 10 7 13 5 8 9 17 18 22 12 15 19 33 25 31 37 23 28 14 16 30 21 32 39 27 24 29 20 35 26 -34 36 -40 45 --41 -42 38 ---
Avg 1.7 2.4 3.7 3.8 5.8 6.3 7.3 9.0 9.1 9.5 10.3 13.5 15.0 15.3 16.3 17.6 19.5 20.4 22.8 23.0 23.1 23.2 25.4 25.5 26.0 26.4 27.5 28.5 28.7 28.8 29.2 29.9 31.8 32.7 33.1 33.7 37.4 38.9 40.7 42.3 42.9 43.5 44.3 45.4 45.7 46.2 46.4 46.9 46.9 47.4
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69
Bloom
Borbely
Gray
Haseley
Henry
Hicks
Norton
Pasquino
Rudnicki
Tefertiller
Tremblay
Wimer
Wood
1. Jason Witten, DAL 2. Antonio Gates, SD 3. Tony Gonzalez, ATL 4. Dallas Clark, IND 5. Kellen Winslow, TB 6. Owen Daniels, HOU 7. Chris Cooley, WAS 8. Greg Olsen, CHI 9. Zach Miller, OAK 10. John Carlson, SEA 11. Dustin Keller, NYJ 12. Jeremy Shockey, NO 13. Visanthe Shiancoe, MIN 14. Heath Miller, PIT 15. Bo Scaife, TEN 16. Tony Scheffler, DEN 17. Anthony Fasano, MIA 18. Kevin Boss, NYG 19. Vernon Davis, SF 20. Brent Celek, PHI 21. Todd Heap, BAL 22. Randy McMichael, STL 23. Brandon Pettigrew, DET 24. Donald Lee, GB 25. Marcedes Lewis, JAX 26. Ben Watson, NE 27. L.J. Smith, BAL 28. Desmond Clark, CHI 29. Brad Cottam, KC 30. Martellus Bennett, DAL 31. Billy Miller, NO 32. Robert Royal, CLE 33. Daniel Graham, DEN 34. Ben Utecht, CIN 35. Dante Rosario, CAR
Baker
TIGHT ENDS
Bryant
TIGHT ENDS
RANKINGS Avg
2 1 3 4 5 6 8 7 9 10 11 12 13 15 14 16 17 19 18 24 20 23 25 22 21 32 29 27 33 34 35 26 --31
2 1 5 3 4 8 6 9 10 7 15 11 14 13 16 12 18 21 19 27 17 26 24 25 20 23 22 28 34 29 -30 31 32 33
1 2 3 4 5 10 6 9 7 11 8 12 16 14 13 17 22 32 19 23 18 15 25 21 20 27 24 ---26 --34 28
2 1 5 4 8 7 3 6 9 12 11 10 26 16 17 15 20 23 28 13 27 14 18 19 29 22 21 33 32 ----30 25
2 1 4 3 10 6 15 5 8 9 13 7 11 19 16 14 12 18 23 35 21 20 17 25 22 24 34 26 ----33 29 --
1 2 3 5 4 6 8 7 11 12 13 10 16 19 9 21 15 17 22 14 18 31 32 25 29 20 34 30 23 26 -27 28 ---
1 2 3 4 7 5 6 9 11 10 8 13 12 15 16 18 14 19 20 23 21 22 17 27 24 31 -30 -34 25 28 29 ---
1 2 3 4 5 7 6 8 16 13 9 11 12 14 10 23 17 18 15 19 21 25 22 27 20 29 24 -28 -26 -34 -35
2 3 1 5 6 4 9 12 10 7 8 11 21 15 18 13 14 16 22 17 23 29 19 27 31 25 30 28 --33 26 -24 --
1 3 4 6 2 7 5 8 10 15 9 12 20 14 13 11 23 19 16 18 32 17 26 21 31 22 24 33 --30 --27 --
1 2 3 4 7 8 6 5 10 9 13 11 16 14 20 12 15 17 18 19 21 22 27 23 24 25 29 26 28 30 31 -33 -32
1 4 2 3 6 5 7 8 10 11 9 19 12 15 34 17 18 14 22 13 32 24 21 -28 -31 33 29 20 27 -23 ---
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 8 14 10 13 11 12 16 15 18 24 21 20 17 25 19 23 22 27 26 34 29 35 -33 -30 31
2 1 4 3 5 8 9 10 11 7 17 13 6 14 19 20 15 12 22 27 24 25 21 16 18 29 32 30 33 --26 23 -34
1 4 2 5 3 6 7 8 9 10 11 16 13 12 14 21 15 20 19 25 17 18 23 24 26 -27 29 32 22 34 35 ----
1.4 2.1 3.2 4.1 5.5 6.6 7.2 8.0 9.9 10.5 11.0 12.1 14.6 14.7 16.3 16.3 16.9 19.3 20.3 21.1 21.9 22.4 22.4 24.1 24.3 27.2 28.2 30.6 32.1 32.1 32.2 32.2 32.4 32.9 33.4
NFL TRIVIA
????
Question 1: Kurt Warner threw for 4,582 yards last season at 37 years old. Only two QBs in league history have thrown for 4,000+ yards at an older age, Answer on page 52 can you name them?
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Borbely
Gray
Haseley
Henry
Herman
Hicks
Norton
Pasquino
Rudnicki
Terfertiller
Tremblay
Wimer
Wood
Avg
1 2 6 3 7 12 4 5 13 8 10 9 15 14 20 16 11 19 24 18 17 27 29 23 21 26 28 22 32 31 25 ---30
1 7 13 5 14 8 3 10 6 4 17 2 12 16 15 11 9 18 32 29 27 26 21 23 25 20 24 19 30 31 22 28 ----
1 13 2 4 6 19 15 7 10 3 5 21 8 17 12 9 16 22 11 25 18 23 14 24 29 20 28 -30 26 32 31 27 ---
1 3 11 4 13 6 2 8 12 9 14 5 22 16 7 15 25 10 18 23 24 29 20 19 17 27 21 26 30 28 31 32 ----
1 6 9 4 2 10 5 7 3 8 24 14 12 21 23 11 17 19 27 16 13 29 22 20 28 15 18 -30 25 32 31 26 ---
1 5 3 2 7 4 10 16 11 9 12 8 17 14 19 15 6 18 24 21 22 13 26 23 20 25 29 27 30 31 -28 -32 --
3 1 2 5 6 9 8 11 4 12 7 15 14 13 17 18 10 20 21 23 19 22 16 24 25 26 30 32 27 29 28 --31 --
9 1 2 12 3 6 5 10 4 17 8 14 11 15 18 16 7 24 26 22 21 19 13 25 28 23 31 29 30 27 20 ---32
1 2 3 5 8 4 28 18 16 7 17 14 9 19 13 6 26 22 12 10 24 11 20 15 21 31 30 27 23 25 32 29 ----
4 1 5 9 2 8 15 7 14 6 16 3 12 18 10 17 19 11 28 27 20 13 30 25 22 23 24 21 26 29 32 31 ----
8 5 3 12 7 6 1 2 10 11 4 20 15 16 19 17 26 13 14 9 21 18 23 22 27 24 30 -29 25 31 32 28 ---
1 4 2 3 10 5 11 15 6 7 8 18 14 9 13 19 12 17 20 24 22 26 23 21 16 31 28 -29 30 32 27 25 ---
1 5 14 6 19 2 10 4 13 15 11 3 7 16 8 18 20 23 9 24 12 21 17 25 27 32 31 22 30 29 26 -28 ---
2 7 1 3 4 8 9 5 14 11 6 12 10 13 17 16 29 22 15 23 27 24 19 18 28 30 21 25 20 26 32 31 ----
1 14 4 7 8 18 12 16 6 26 3 9 17 5 13 25 2 27 10 11 19 23 32 30 15 29 -21 22 28 31 24 -20 --
1 3 4 8 2 10 7 5 9 11 6 17 12 14 16 13 18 20 15 19 22 21 23 24 29 25 28 31 27 26 30 ---32
2.3 4.9 5.3 5.8 7.4 8.4 9.1 9.1 9.4 10.3 10.5 11.5 12.9 14.8 15.0 15.1 15.8 19.1 19.1 20.3 20.5 21.6 21.8 22.6 23.6 25.4 27.1 27.1 27.8 27.9 29.3 30.6 31.1 32.0 32.7
KICKERS
Bloom
1. Stephen Gostkowski, NE 2. Nate Kaeding, SD 3. Rob Bironas, TEN 4. Mason Crosby, GB 5. Jason Elam, ATL 6. Nick Folk, DAL 7. Garrett Hartley, NO 8. David Akers, PHI 9. Kris Brown, HOU 10. Neil Rackers, ARI 11. Ryan Longwell, MIN 12. Adam Vinatieri, IND 13. Robbie Gould, CHI 14. John Kasay, CAR 15. Shayne Graham, CIN 16. Jeff Reed, PIT 17. Lawrence Tynes, NYG 18. Josh Scobee, JAX 19. Josh Brown, STL 20. Joe Nedney, SF 21. Rian Lindell, BUF 22. Dan Carpenter, MIA 23. Jason Hanson, DET 24. Phil Dawson, CLE 25. Matt Prater, DEN 26. Jay Feely, NYJ 27. Olindo Mare, SEA 28. Mike Nugent, TB 29. Shaun Suisham, WAS 30. Sebastian Janikowski, OAK 31. Steve Hauschka, BAL 32. Connor Barth, KC 33. Matt Bryant, TB 34. Brandon Coutu, SEA 35. Ryan Succop, KC
Baker
KICKERS
Bryant
RANKINGS
NFL TRIVIA
????
Question 2: In 2008, the Cardinals had three 1,000-yard receivers: Larry Fitzgerald (1,431 yards), Anquan Boldin (1,038 yards) and Steve Breaston (1,008 yards). This has happened only four other times in league history; can you name the teams and receivers? Answer on page 52 FREE DAILY EMAIL: http://footballguys.com/email
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DEFENSES
1 2 4 3 6 5 9 7 8 11 15 10 14 12 23 17 21 16 22 13 25 26 19 28 24 18 27 20 30 31 29 32
1 2 5 4 12 3 6 15 7 10 9 26 16 11 8 18 22 19 13 14 17 21 23 20 24 28 29 30 27 25 32 31
1 3 2 7 4 9 8 5 6 10 16 20 24 13 23 18 21 14 22 12 11 26 19 27 25 15 29 17 30 31 32 28
2 3 5 1 4 10 9 8 11 6 12 14 7 21 15 18 13 17 22 16 26 25 20 19 24 27 28 31 23 32 30 29
Wood
1 6 3 2 4 5 8 7 9 15 13 19 17 14 10 18 21 27 16 20 22 23 12 24 11 28 29 31 30 25 26 32
Wimer
Hicks
6 4 2 1 5 9 7 13 12 8 15 3 11 10 24 18 14 20 23 17 16 19 21 27 26 28 22 31 29 25 30 32
Tremblay
Henry
1 2 5 4 10 3 9 7 12 6 8 20 11 17 13 22 16 18 23 14 25 21 15 19 26 27 24 30 32 28 31 29
Tefertiller
Haseley
1 4 2 3 5 9 6 8 10 14 7 12 22 18 17 16 20 11 25 13 21 19 15 27 26 24 30 23 29 31 32 28
Rudnicki
Gray
1 2 4 7 8 5 3 6 13 12 9 16 15 11 10 19 20 17 14 29 18 25 24 23 26 21 28 30 22 27 31 32
Pasquino
Borbely
1 2 4 3 5 8 6 7 14 16 9 10 11 13 12 15 19 22 18 23 17 21 24 20 26 25 29 28 30 27 32 31
Norton
Bloom
1. Pittsburgh Steelers, PIT 2. Minnesota Vikings, MIN 3. Baltimore Ravens, BAL 4. New York Giants, NYG 5. Philadelphia Eagles, PHI 6. San Diego Chargers, SD 7. Chicago Bears, CHI 8. New England Patriots, NE 9. Tennessee Titans, TEN 10. Dallas Cowboys, DAL 11. Carolina Panthers, CAR 12. New York Jets, NYJ 13. Green Bay Packers, GB 14. Miami Dolphins, MIA 15. Jacksonville Jaguars, JAX 16. Indianapolis Colts, IND 17. Houston Texans, HOU 18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, TB 19. Buffalo Bills, BUF 20. Arizona Cardinals, ARI 21. Washington Redskins, WAS 22. Oakland Raiders, OAK 23. Atlanta Falcons, ATL 24. San Francisco 49ers, SF 25. New Orleans Saints, NO 26. Seattle Seahawks, SEA 27. Cleveland Browns, CLE 28. Cincinnati Bengals, CIN 29. Denver Broncos, DEN 30. Kansas City Chiefs, KC 31. Detroit Lions, DET 32. St. Louis Rams, STL
Baker
DEFENSES
Bryant
RANKINGS Avg
1 2 5 3 6 4 7 9 12 14 18 11 10 13 19 16 8 25 20 17 15 22 23 21 24 28 27 26 32 30 29 31
10 2 7 9 1 3 14 6 20 8 18 4 5 25 13 15 22 19 12 23 26 17 29 16 30 11 24 32 21 27 28 31
1 3 2 9 11 4 8 6 5 19 14 12 10 17 7 23 27 18 20 31 32 16 30 25 13 24 22 29 15 21 28 26
1 5 6 4 3 24 12 8 2 19 10 21 23 9 14 7 16 18 15 25 11 13 26 17 27 22 29 20 30 28 32 31
1 2 3 6 4 7 8 9 14 12 10 5 13 15 20 21 11 22 19 25 26 17 16 27 18 24 31 32 30 23 29 28
2.0 2.9 3.9 4.4 5.9 7.2 8.0 8.1 10.3 12.0 12.2 13.5 13.9 14.6 15.2 17.4 18.1 18.9 18.9 19.5 20.5 20.7 21.1 22.7 23.3 23.3 27.2 27.3 27.3 27.4 30.1 30.1
TRIVIA ANSWERS
????
Answer 1: Warren Moon (he did it twice as a 38 and 39 year old) and Brett Favre (38 years old in 2007) Answer 2: •1980 San Diego Chargers (John Jefferson, Charlie Joiner,
Kellen Winslow) • 1989 Washington Redskins (Gary Clark, Art Monk, Ricky Sanders) • 1995 Atlanta Falcons (Eric Metcalf, Bert Emanuel, Terance Mathis) • 2004 Indianapolis Colts (Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, Brandon Stokley) FREE 32 PAGE CAMP UPDATE: http://freeupdate.footballguys.com
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Wood
Average
1 3 2 4 9 7 5 10 6 12 8 11 15 16 13 20 14 28 25 17 18 21 33 19 -26 -23 31 -36 32 ---22 -35 34 -39 40 -24 29 ------
1 3 4 2 9 10 11 17 7 5 16 8 18 12 -27 24 14 6 23 22 36 26 13 21 25 19 -20 31 --28 29 37 -38 -34 15 32 35 33 -30 40 -----
1 2 3 4 5 6 8 7 10 13 12 14 9 11 20 26 15 22 23 35 25 18 -33 -31 27 39 -30 16 21 28 36 32 -24 17 19 37 -34 ---------
1.2 2.6 3.0 3.6 6.4 7.7 7.8 8.3 8.7 10.6 10.8 10.9 12.9 14.8 19.9 19.9 20.0 20.4 22.3 23.1 23.9 24.4 26.1 27.2 27.3 29.0 29.8 30.8 31.2 31.6 31.9 32.1 33.1 33.4 33.7 34.2 34.4 35.1 35.7 36.6 36.6 36.9 36.9 37.8 38.2 38.3 38.8 39.2 39.2 39.2
1. ILB Rey Maualuga, CIN 2. OLB Aaron Curry, SEA 3. ILB James Laurinaitis, STL 4. S William Moore, ATL 5. S Patrick Chung, NE 6. OLB Brian Cushing, HOU 7. S Louis Delmas, DET 8. ILB DeAndre Levy, DET 9. OLB Clint Sintim, NYG 10. DE Aaron Maybin, BUF 11. DE Everette Brown, CAR 12. DE Brian Orakpo, WAS 13. DE Michael Johnson, CIN 14. OLB Clay Matthews, GB 15. S Michael Mitchell, OAK 16. OLB Larry English, SD 17. CB Malcolm Jenkins, NO 18. DE Connor Barwin, HOU 19. ILB Jason Williams, DAL 20. ILB Gerald McRath, TEN 21. DE Robert Ayers, DEN 22. ILB Scott McKillop, SF 23. DE Tyson Jackson, KC 24. DE Lawrence Sidbury ATL 25. CB Vontae Davis, MIA 26. OLB Marcus Freeman, CHI 27. DE Paul Kruger, BAL 28. OLB Tyrone McKenzie, NE 29. OLB Cody Brown, ARI 30. DT Peria Jerry, ATL 31. DT Jarron Gilbert, CHI 32. CB Alphonso Smith, DEN 33. ILB Jason Phillips, BAL 34. S Michael Hamlin, DAL 35. DT B.J. Raji, GB 36. S Chip Vaughn, NO 37. CB Darius Butler, NE 38. CB Jairus Byrd, BUF 39. CB Sean Smith, MIA 40. ILB Kaluka Maiava, CLE 41. OLB David Veikune, CLE 42. ILB Jasper Brinkley, MIN 43. CB Sherrod Martin, CAR 44. CB Asher Allen, MIN 45. DE Alex Magee, KC 46. OLB Zack Follett, DET 47. ILB Frantz Joseph 48. CB Victor Harris, PHI 49. S Rashad Johnson, ARI 50. ILB Dannell Ellerbe, BAL
2 1 3 4 5 20 6 7 14 19 10 9 11 16 12 8 18 17 13 15 21 22 37 27 28 24 30 -31 36 23 32 34 --26 35 ---29 25 -39 --33 ----
2 1 3 7 6 4 9 8 10 5 13 11 12 16 14 15 21 17 27 28 22 19 20 26 23 24 31 18 29 32 38 -25 -40 -35 -36 33 ---30 -37 --34 --
1 3 2 4 7 5 12 6 8 18 13 14 10 16 9 23 11 28 19 22 21 29 17 15 20 33 27 39 -24 26 34 35 25 30 36 31 -------32 ------
2 3 1 6 5 4 8 7 14 9 10 13 11 17 12 18 23 19 15 16 26 29 32 24 28 30 33 22 -36 38 39 31 20 37 21 -25 -35 34 40 27 --------
3 1 4 5 6 2 21 27 14 8 10 12 15 7 22 9 17 11 23 34 29 18 16 32 19 26 28 25 13 39 40 20 37 -24 -31 -30 ------36 -33 -35
1 3 2 8 7 4 6 10 5 11 14 12 19 9 16 13 15 18 17 20 21 28 24 23 32 26 22 27 -29 31 33 37 34 30 -39 25 35 36 -----------
1.8 2.0 2.5 5.7 6.0 6.5 10.3 10.8 10.8 11.7 11.7 11.8 13.0 13.5 14.2 14.3 17.5 18.3 19.0 22.5 23.3 24.2 24.3 24.5 25.0 27.2 28.5 28.7 32.7 32.7 32.7 33.2 33.2 33.7 33.7 34.3 35.3 35.7 37.3 37.8 37.8 38.2 38.7 38.8 39.5 39.5 39.7 39.7 39.8 40.0
ROOKIE -ONLY
Waldman
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 9 13 12 17 14 16 22 15 23 18 20 29 19 25 21 27 37 38 31 -36 39 24 30 34 -35 40 --26 -28 --33 32 ----
Average
Tefertiller
2 1 3 5 4 10 9 6 7 13 11 8 12 14 22 16 19 21 20 15 35 17 27 29 24 28 ---18 34 33 39 23 37 30 -36 -32 -25 31 --26 38 ----
Rudnicki
Rudnicki
1 6 2 3 5 4 9 7 12 11 10 8 13 15 19 14 21 16 25 23 22 31 35 32 26 33 34 18 27 28 17 -24 29 20 37 36 -39 40 -38 -------30
Pasquino
Pasquino
1 2 3 4 7 6 8 5 12 11 14 9 10 21 13 17 29 16 22 32 38 15 19 35 26 31 24 23 -18 27 --34 20 30 28 -40 --37 39 ----33 25 36
Norton
Norton
2 1 3 4 9 11 7 5 6 8 10 15 12 14 17 13 20 27 29 16 18 19 21 28 23 34 24 32 31 36 -22 ---25 26 -37 ----30 39 --33 ---
Bramel
Haseley
1. RB Knowshon Moreno, DEN 1 2. WR Michael Crabtree, SF 3 3. RB Chris Wells, ARI 4 4. RB Donald Brown, IND 2 5. RB LeSean McCoy, PHI 5 6. RB Shonn Greene, NYJ 9 7. WR Hakeem Nicks, NYG 6 8. WR Jeremy Maclin, PHI 10 9. QB Matthew Stafford, DET 8 10. WR Percy Harvin, MIN 11 11. WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, OAK 7 12. QB Mark Sanchez, NYJ 12 13. WR Kenny Britt, TEN 15 14. WR Brian Robiskie, CLE 13 15. RB Andre Brown, NYG 20 16. TE Brandon Pettigrew, DET 30 17. WR Mike Thomas, JAX 16 18. QB Josh Freeman, TB 25 19. TE Jared Cook, TEN 28 20. WR Brandon Tate, NE 29 21. RB Gartrell Johnson, SD 17 22. WR Juaquin Iglesias, CHI 34 23. WR Jarett Dillard, JAX 14 24. TE Shawn Nelson, BUF 31 25. RB Rashad Jennings, JAX 23 26. WR Austin Collie, IND 26 27. RB Cedric Peerman, BAL 21 28. RB James Davis, CLE 22 29. RB Bernard Scott, CIN 18 30. WR Mohamed Massaquoi, CLE -31. RB Glen Coffee, SF 39 32. RB Javon Ringer, TEN 19 33. TE Chase Coffman, CIN 32 34. QB Pat White, MIA 38 35. WR Johnny Knox, CHI -36. WR Mike Wallace, PIT -37. WR Patrick Turner, MIA -38. RB Mike Goodson, CAR 24 39. WR Deon Butler, SEA 36 40. QB Nate Davis, SF -41. TE Travis Beckum, NYG 27 42. WR Derrick Williams, DET -43. TE Cornelius Ingram, PHI 37 44. RB Arian Foster, HOU 40 45. WR Sammie Stroughter, TB -46. WR Ramses Barden, NYG -47. TE James Casey, HOU 33 48. WR Demetrius Byrd, SD -49. RB Quinn Johnson, GB -50. WR Brian Hartline, MIA --
Borbely
Borbely
ROOKIE-ONLY (DEFENSE)
ROOKIE-ONLY (OFFENSE)
Bloom
Bloom
RANKINGS
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2 3 1 5 4 9 7 8 6 12 15 11 16 24 10 13 17 23 14 18 27 34 28 30 20 22 38 25 21 36 -26 39 35 19 32 33 40 -31 29 42 -44 48 -37 -45 --
1 2 5 3 4 8 7 6 9 17 14 24 10 13 11 18 27 12 23 28 16 15 35 22 25 33 21 32 30 20 19 -47 29 26 46 31 -38 48 34 50 -40 ---39 -36
2 1 6 5 4 3 7 9 8 10 19 11 12 14 13 15 16 26 23 18 27 30 21 24 37 28 25 22 20 32 17 39 29 45 46 38 43 33 31 34 -35 44 -40 42 --36 --
Average
1. DE Jared Allen, MIN 2. DE Mario Williams, HOU 3. DE Justin Tuck, NYG 4. DE Terrell Suggs, BAL 5. DE Julius Peppers, CAR 6. DE Osi Umenyiora, NYG 7. DE Trent Cole, PHI 8. DE John Abraham, ATL 9. DE Robert Mathis, IND 10. DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, TEN 11. DE Adewale Ogunleye, CHI 12. DE Aaron Schobel, BUF 13. DE Gaines Adams, TB 14. DE Chris Long, STL 15. DE Justin Smith, SF 16. DE Darryl Tapp, SEA 17. DE Will Smith, NO 18. DE Mathias Kiwanuka, NYG 19. DE Patrick Kerney, SEA 20. DE Derrick Burgess, OAK 21. DT Shaun Rogers, CLE 22. DT Albert Haynesworth, WAS 23. DT Darnell Dockett, ARI 24. DE Dewayne White, DET 25. DE Andre Carter, WAS 26. DE Charles Grant, NO 27. DE Derrick Harvey, JAX 28. DE Dwight Freeney, IND 29. DE Alex Brown, CHI 30. DE Ray Edwards, MIN 31. DE Cliff Avril, DET 32. DE Antonio Smith, HOU 33. DE Leonard Little, STL 34. DE Shaun Ellis, NYJ 35. DT Kevin Williams, MIN 36. DE Richard Seymour, NE 37. DE Juqua Parker, PHI 38. DT Tommy Kelly, OAK 39. DT Haloti Ngata, BAL 40. DE Aaron Smith, PIT 41. OLB Tamba Hali, KC 42. DE Charles Johnson, CAR 43. DE Brian Orakpo, WAS 44. DE Darren Howard, PHI 45. DT Tommie Harris, CHI 46. DE Aaron Maybin, BUF 47. DE Cullen Jenkins, GB 48. DT Jonathan Babineaux, ATL 49. DE Ty Warren, NE 50. DT Robert Bernard, NYG
Rudnicki
1.5 3.0 3.3 6.0 7.5 9.5 10.3 12.3 12.8 16.7 16.7 17.3 18.0 18.5 19.7 19.8 20.3 20.3 20.7 21.8 22.2 24.0 24.0 26.8 27.0 27.2 30.0 30.3 31.2 32.5 33.2 34.5 34.5 35.8 36.7 38.8 39.0 39.5 40.2 40.3 41.2 41.5 42.0 42.2 42.2 42.5 43.3 44.2 44.3 45.0
Pasquino
1 2 3 8 4 5 10 12 9 11 17 21 13 15 40 23 16 48 7 49 6 20 37 -22 46 29 24 19 50 25 34 14 44 18 28 26 35 -31 36 33 32 --27 -30 -43
Norton
2 5 7 1 6 19 8 22 28 32 17 11 30 20 23 12 14 10 45 16 13 35 4 3 34 21 9 46 38 -42 50 -25 ---15 24 37 -31 --18 -41 -27 33
Magaw
Rudnicki
2 4 3 7 19 5 1 14 18 21 8 10 20 41 11 13 42 6 22 9 -24 25 37 16 26 39 23 33 12 17 35 40 15 47 -30 ---43 -44 50 -46 27 ----
Bramel
Pasquino
2 3 1 9 4 8 16 13 5 7 15 18 12 17 14 30 10 31 11 20 33 6 35 29 37 36 43 24 22 19 49 21 28 46 39 27 26 34 32 -25 -23 38 --45 -44 41
Borbely
Norton
1 2 3 6 8 4 12 5 7 18 10 20 14 9 17 29 13 21 19 15 23 33 22 27 36 11 16 40 24 28 30 49 46 -26 39 50 -32 43 41 --25 31 34 --42 --
Bloom
Bramel
1 2 3 5 4 16 15 8 10 11 33 24 19 9 13 12 27 6 20 22 7 26 21 14 17 23 44 25 -35 36 18 28 34 39 37 ---29 -32 -38 -46 45 31 ---
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
Baker
Borbely
1. ILB Patrick Willis, SF 2. ILB Jon Beason, CAR 3. ILB Barrett Ruud, TB 4. ILB DeMeco Ryans, HOU 5. DE Jared Allen, MIN 6. OLB D.J. Williams, DEN 7. OLB James Harrison, PIT 8. ILB Jonathan Vilma, NO 9. DE Mario Williams, HOU 10. DE Terrell Suggs, BAL 11. ILB London Fletcher, WAS 12. ILB Kirk Morrison, OAK 13. DE Julius Peppers, CAR 14. ILB Jerod Mayo, NE 15. ILB Curtis Lofton, ATL 16. ILB Brian Urlacher, CHI 17. DE Osi Umenyiora, NYG 18. OLB Karlos Dansby, ARI 19. DE Justin Tuck, NYG 20. ILB Ray Lewis, BAL 21. ILB DQwell Jackson, CLE 22. DE Trent Cole, PHI 23. OLB Lance Briggs, CHI 24. OLB Demarcus Ware, DAL 25. S Adrian Wilson, ARI 26. ILB Lofa Tatupu, SEA 27. ILB Paul Posluszny, BUF 28. DE John Abraham, ATL 29. S Eric Weddle, SD 30. ILB E.J. Henderson, MIN 31. CB Antoine Winfield, MIN 32. S Oshiomogho Atogwe, STL 33. ILB Stephen Cooper, SD 34. ILB Gary Brackett, IND 35. S Gibril Wilson, MIA 36. CB Charles Tillman, CHI 37. S Yeremiah Bell, MIA 38. DE Adewale Ogunleye, CHI 39. OLB Justin Durant, JAX 40. ILB Nick Barnett, GB 41. DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, TEN 42. ILB James Farrior, PIT 43. DE Aaron Schobel, BUF 44. CB Richard Marshall, CAR 45. OLB Will Witherspoon, STL 46. DE Robert Mathis, IND 47. ILB James Laurinaitis, STL 48. ILB Bradie James, DAL 49. ILB David Harris, NYJ 50. S Troy Polamalu, PIT
Average
IDP OVERALL
Bloom
IDP OVERALL / DEFENSIVE LINEMEN
RANKINGS 1 2 6 4 7 5 3 9 12 10 11 8 14 15 13 16 17 27 31 35 26 24 19 28 20 23 22 21 30 34 18 39 36 29 25 42 44 46 37 43 -32 -----38 ---
2 1 3 7 6 5 4 9 8 14 15 17 10 11 13 24 12 28 20 22 23 18 16 25 19 21 29 27 30 31 35 33 26 37 38 32 36 34 45 --39 42 -47 50 --46 --
2 1 5 4 3 8 7 6 12 9 13 10 21 19 39 24 16 14 11 18 29 17 27 20 25 15 26 36 32 43 30 28 35 45 ---33 --48 50 23 38 -22 -41 -31
1 4 8 6 5 2 7 9 11 10 3 16 14 12 13 17 18 15 32 23 21 31 20 19 36 35 26 25 33 29 -28 22 24 37 ----49 -50 42 47 30 -27 ----
1 3 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 12 11 10 15 16 14 17 22 18 13 23 20 21 29 28 19 35 26 27 30 36 44 25 37 31 34 24 38 42 33 39 32 -50 40 45 --49 41 --
1.5 2.1 4.5 4.8 4.8 5.8 6.1 8.0 9.4 11.8 12.6 13.4 14.0 15.5 15.8 18.0 18.1 20.4 20.9 23.1 23.6 23.8 24.4 24.5 25.1 26.5 26.6 26.9 28.3 32.6 33.1 33.6 33.9 34.4 34.5 39.5 40.9 41.3 42.1 43.3 43.4 43.6 44.3 45.3 45.4 46.1 46.3 46.4 46.5 46.6
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1. S Adrian Wilson, ARI 3 2. S Eric Weddle, SD 2 3. CB Antoine Winfield, MIN 6 4. S Gibril Wilson, MIA 1 5. S Oshiomogho Atogwe, STL 7 6. CB Charles Tillman, CHI 8 7. S Yeremiah Bell, MIA 21 8. S Roman Harper, NO 18 9. S Quintin Mikell, PHI 13 10. S Troy Polamalu, PIT 9 11. CB Richard Marshall, CAR 24 12. S Bernard Pollard, KC 12 13. S Kenny Phillips, NYG 23 14. S Bob Sanders, IND 10 15. CB Cedric Griffin, MIN 37 16. S Michael Griffin, TEN 14 17. S Michael Lewis, SF 15 18. S Chris Hope, TEN 11 19. S Sean Jones, PHI 4 20. S Chris Horton, WAS 29 21. S Kevin Payne, CHI 22 22. S Kerry Rhodes, NYJ 5 23. S Nick Collins, GB 27 24. S Chris Harris, CAR 20 25. CB Cortland Finnegan, TEN 32 26. S Chinedum Ndukwe, CIN 41 27. CB Nate Clements, SF 16 28. S William Moore, ATL -29. S Brian Dawkins, DEN 17 30. CB Quentin Jammer, SD 25 31. S Antrel Rolle, ARI 38 32. CB Chris Gamble, CAR 31 33.4 33. S Brandon Meriweather, NE 34. S Daniel Bullocks, DET -35. CB Brandon Flowers, KC 35 36. S Patrick Chung, NE -37. S Erik Coleman, ATL 33 38. CB Dunta Robinson, HOU 26 39. CB Terrence McGee, BUF 43 40. CB Kelvin Hayden, IND -41. CB Champ Bailey, DEN 44 42. S Ed Reed, BAL 19 43. CB DeAngelo Hall, WAS 42 44. S Louis Delmas, DET -45. CB Marcus Trufant, SEA -46. S Donte Whitner, BUF 39 47. CB Darrelle Revis, NYJ -48. S Madieu Williams, MIN 36 49. S Atari Bigby, GB -50. CB Charles Woodson, GB --
1 13 3 6 2 4 15 11 12 14 5 26 18 19 7 9 16 10 41 34 33 24 23 30 8 17 28 35 20 42 44 21 30 -48 -38 32 -25 27 -45 -49 ---36 46
6 1 4 3 10 7 11 9 15 14 2 16 17 8 12 18 13 41 5 37 44 28 24 35 22 29 26 30 33 27 39 -29 20 32 21 --43 -31 -23 34 -50 25 45 19 48
5 2 11 7 1 4 3 8 12 9 6 17 15 14 18 20 10 23 22 19 13 25 29 27 24 21 -16 33 48 34 35 38 31 -40 26 42 44 --46 --30 38 -41 -43
1 2 8 4 5 12 3 6 7 15 16 9 14 13 10 19 18 20 11 17 24 27 26 22 25 29 36 23 33 -30 21 -38 28 -39 48 41 31 ---50 45 40 34 44 -35
1 8 2 12 10 16 5 9 4 20 15 11 7 -14 34 -30 24 3 6 -18 22 -28 21 19 --37 -43 -40 17 39 46 25 23 ---27 45 --42 48 --
2 3 5 10 6 11 8 7 13 1 9 14 16 4 25 20 15 12 -17 30 21 22 23 28 26 19 24 35 27 33 --29 -32 49 ---46 18 -38 36 34 42 43 -40
3 2 4 1 7 6 5 14 10 9 15 18 23 16 29 19 17 11 8 20 13 12 32 24 21 30 26 43 22 28 44 40 31 37 25 -41 27 34 -35 -33 45 42 46 47 --48
Average
1.4 2.8 3.1 4.9 7.5 8.4 8.5 11.5 11.9 12.1 12.6 12.8 13.8 14.5 14.6 15.0 15.5 16.9 18.6 19.8 21.5 23.8 24.0 28.4 28.9 29.6 29.6 29.8 31.0 31.3 32.8 33.0 32 36.0 36.4 37.5 37.6 38.1 38.1 38.9 39.6 39.8 41.0 42.9 44.9 45.1 45.1 45.5 45.8 46.8
Rudnicki
1 2 3 6 4 8 7 11 12 23 5 10 13 18 24 27 20 22 14 25 9 21 16 28 30 19 29 26 17 15 31 34 23 46 42 35 33 43 45 49 39 37 36 41 40 --47 ---
Pasquino
Average
2 5 6 1 16 19 7 14 10 9 12 17 11 4 13 3 20 18 8 37 36 22 28 30 15 38 21 24 26 45 39 41 35 25 47 32 44 -48 33 29 -35 49 43 27 40 -31 50
Norton
Rudnicki
2 4 3 7 5 14 1 8 10 6 25 23 13 16 9 19 11 17 21 12 22 15 28 18 24 20 31 46 -37 30 27 34 33 34 43 49 47 41 29 32 36 ----38 50 ---
Magaw
Pasquino
1 2 3 5 8 4 9 12 11 6 10 7 17 19 14 13 18 15 20 16 29 21 24 22 23 25 30 28 38 42 31 26 22 35 33 40 43 36 37 32 41 39 44 27 49 45 48 46 -47
Bramel
Norton
2 3 1 5 4 6 9 8 11 17 19 10 16 20 13 15 7 21 23 12 14 26 29 25 43 31 18 24 30 28 37 36 -33 45 39 27 34 32 42 -38 35 49 47 -50 46 ---
Borbely
Magaw
1 2 3 6 4 5 10 8 14 15 17 7 20 16 11 18 13 9 12 19 29 33 26 31 21 34 22 25 40 39 28 30 -32 24 23 42 38 44 27 43 -45 48 47 -35 37 -36
Bloom
Bramel
1 2 3 4 13 7 12 23 17 5 6 8 9 14 15 11 10 16 30 25 18 24 19 31 45 29 35 46 22 21 40 32 36 37 39 -28 20 26 48 43 33 -27 42 34 -41 -38
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Baker
Borbely
1 2 3 5 6 4 13 8 10 16 7 20 11 9 18 14 25 17 21 12 15 28 22 42 30 41 -19 24 23 26 38 34 47 27 37 35 36 32 -39 33 31 -40 -48 46 29 50
Bloom
1. ILB Patrick Willis, SF 2. ILB Jon Beason, CAR 3. ILB Barrett Ruud, TB 4. ILB DeMeco Ryans, HOU 5. OLB D.J. Williams, DEN 6. ILB Jonathan Vilma, NO 7. OLB James Harrison, PIT 8. ILB London Fletcher, WAS 9. ILB Kirk Morrison, OAK 10. OLB Karlos Dansby, ARI 11. ILB DQwell Jackson, CLE 12. ILB Jerod Mayo, NE 13. ILB Brian Urlacher, CHI 14. OLB Lance Briggs, CHI 15. ILB Ray Lewis, BAL 16. OLB Demarcus Ware, DAL 17. ILB Curtis Lofton, ATL 18. ILB Lofa Tatupu, SEA 19. ILB Paul Posluszny, BUF 20. ILB E.J. Henderson, MIN 21. ILB Stephen Cooper, SD 22. ILB Gary Brackett, IND 23. ILB Nick Barnett, GB 24. ILB James Laurinaitis, STL 25. OLB Will Witherspoon, STL 26. ILB Stewart Bradley, PHI 27. OLB Justin Durant, JAX 28. ILB David Harris, NYJ 29. ILB James Farrior, PIT 30. ILB Bradie James, DAL 31. OLB Chad Greenway, MIN 32. OLB Thomas Davis, CAR 33. ILB Bart Scott, NYJ 34. ILB Lawrence Timmons, PIT 35. OLB Ernie Sims, DET 36. OLB Keith Rivers, CIN 37. ILB Channing Crowder, MIA 38. ILB Derrick Johnson, KC 39. OLB A.J. Hawk, GB 40. OLB Aaron Curry, SEA 41. OLB Shawne Merriman, SD 42. OLB Keith Bulluck, TEN 43. ILB Antonio Pierce, NYG 44. OLB Lamarr Woodley, PIT 45. ILB Gerald Hayes, ARI 46. OLB Julian Peterson, DET 47. ILB Rey Maualuga, CIN 48. OLB Thomas Howard, OAK 49. OLB Aaron Kampman, GB 50. OLB Calvin Pace, NYJ
Baker
LINEBACKERS
LINEBACKERS / DEFENSIVE BACKS
RANKINGS
2.8 4.1 5.4 5.5 6.0 8.5 8.9 10.3 10.8 11.4 11.5 15.4 16.6 16.9 19.0 19.1 19.4 19.8 20.8 22.0 23.1 24.1 25.1 25.4 26.4 27.6 27.9 30.1 30.5 37.4 37.4 37.6 31 38.0 38.5 38.8 39.3 39.5 40.4 41.5 41.8 42.0 42.3 43.4 43.4 43.6 43.6 44.0 44.1 44.8 45.3
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Performance
CHEATSHEETS QUARTERBACKS (BYE) 1. Drew Brees, NO (5) 2. Tom Brady, NE (8) 3. Peyton Manning, Ind (6) 4. Aaron Rodgers, GB (5) 5. Donovan McNabb, Phi (4) 6. Philip Rivers, SD (5) 7. Kurt Warner, Ari (4) 8. Tony Romo, Dal (6) 9. Jay Cutler, Chi (5) 10. David Garrard, Jac (7) 11. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit (8) 12. Matt Schaub, Hou (10) 13. Matt Ryan, Atl (4) 14. Carson Palmer, Cin (8) 15. Matt Hasselbeck, Sea (7) 16. Matt Cassel, KC (8) 17. Trent Edwards, Buf (9) 18. Eli Manning, NYG (10) 19. Joe Flacco, Bal (7) 20. Shaun Hill, SF (6) 21. Jason Campbell, Was (8) 22. Chad Pennington, Mia (6) 23. Jake Delhomme, Car (4) 24. Kyle Orton, Den (7) 25. Mark Sanchez, NYJ (9) 26. JaMarcus Russell, Oak (9) 27. Matthew Stafford, Det (7) 28. Kerry Collins, Ten (7) 29. Marc Bulger, StL (9) 30. Sage Rosenfels, Min (9) 31. Brady Quinn, Cle (9) 32. Byron Leftwich, TB (8) 33. Luke McCown, TB (8) 34. Derek Anderson, Cle (9) 35. Chris Simms, Den (7) TIGHT ENDS (BYE) 1. Antonio Gates, SD (5) 2. Jason Witten, Dal (6) 3. Tony Gonzalez, Atl (4) 4. Dallas Clark, Ind (6) 5. Kellen Winslow, TB (8) 6. Owen Daniels, Hou (10) 7. Greg Olsen, Chi (5) 8. Chris Cooley, Was (8) 9. Zach Miller, Oak (9) 10. John Carlson, Sea (7) 11. Dustin Keller, NYJ (9) 12. Jeremy Shockey, NO (5) 13. Visanthe Shiancoe, Min (9) 14. Bo Scaife, Ten (7) 15. Heath Miller, Pit (8) 16. Tony Scheffler, Den (7) 17. Anthony Fasano, Mia (6) 18. Vernon Davis, SF (6) 19. Kevin Boss, NYG (10) 20. Todd Heap, Bal (7) 21. Marcedes Lewis, Jac (7) 22. Donald Lee, GB (5) 23. Randy McMichael, StL (9) 24. Brent Celek, Phi (4) 25. Brandon Pettigrew, Det (7) 26. Robert Royal, Cle (9) 27. Desmond Clark, Chi (5) 28. David Martin, Mia (6) 29. L.J. Smith, Bal (7)
PTS 326 322 307 306 303 298 291 275 273 269 267 261 255 253 248 247 238 237 232 228 227 224 215 215 196 195 189 182 181 176 142 132 84 68 65 PTS 132 130 123 114 109 100 97 96 88 87 86 77 75 75 72 70 70 65 60 60 58 58 57 56 51 50 46 45 41
RUNNING BACKS (BYE) PTS 1. Adrian Peterson, Min (9) 253 2. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac (7) 241 3. Michael Turner, Atl (4) 234 4. Ladainian Tomlinson, SD (5) 232 5. Steven Jackson, StL (9) 229 6. Matt Forte, Chi (5) 226 7. Clinton Portis, Was (8) 226 8. DeAngelo Williams, Car (4) 222 9. Steve Slaton, Hou (10) 210 10. Frank Gore, SF (6) 206 11. Brian Westbrook, Phi (4) 205 12. Chris Johnson, Ten (7) 201 13. Brandon Jacobs, NYG (10) 198 14. Ronnie Brown, Mia (6) 187 15. Marion Barber, Dal (6) 186 16. Darren McFadden, Oak (9) 185 17. Pierre Thomas, NO (5) 185 18. Reggie Bush, NO (5) 180 19. Kevin Smith, Det (7) 180 20. Ryan Grant, GB (5) 170 21. Marshawn Lynch, Buf (9) 170 22. Thomas Jones, NYJ (9) 163 23. Cedric Benson, Cin (8) 161 24. Derrick Ward, TB (8) 158 25. Larry Johnson, KC (8) 156 26. Knowshon Moreno, Den (7) 155 27. Chris Wells, Ari (4) 138 28. Joseph Addai, Ind (6) 136 29. LenDale White, Ten (7) 134 30. Jamal Lewis, Cle (9) 131 31. Jonathan Stewart, Car (4) 130 32. Willie Parker, Pit (8) 128 33. Julius Jones, Sea (7) 128 34. Leon Washington, NYJ (9) 127 35. Donald Brown, Ind (6) 123 36. Darren Sproles, SD (5) 118 37. Chester Taylor, Min (9) 118 38. Ray Rice, Bal (7) 117 39. Fred Taylor, NE (8) 110 40. Ricky Williams, Mia (6) 106 41. Earnest Graham, TB (8) 103 42. Fred Jackson, Buf (9) 102 43. Le'Ron McClain, Bal (7) 101 44. Jerious Norwood, Atl (4) 97 45. Willis McGahee, Bal (7) 97 46. Kevin Faulk, NE (8) 96 47. Sammy Morris, NE (8) 95 48. Rashard Mendenhall, Pit (8) 94 49. Felix Jones, Dal (6) 92 50. Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG (10) 92 51. LeSean McCoy, Phi (4) 79 52. Edgerrin James, FA 74 53. Tim Hightower, Ari (4) 74 54. Mewelde Moore, Pit (8) 70 55. Brandon Jackson, GB (5) 70 56. Jamaal Charles, KC (8) 68 57. T.J. Duckett, Sea (7) 66 58. Michael Bush, Oak (9) 66 59. Justin Fargas, Oak (9) 65 60. Maurice Morris, Det (7) 63 61. Correll Buckhalter, Den (7) 60 62. Laurence Maroney, NE (8) 57 63. Jerome Harrison, Cle (9) 55 64. Ladell Betts, Was (8) 53 65. Justin Forsett, Sea (7) 53
WIDE RECEIVERS (BYE) PTS 1. Larry Fitzgerald, Ari (4) 198 2. Andre Johnson, Hou (10) 192 3. Randy Moss, NE (8) 191 4. Calvin Johnson, Det (7) 191 5. Reggie Wayne, Ind (6) 186 6. Steve Smith, Car (4) 185 7. Roddy White, Atl (4) 174 8. Greg Jennings, GB (5) 173 9. Marques Colston, NO (5) 172 10. Dwayne Bowe, KC (8) 162 11. Anquan Boldin, Ari (4) 160 12. Terrell Owens, Buf (9) 157 13. Brandon Marshall, Den (7) 154 14. Braylon Edwards, Cle (9) 150 15. Chad Ochocinco, Cin (8) 148 16. DeSean Jackson, Phi (4) 147 17. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Sea (7) 145 18. Wes Welker, NE (8) 144 19. Donnie Avery, StL (9) 142 20. Antonio Bryant, TB (8) 142 21. Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ (9) 139 22. Santonio Holmes, Pit (8) 137 23. Santana Moss, Was (8) 137 24. Vincent Jackson, SD (5) 135 25. Eddie Royal, Den (7) 133 26. Hines Ward, Pit (8) 132 27. Roy Williams, Dal (6) 130 28. Anthony Gonzalez, Ind (6) 129 29. Laveranues Coles, Cin (8) 128 30. Torry Holt, Jac (7) 127 31. Donald Driver, GB (5) 124 32. Lee Evans, Buf (9) 124 33. Michael Crabtree, SF (6) 122 34. Bernard Berrian, Min (9) 121 35. Derrick Mason, Bal (7) 121 36. Devin Hester, Chi (5) 120 37. Ted Ginn Jr., Mia (6) 115 38. Steve Breaston, Ari (4) 113 39. Lance Moore, NO (5) 110 40. Kevin Walter, Hou (10) 109 41. Hakeem Nicks, NYG (10) 105 42. Chris Chambers, SD (5) 104 43. Muhsin Muhammad, Car (4) 104 44. Steve Smith, NYG (10) 104 45. Mark Clayton, Bal (7) 98 46. Michael Jenkins, Atl (4) 97 47. Justin Gage, Ten (7) 94 48. Earl Bennett, Chi (5) 92 49. Domenik Hixon, NYG (10) 91 50. Plaxico Burress, FA 89 51. Isaac Bruce, SF (6) 86 52. Nate Washington, Ten (7) 85 53. Antwaan Randle El, Was (8) 79 54. Chaz Schilens, Oak (9) 79 55. Chris Henry, Cin (8) 79 56. Kevin Curtis, Phi (4) 79 57. Deion Branch, Sea (7) 76 58. Jeremy Maclin, Phi (4) 75 59. Miles Austin, Dal (6) 74 60. Michael Clayton, TB (8) 73 61. Devery Henderson, NO (5) 68 62. Bryant Johnson, Det (7) 67 63. Dennis Northcutt, Jac (7) 65 64. Bobby Engram, KC (8) 63 65. Patrick Crayton, Dal (6) 63
DEFENSES (BYE) 1. Pittsburgh Steelers (8) 2. Minnesota Vikings (9) 3. Baltimore Ravens (7) 4. New York Giants (10) 5. Philadelphia Eagles (4) 6. San Diego Chargers (5) 7. Chicago Bears (5) 8. New England Patriots (8) 9. Tennessee Titans (7) 10. Dallas Cowboys (6) 11. Carolina Panthers (4) 12. New York Jets (9) 13. Green Bay Packers (5) 14. Miami Dolphins (6) 15. Jacksonville Jaguars (7) 16. Indianapolis Colts (6) 17. Houston Texans (10) 18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8) 19. Buffalo Bills (9) 20. Arizona Cardinals (4) 21. Washington Redskins (8) 22. Oakland Raiders (9) 23. Atlanta Falcons (4) 24. San Francisco 49ers (6) 25. New Orleans Saints (5) 26. Seattle Seahawks (7) 27. Cleveland Browns (9) 28. Cincinnati Bengals (8) 29. Denver Broncos (7) 30. Kansas City Chiefs (8) 31. Detroit Lions (7) 32. St. Louis Rams (9) KICKERS (BYE) 1. Stephen Gostkowski, NE (8) 2. Nate Kaeding, SD (5) 3. Rob Bironas, Ten (7) 4. Mason Crosby, GB (5) 5. Jason Elam, Atl (4) 6. Nick Folk, Dal (6) 7. Garrett Hartley, NO (5) 8. David Akers, Phi (4) 9. Kris Brown, Hou (10) 10. Neil Rackers, Ari (4) 11. Ryan Longwell, Min (9) 12. Adam Vinatieri, Ind (6) 13. Robbie Gould, Chi (5) 14. John Kasay, Car (4) 15. Shayne Graham, Cin (8) 16. Jeff Reed, Pit (8) 17. Lawrence Tynes, NYG (10) 18. Josh Scobee, Jac (7) 19. Josh Brown, StL (9) 20. Joe Nedney, SF (6) 21. Rian Lindell, Buf (9) 22. Dan Carpenter, Mia (6) 23. Jason Hanson, Det (7) 24. Phil Dawson, Cle (9) 25. Matt Prater, Den (7) 26. Jay Feely, NYJ (9) 27. Olindo Mare, Sea (7) 28. Mike Nugent, TB (8) 29. Shaun Suisham, Was (8) 30. Sebastian Janikowski, Oak (9) 31. Steve Hauschka, Bal (7) 32. Ryan Succop, KC (8)
A twelve-team league where each team starts one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one PK, and one Team Defense/ST. Passing: 1 point per 20 yards, 4 points per TD, -1 point per interception thrown • Rushing/Receiving: 1 point per 10 yards, 6 points per TD FREE 32 PAGE CAMP UPDATE: http://freeupdate.footballguys.com
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QUARTERBACKS (BYE) 1. Drew Brees, NO (5) 2. Tom Brady, NE (8) 3. Peyton Manning, Ind (6) 4. Aaron Rodgers, GB (5) 5. Donovan McNabb, Phi (4) 6. Philip Rivers, SD (5) 7. Kurt Warner, Ari (4) 8. Tony Romo, Dal (6) 9. Jay Cutler, Chi (5) 10. David Garrard, Jac (7) 11. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit (8) 12. Matt Schaub, Hou (10) 13. Matt Ryan, Atl (4) 14. Carson Palmer, Cin (8) 15. Matt Hasselbeck, Sea (7) 16. Matt Cassel, KC (8) 17. Trent Edwards, Buf (9) 18. Eli Manning, NYG (10) 19. Joe Flacco, Bal (7) 20. Shaun Hill, SF (6) 21. Jason Campbell, Was (8) 22. Chad Pennington, Mia (6) 23. Jake Delhomme, Car (4) 24. Kyle Orton, Den (7) 25. Mark Sanchez, NYJ (9) 26. JaMarcus Russell, Oak (9) 27. Matthew Stafford, Det (7) 28. Kerry Collins, Ten (7) 29. Marc Bulger, StL (9) 30. Sage Rosenfels, Min (9) 31. Brady Quinn, Cle (9) 32. Byron Leftwich, TB (8) 33. Luke McCown, TB (8) 34. Derek Anderson, Cle (9) 35. Chris Simms, Den (7) TIGHT ENDS (BYE) 1. Jason Witten, Dal (6) 2. Antonio Gates, SD (5) 3. Tony Gonzalez, Atl (4) 4. Dallas Clark, Ind (6) 5. Kellen Winslow, TB (8) 6. Owen Daniels, Hou (10) 7. Chris Cooley, Was (8) 8. Greg Olsen, Chi (5) 9. Zach Miller, Oak (9) 10. Dustin Keller, NYJ (9) 11. John Carlson, Sea (7) 12. Bo Scaife, Ten (7) 13. Jeremy Shockey, NO (5) 14. Visanthe Shiancoe, Min (9) 15. Heath Miller, Pit (8) 16. Tony Scheffler, Den (7) 17. Anthony Fasano, Mia (6) 18. Vernon Davis, SF (6) 19. Todd Heap, Bal (7) 20. Kevin Boss, NYG (10) 21. Marcedes Lewis, Jac (7) 22. Donald Lee, GB (5) 23. Randy McMichael, StL (9) 24. Brent Celek, Phi (4) 25. Robert Royal, Cle (9) 27. Brandon Pettigrew, Det (7) 26. Desmond Clark, Chi (5) 28. David Martin, Mia (6) 29. L.J. Smith, Bal (7)
PTS 326 322 307 306 303 298 291 275 273 269 267 261 255 253 248 247 238 237 232 228 227 224 215 215 196 195 189 182 181 176 142 132 84 68 65 PTS 210 200 196 186 175 166 161 157 143 140 139 125 123 120 117 108 108 99 98 96 93 93 92 91 84 81 81 73 69
RUNNING BACKS (BYE) PTS 1. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac (7) 296 2. Matt Forte, Chi (5) 286 3. Adrian Peterson, Min (9) 278 4. Steven Jackson, StL (9) 277 5. Ladainian Tomlinson, SD (5) 274 6. Brian Westbrook, Phi (4) 262 7. Clinton Portis, Was (8) 260 8. Reggie Bush, NO (5) 255 9. Frank Gore, SF (6) 255 10. Steve Slaton, Hou (10) 254 11. Chris Johnson, Ten (7) 246 12. DeAngelo Williams, Car (4) 245 13. Michael Turner, Atl (4) 242 14. Marion Barber, Dal (6) 236 15. Ronnie Brown, Mia (6) 226 16. Darren McFadden, Oak (9) 225 17. Pierre Thomas, NO (5) 220 18. Kevin Smith, Det (7) 220 19. Brandon Jacobs, NYG (10) 216 20. Marshawn Lynch, Buf (9) 211 21. Derrick Ward, TB (8) 200 22. Ryan Grant, GB (5) 191 23. Thomas Jones, NYJ (9) 191 24. Cedric Benson, Cin (8) 184 25. Knowshon Moreno, Den (7) 180 26. Leon Washington, NYJ (9) 178 27. Larry Johnson, KC (8) 172 28. Joseph Addai, Ind (6) 163 29. Chester Taylor, Min (9) 163 30. Darren Sproles, SD (5) 155 31. Julius Jones, Sea (7) 152 32. Ray Rice, Bal (7) 152 33. Donald Brown, Ind (6) 146 34. Willie Parker, Pit (8) 144 35. Kevin Faulk, NE (8) 143 36. Jamal Lewis, Cle (9) 143 37. Chris Wells, Ari (4) 143 38. LenDale White, Ten (7) 142 39. Ricky Williams, Mia (6) 140 40. Jonathan Stewart, Car (4) 140 41. Fred Jackson, Buf (9) 135 42. Jerious Norwood, Atl (4) 129 43. Earnest Graham, TB (8) 126 44. Fred Taylor, NE (8) 124 45. Willis McGahee, Bal (7) 117 46. Le'Ron McClain, Bal (7) 116 47. Sammy Morris, NE (8) 110 48. Felix Jones, Dal (6) 110 49. Mewelde Moore, Pit (8) 109 50. Rashard Mendenhall, Pit (8) 106 51. Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG (10) 103 52. Brandon Jackson, GB (5) 100 53. LeSean McCoy, Phi (4) 99 54. Jamaal Charles, KC (8) 98 55. Tim Hightower, Ari (4) 89 56. Edgerrin James, FA 82 57. Maurice Morris, Det (7) 82 58. Michael Bush, Oak (9) 82 59. Justin Fargas, Oak (9) 77 60. Jerome Harrison, Cle (9) 75 62. T.J. Duckett, Sea (7) 73 61. Leonard Weaver, Phi (4) 73 63. Correll Buckhalter, Den (7) 69 64. Ladell Betts, Was (8) 68 65. Justin Forsett, Sea (7) 65
RECEIVERS (BYE) PTS 1. Larry Fitzgerald, Ari (4) 292 2. Andre Johnson, Hou (10) 290 3. Calvin Johnson, Det (7) 279 4. Reggie Wayne, Ind (6) 276 5. Steve Smith, Car (4) 272 6. Randy Moss, NE (8) 270 7. Roddy White, Atl (4) 258 8. Dwayne Bowe, KC (8) 252 9. Marques Colston, NO (5) 252 10. Greg Jennings, GB (5) 251 11. Anquan Boldin, Ari (4) 246 12. Wes Welker, NE (8) 237 13. Brandon Marshall, Den (7) 237 14. Terrell Owens, Buf (9) 229 15. Chad Ochocinco, Cin (8) 228 16. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Sea (7) 227 17. DeSean Jackson, Phi (4) 221 18. Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ (9) 220 19. Braylon Edwards, Cle (9) 220 20. Donnie Avery, StL (9) 219 21. Antonio Bryant, TB (8) 214 22. Santana Moss, Was (8) 213 23. Eddie Royal, Den (7) 210 24. Hines Ward, Pit (8) 204 25. Laveranues Coles, Cin (8) 203 26. Santonio Holmes, Pit (8) 202 27. Anthony Gonzalez, Ind (6) 200 28. Torry Holt, Jac (7) 197 29. Vincent Jackson, SD (5) 195 30. Roy Williams, Dal (6) 194 31. Derrick Mason, Bal (7) 194 32. Donald Driver, GB (5) 191 33. Lee Evans, Buf (9) 184 34. Michael Crabtree, SF (6) 182 35. Steve Breaston, Ari (4) 180 36. Devin Hester, Chi (5) 177 37. Bernard Berrian, Min (9) 176 38. Ted Ginn Jr., Mia (6) 174 39. Kevin Walter, Hou (10) 168 40. Lance Moore, NO (5) 168 41. Steve Smith, NYG (10) 167 42. Hakeem Nicks, NYG (10) 163 43. Muhsin Muhammad, Car (4) 159 44. Chris Chambers, SD (5) 157 45. Michael Jenkins, Atl (4) 150 46. Mark Clayton, Bal (7) 147 47. Justin Gage, Ten (7) 144 48. Earl Bennett, Chi (5) 142 49. Domenik Hixon, NYG (10) 141 50. Isaac Bruce, SF (6) 135 51. Plaxico Burress, FA 134 52. Antwaan Randle El, Was (8) 131 53. Nate Washington, Ten (7) 126 54. Kevin Curtis, Phi (4) 123 55. Chris Henry, Cin (8) 121 56. Chaz Schilens, Oak (9) 120 57. Deion Branch, Sea (7) 118 58. Michael Clayton, TB (8) 116 59. Miles Austin, Dal (6) 116 60. Jeremy Maclin, Phi (4) 114 61. Bryant Johnson, Det (7) 108 62. Bobby Engram, KC (8) 105 63. Dennis Northcutt, Jac (7) 103 64. Greg Camarillo, Mia (6) 103 65. Keenan Burton, StL (9) 103
PPR
CHEATSHEETS DEFENSES (BYE) 1. Pittsburgh Steelers (8) 2. Minnesota Vikings (9) 3. Baltimore Ravens (7) 4. New York Giants (10) 5. Philadelphia Eagles (4) 6. San Diego Chargers (5) 7. Chicago Bears (5) 8. New England Patriots (8) 9. Tennessee Titans (7) 10. Dallas Cowboys (6) 11. Carolina Panthers (4) 12. New York Jets (9) 13. Green Bay Packers (5) 14. Miami Dolphins (6) 15. Jacksonville Jaguars (7) 16. Indianapolis Colts (6) 17. Houston Texans (10) 18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8) 19. Buffalo Bills (9) 20. Arizona Cardinals (4) 21. Washington Redskins (8) 22. Oakland Raiders (9) 23. Atlanta Falcons (4) 24. San Francisco 49ers (6) 25. New Orleans Saints (5) 26. Seattle Seahawks (7) 27. Cleveland Browns (9) 28. Cincinnati Bengals (8) 29. Denver Broncos (7) 30. Kansas City Chiefs (8) 31. Detroit Lions (7) 32. St. Louis Rams (9) KICKERS (BYE) 1. Stephen Gostkowski, NE (8) 2. Nate Kaeding, SD (5) 3. Rob Bironas, Ten (7) 4. Mason Crosby, GB (5) 5. Jason Elam, Atl (4) 6. Nick Folk, Dal (6) 7. Garrett Hartley, NO (5) 8. David Akers, Phi (4) 9. Kris Brown, Hou (10) 10. Neil Rackers, Ari (4) 11. Ryan Longwell, Min (9) 12. Adam Vinatieri, Ind (6) 13. Robbie Gould, Chi (5) 14. John Kasay, Car (4) 15. Shayne Graham, Cin (8) 16. Jeff Reed, Pit (8) 17. Lawrence Tynes, NYG (10) 18. Josh Scobee, Jac (7) 19. Josh Brown, StL (9) 20. Joe Nedney, SF (6) 21. Rian Lindell, Buf (9) 22. Dan Carpenter, Mia (6) 23. Jason Hanson, Det (7) 24. Phil Dawson, Cle (9) 25. Matt Prater, Den (7) 26. Jay Feely, NYJ (9) 27. Olindo Mare, Sea (7) 28. Mike Nugent, TB (8) 29. Shaun Suisham, Was (8) 30. Sebastian Janikowski, Oak (9) 31. Steve Hauschka, Bal (7) 32. Ryan Succop, KC (8)
A twelve-team league where each team starts one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one PK, and one Team Defense/ST. Passing: 1 point per 20 yards, 4 points per TD, -1 point per interception thrown • Rushing/Receiving: 1 point per 10 yards, 1 point per reception, 6 points per TD FREE DAILY EMAIL: http://footballguys.com/email
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BASIC
CHEATSHEETS QUARTERBACKS (BYE) 1. Tom Brady, NE (8) 2. Drew Brees, NO (5) 3. Peyton Manning, Ind (6) 4. Aaron Rodgers, GB (5) 5. Philip Rivers, SD (5) 6. Donovan McNabb, Phi (4) 7. Kurt Warner, Ari (4) 8. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit (8) 9. Jay Cutler, Chi (5) 10. Tony Romo, Dal (6) 11. Matt Hasselbeck, Sea (7) 12. Eli Manning, NYG (10) 13. Matt Ryan, Atl (4) 14. David Garrard, Jac (7) 15. Carson Palmer, Cin (8) 16. Matt Cassel, KC (8) 17. Trent Edwards, Buf (9) 18. Matt Schaub, Hou (10) 19. Kyle Orton, Den (7) 20. Shaun Hill, SF (6) 21. Jake Delhomme, Car (4) 22. Joe Flacco, Bal (7) 23. Jason Campbell, Was (8) 24. Chad Pennington, Mia (6) 25. Mark Sanchez, NYJ (9) 26. JaMarcus Russell, Oak (9) 27. Matthew Stafford, Det (7) 28. Kerry Collins, Ten (7) 29. Sage Rosenfels, Min (9) 30. Marc Bulger, StL (9) 31. Brady Quinn, Cle (9) 32. Byron Leftwich, TB (8) 33. Luke McCown, TB (8) 34. Chris Simms, Den (7) 35. Derek Anderson, Cle (9) TIGHT ENDS (BYE) 1. Antonio Gates, SD (5) 2. Tony Gonzalez, Atl (4) 3. Jason Witten, Dal (6) 4. Dallas Clark, Ind (6) 5. Kellen Winslow, TB (8) 6. Greg Olsen, Chi (5) 7. Chris Cooley, Was (8) 8. John Carlson, Sea (7) 9. Owen Daniels, Hou (10) 10. Zach Miller, Oak (9) 11. Dustin Keller, NYJ (9) 12. Jeremy Shockey, NO (5) 13. Visanthe Shiancoe, Min (9) 14. Bo Scaife, Ten (7) 15. Heath Miller, Pit (8) 16. Tony Scheffler, Den (7) 17. Anthony Fasano, Mia (6) 18. Vernon Davis, SF (6) 19. Kevin Boss, NYG (10) 20. Todd Heap, Bal (7) 21. Marcedes Lewis, Jac (7) 22. Donald Lee, GB (5) 23. Randy McMichael, StL (9) 24. Brent Celek, Phi (4) 25. Brandon Pettigrew, Det (7) 26. Robert Royal, Cle (9) 27. Desmond Clark, Chi (5) 28. David Martin, Mia (6) 29. L.J. Smith, Bal (7)
PTS 113 106 105 101 101 97 96 87 82 80 80 79 75 74 73 71 71 68 67 62 62 61 61 61 52 52 51 50 48 42 41 28 20 20 19 PTS 48 42 36 36 30 30 30 30 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 18 18 18 18 18 18 12 12 12 12
RUNNING BACKS (BYE) PTS 1. Adrian Peterson, Min (9) 84 2. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac (7) 84 3. Ladainian Tomlinson, SD (5) 84 4. Michael Turner, Atl (4) 78 5. DeAngelo Williams, Car (4) 78 6. Steven Jackson, StL (9) 72 7. Matt Forte, Chi (5) 72 8. Brandon Jacobs, NYG (10) 72 9. Clinton Portis, Was (8) 66 10. Brian Westbrook, Phi (4) 66 11. Pierre Thomas, NO (5) 66 12. Steve Slaton, Hou (10) 60 13. Frank Gore, SF (6) 60 14. Chris Johnson, Ten (7) 60 15. Ronnie Brown, Mia (6) 60 16. Reggie Bush, NO (5) 60 17. LenDale White, Ten (7) 60 18. Marion Barber, Dal (6) 54 19. Darren McFadden, Oak (9) 54 20. Kevin Smith, Det (7) 54 21. Cedric Benson, Cin (8) 54 22. Larry Johnson, KC (8) 54 23. Marshawn Lynch, Buf (9) 48 24. Thomas Jones, NYJ (9) 48 25. Knowshon Moreno, Den (7) 48 26. Chris Wells, Ari (4) 48 27. Jonathan Stewart, Car (4) 48 28. Le'Ron McClain, Bal (7) 48 29. Ryan Grant, GB (5) 42 30. Joseph Addai, Ind (6) 42 31. Jamal Lewis, Cle (9) 42 32. Donald Brown, Ind (6) 42 33. Derrick Ward, TB (8) 36 34. Chester Taylor, Min (9) 36 35. Fred Taylor, NE (8) 36 36. Sammy Morris, NE (8) 36 37. Rashard Mendenhall, Pit (8) 36 38. Willie Parker, Pit (8) 30 39. Leon Washington, NYJ (9) 30 40. Darren Sproles, SD (5) 30 41. Ricky Williams, Mia (6) 30 42. Willis McGahee, Bal (7) 30 43. Felix Jones, Dal (6) 30 44. Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG (10) 30 45. T.J. Duckett, Sea (7) 30 46. Julius Jones, Sea (7) 24 47. Ray Rice, Bal (7) 24 48. Earnest Graham, TB (8) 24 49. Fred Jackson, Buf (9) 24 50. Jerious Norwood, Atl (4) 24 51. Kevin Faulk, NE (8) 24 52. LeSean McCoy, Phi (4) 24 53. Tim Hightower, Ari (4) 24 54. Edgerrin James, FA 18 55. Mewelde Moore, Pit (8) 18 56. Brandon Jackson, GB (5) 18 57. Michael Bush, Oak (9) 18 58. Correll Buckhalter, Den (7) 18 59. Laurence Maroney, NE (8) 18 60. Leonard Weaver, Phi (4) 18 61. Kevin Jones, Chi (5) 18 62. Greg Jones, Jac (7) 18 63. Jamaal Charles, KC (8) 12 64. Justin Fargas, Oak (9) 12 65. Maurice Morris, Det (7) 12
RECEIVERS (BYE) PTS 1. Randy Moss, NE (8) 78 2. Larry Fitzgerald, Ari (4) 72 3. Calvin Johnson, Det (7) 60 4. Reggie Wayne, Ind (6) 60 5. Marques Colston, NO (5) 60 6. Andre Johnson, Hou (10) 54 7. Steve Smith, Car (4) 54 8. Greg Jennings, GB (5) 54 9. Anquan Boldin, Ari (4) 54 10. Terrell Owens, Buf (9) 54 11. Roddy White, Atl (4) 48 12. Dwayne Bowe, KC (8) 48 13. Brandon Marshall, Den (7) 48 14. Braylon Edwards, Cle (9) 48 15. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Sea (7)48 16. Chad Ochocinco, Cin (8) 42 17. Wes Welker, NE (8) 42 18. Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ (9) 42 19. Santonio Holmes, Pit (8) 42 20. Vincent Jackson, SD (5) 42 21. Hines Ward, Pit (8) 42 22. Roy Williams, Dal (6) 42 23. Torry Holt, Jac (7) 42 24. Michael Crabtree, SF (6) 42 25. DeSean Jackson, Phi (4) 36 26. Donnie Avery, StL (9) 36 27. Antonio Bryant, TB (8) 36 28. Santana Moss, Was (8) 36 29. Eddie Royal, Den (7) 36 30. Anthony Gonzalez, Ind (6) 36 31. Laveranues Coles, Cin (8) 36 32. Donald Driver, GB (5) 36 33. Lee Evans, Buf (9) 36 34. Bernard Berrian, Min (9) 36 35. Devin Hester, Chi (5) 36 36. Lance Moore, NO (5) 36 37. Derrick Mason, Bal (7) 30 38. Ted Ginn Jr., Mia (6) 30 39. Steve Breaston, Ari (4) 30 40. Kevin Walter, Hou (10) 30 41. Hakeem Nicks, NYG (10) 30 42. Chris Chambers, SD (5) 30 43. Muhsin Muhammad, Car (4) 30 44. Steve Smith, NYG (10) 30 45. Plaxico Burress, FA 30 46. Mark Clayton, Bal (7) 24 47. Michael Jenkins, Atl (4) 24 48. Justin Gage, Ten (7) 24 49. Earl Bennett, Chi (5) 24 50. Domenik Hixon, NYG (10) 24 51. Isaac Bruce, SF (6) 24 52. Nate Washington, Ten (7) 24 53. Chaz Schilens, Oak (9) 24 54. Chris Henry, Cin (8) 24 55. Kevin Curtis, Phi (4) 24 56. Deion Branch, Sea (7) 24 57. Jeremy Maclin, Phi (4) 24 58. Antwaan Randle El, Was (8) 18 59. Miles Austin, Dal (6) 18 60. Michael Clayton, TB (8) 18 61. Devery Henderson, NO (5) 18 62. Bryant Johnson, Det (7) 18 63. Dennis Northcutt, Jac (7) 18 64. Bobby Engram, KC (8) 18 65. Greg Camarillo, Mia (6) 18
DEFENSES (BYE) 1. Pittsburgh Steelers (8) 2. Minnesota Vikings (9) 3. Baltimore Ravens (7) 4. New York Giants (10) 5. Philadelphia Eagles (4) 6. San Diego Chargers (5) 7. Chicago Bears (5) 8. New England Patriots (8) 9. Tennessee Titans (7) 10. Dallas Cowboys (6) 11. Carolina Panthers (4) 12. New York Jets (9) 13. Green Bay Packers (5) 14. Miami Dolphins (6) 15. Jacksonville Jaguars (7) 16. Indianapolis Colts (6) 17. Houston Texans (10) 18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8) 19. Buffalo Bills (9) 20. Arizona Cardinals (4) 21. Washington Redskins (8) 22. Oakland Raiders (9) 23. Atlanta Falcons (4) 24. San Francisco 49ers (6) 25. New Orleans Saints (5) 26. Seattle Seahawks (7) 27. Cleveland Browns (9) 28. Cincinnati Bengals (8) 29. Denver Broncos (7) 30. Kansas City Chiefs (8) 31. Detroit Lions (7) 32. St. Louis Rams (9) KICKERS (BYE) 1. Stephen Gostkowski, NE (8) 2. Nate Kaeding, SD (5) 3. Rob Bironas, Ten (7) 4. Mason Crosby, GB (5) 5. Jason Elam, Atl (4) 6. Nick Folk, Dal (6) 7. Garrett Hartley, NO (5) 8. David Akers, Phi (4) 9. Kris Brown, Hou (10) 10. Neil Rackers, Ari (4) 11. Ryan Longwell, Min (9) 12. Adam Vinatieri, Ind (6) 13. Robbie Gould, Chi (5) 14. John Kasay, Car (4) 15. Shayne Graham, Cin (8) 16. Jeff Reed, Pit (8) 17. Lawrence Tynes, NYG (10) 18. Josh Scobee, Jac (7) 19. Josh Brown, StL (9) 20. Joe Nedney, SF (6) 21. Rian Lindell, Buf (9) 22. Dan Carpenter, Mia (6) 23. Jason Hanson, Det (7) 24. Phil Dawson, Cle (9) 25. Matt Prater, Den (7) 26. Jay Feely, NYJ (9) 27. Olindo Mare, Sea (7) 28. Mike Nugent, TB (8) 29. Shaun Suisham, Was (8) 30. Sebastian Janikowski, Oak (9) 31. Steve Hauschka, Bal (7) 32. Ryan Succop, KC (8)
A twelve-team league where each team starts one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one PK, and one Team Defense/ST. Passing: 4 points per TD, -1 point per interception thrown • Rushing/Receiving: 6 points per TD FREE 32 PAGE CAMP UPDATE: http://freeupdate.footballguys.com
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QUARTERBACKS (BYE) $$$ 1. Drew Brees, NO (5) 34 2. Tom Brady, NE (8) 33 3. Peyton Manning, Ind (6) 28 4. Aaron Rodgers, GB (5) 24 5. Donovan McNabb, Phi (4) 20 6. Philip Rivers, SD (5) 19 7. Kurt Warner, Ari (4) 16 8. Tony Romo, Dal (6) 15 9. Jay Cutler, Chi (5) 13 10. David Garrard, Jac (7) 12 11. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit (8) 11 12. Matt Schaub, Hou (10) 10 13. Matt Ryan, Atl (4) 9 14. Carson Palmer, Cin (8) 8 15. Matt Hasselbeck, Sea (7) 7 16. Matt Cassel, KC (8) 7 17. Trent Edwards, Buf (9) 6 18. Eli Manning, NYG (10) 6 19. Joe Flacco, Bal (7) 4 20. Shaun Hill, SF (6) 3 21. Jason Campbell, Was (8) 3 22. Chad Pennington, Mia (6) 3 23. Jake Delhomme, Car (4) 3 24. Kyle Orton, Den (7) 2 25. Mark Sanchez, NYJ (9) 2 26. JaMarcus Russell, Oak (9) 1 27. Matthew Stafford, Det (7) 1 28. Kerry Collins, Ten (7) 1 29. Marc Bulger, StL (9) 1 30. Sage Rosenfels, Min (9) 1 31. Brady Quinn, Cle (9) 1 32. Byron Leftwich, TB (8) 1 33. Luke McCown, TB (8) 1 34. Derek Anderson, Cle (9) 1 35. Chris Simms, Den (7) 1 TIGHT ENDS (BYE) $$$ 1. Antonio Gates, SD (5) 17 2. Jason Witten, Dal (6) 17 3. Tony Gonzalez, Atl (4) 15 4. Dallas Clark, Ind (6) 11 5. Kellen Winslow, TB (8) 7 6. Owen Daniels, Hou (10) 5 7. Greg Olsen, Chi (5) 5 8. Chris Cooley, Was (8) 5 9. Zach Miller, Oak (9) 4 10. John Carlson, Sea (7) 3 11. Dustin Keller, NYJ (9) 3 12. Jeremy Shockey, NO (5) 2 13. Visanthe Shiancoe, Min (9) 2 14. Bo Scaife, Ten (7) 1 15. Heath Miller, Pit (8) 1 16. Tony Scheffler, Den (7) 1 17. Anthony Fasano, Mia (6) 1 18. Vernon Davis, SF (6) 1 19. Kevin Boss, NYG (10) 1 20. Todd Heap, Bal (7) 1 21. Marcedes Lewis, Jac (7) 1 22. Donald Lee, GB (5) 1 23. Randy McMichael, StL (9) 1 24. Brent Celek, Phi (4) 1 25. Brandon Pettigrew, Det (7) 1 26. Robert Royal, Cle (9) 1 27. Desmond Clark, Chi (5) 1 28. David Martin, Mia (6) 1 29. L.J. Smith, Bal (7) 1
RUNNING BACKS (BYE) 1. Adrian Peterson, Min (9) 2. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac (7) 3. Michael Turner, Atl (4) 4. Ladainian Tomlinson, SD (5) 5. Steven Jackson, StL (9) 6. Matt Forte, Chi (5) 7. Clinton Portis, Was (8) 8. DeAngelo Williams, Car (4) 9. Steve Slaton, Hou (10) 10. Frank Gore, SF (6) 11. Brian Westbrook, Phi (4) 12. Chris Johnson, Ten (7) 13. Brandon Jacobs, NYG (10) 14. Ronnie Brown, Mia (6) 15. Marion Barber, Dal (6) 16. Darren McFadden, Oak (9) 17. Pierre Thomas, NO (5) 18. Reggie Bush, NO (5) 19. Kevin Smith, Det (7) 20. Ryan Grant, GB (5) 21. Marshawn Lynch, Buf (9) 22. Thomas Jones, NYJ (9) 23. Cedric Benson, Cin (8) 24. Derrick Ward, TB (8) 25. Larry Johnson, KC (8) 26. Knowshon Moreno, Den (7) 27. Chris Wells, Ari (4) 28. Joseph Addai, Ind (6) 29. LenDale White, Ten (7) 30. Jamal Lewis, Cle (9) 31. Jonathan Stewart, Car (4) 32. Willie Parker, Pit (8) 33. Julius Jones, Sea (7) 34. Leon Washington, NYJ (9) 35. Donald Brown, Ind (6) 36. Darren Sproles, SD (5) 37. Chester Taylor, Min (9) 38. Ray Rice, Bal (7) 39. Fred Taylor, NE (8) 40. Ricky Williams, Mia (6) 41. Earnest Graham, TB (8) 42. Fred Jackson, Buf (9) 43. Le'Ron McClain, Bal (7) 44. Jerious Norwood, Atl (4) 45. Willis McGahee, Bal (7) 46. Kevin Faulk, NE (8) 47. Sammy Morris, NE (8) 48. Rashard Mendenhall, Pit (8) 49. Felix Jones, Dal (6) 50. Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG (10) 51. LeSean McCoy, Phi (4) 52. Edgerrin James, FA 53. Tim Hightower, Ari (4) 54. Mewelde Moore, Pit (8) 55. Brandon Jackson, GB (5) 56. Jamaal Charles, KC (8) 57. T.J. Duckett, Sea (7) 58. Michael Bush, Oak (9) 59. Justin Fargas, Oak (9) 60. Maurice Morris, Det (7) 61. Correll Buckhalter, Den (7) 62. Laurence Maroney, NE (8) 63. Jerome Harrison, Cle (9) 64. Ladell Betts, Was (8) 65. Justin Forsett, Sea (7)
$$$ 64 62 61 59 57 54 49 46 42 41 40 39 38 36 35 32 29 28 26 25 24 21 19 17 17 16 16 15 14 14 13 12 11 9 8 8 7 7 7 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
WIDERECEIVERS (BYE) $$$ 1. Larry Fitzgerald, Ari (4) 38 2. Andre Johnson, Hou (10) 37 3. Randy Moss, NE (8) 36 4. Calvin Johnson, Det (7) 35 5. Reggie Wayne, Ind (6) 33 6. Steve Smith, Car (4) 33 7. Roddy White, Atl (4) 32 8. Greg Jennings, GB (5) 31 9. Marques Colston, NO (5) 30 10. Dwayne Bowe, KC (8) 28 11. Anquan Boldin, Ari (4) 27 12. Terrell Owens, Buf (9) 26 13. Brandon Marshall, Den (7) 24 14. Braylon Edwards, Cle (9) 22 15. Chad Ochocinco, Cin (8) 20 16. DeSean Jackson, Phi (4) 20 17. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Sea (7)19 18. Wes Welker, NE (8) 18 19. Donnie Avery, StL (9) 17 20. Antonio Bryant, TB (8) 16 21. Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ (9) 15 22. Santonio Holmes, Pit (8) 14 23. Santana Moss, Was (8) 13 24. Vincent Jackson, SD (5) 12 25. Eddie Royal, Den (7) 11 26. Hines Ward, Pit (8) 10 27. Roy Williams, Dal (6) 10 28. Anthony Gonzalez, Ind (6) 10 29. Laveranues Coles, Cin (8) 9 30. Torry Holt, Jac (7) 9 31. Donald Driver, GB (5) 8 32. Lee Evans, Buf (9) 8 33. Michael Crabtree, SF (6) 8 34. Bernard Berrian, Min (9) 7 35. Derrick Mason, Bal (7) 7 36. Devin Hester, Chi (5) 7 37. Ted Ginn Jr., Mia (6) 6 38. Steve Breaston, Ari (4) 6 39. Lance Moore, NO (5) 5 40. Kevin Walter, Hou (10) 5 41. Hakeem Nicks, NYG (10) 4 42. Chris Chambers, SD (5) 4 43. Muhsin Muhammad, Car (4) 4 44. Steve Smith, NYG (10) 3 45. Mark Clayton, Bal (7) 3 46. Michael Jenkins, Atl (4) 3 47. Justin Gage, Ten (7) 3 48. Earl Bennett, Chi (5) 3 49. Domenik Hixon, NYG (10) 3 50. Plaxico Burress, FA 3 51. Isaac Bruce, SF (6) 2 52. Nate Washington, Ten (7) 2 53. Antwaan Randle El, Was (8) 2 54. Chaz Schilens, Oak (9) 2 55. Chris Henry, Cin (8) 2 56. Kevin Curtis, Phi (4) 2 57. Deion Branch, Sea (7) 2 58. Jeremy Maclin, Phi (4) 1 59. Miles Austin, Dal (6) 1 60. Michael Clayton, TB (8) 1 61. Devery Henderson, NO (5) 1 62. Bryant Johnson, Det (7) 1 63. Dennis Northcutt, Jac (7) 1 64. Bobby Engram, KC (8) 1 65. Patrick Crayton, Dal (6) 1
DEFENSES (BYE) $$$ 1. Pittsburgh Steelers (8) 5 2. Minnesota Vikings (9) 4 3. Baltimore Ravens (7) 4 4. New York Giants (10) 4 5. Philadelphia Eagles (4) 3 6. San Diego Chargers (5) 3 7. Chicago Bears (5) 3 8. New England Patriots (8) 3 9. Tennessee Titans (7) 2 10. Dallas Cowboys (6) 2 11. Carolina Panthers (4) 2 12. New York Jets (9) 2 13. Green Bay Packers (5) 2 14. Miami Dolphins (6) 1 15. Jacksonville Jaguars (7) 1 16. Indianapolis Colts (6) 1 17. Houston Texans (10) 1 18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8) 1 19. Buffalo Bills (9) 1 20. Arizona Cardinals (4) 1 21. Washington Redskins (8) 1 22. Oakland Raiders (9) 1 23. Atlanta Falcons (4) 1 24. San Francisco 49ers (6) 1 25. New Orleans Saints (5) 1 26. Seattle Seahawks (7) 1 27. Cleveland Browns (9) 1 28. Cincinnati Bengals (8) 1 29. Denver Broncos (7) 1 30. Kansas City Chiefs (8) 1 31. Detroit Lions (7) 1 32. St. Louis Rams (9) 1 KICKERS (BYE) $$$ 1. Stephen Gostkowski, NE (8) 3 2. Nate Kaeding, SD (5) 2 3. Rob Bironas, Ten (7) 2 4. Mason Crosby, GB (5) 2 5. Jason Elam, Atl (4) 2 6. Nick Folk, Dal (6) 1 7. Garrett Hartley, NO (5) 1 8. David Akers, Phi (4) 1 9. Kris Brown, Hou (10) 1 10. Neil Rackers, Ari (4) 1 11. Ryan Longwell, Min (9) 1 12. Adam Vinatieri, Ind (6) 1 13. Robbie Gould, Chi (5) 1 14. John Kasay, Car (4) 1 15. Shayne Graham, Cin (8) 1 16. Jeff Reed, Pit (8) 1 17. Lawrence Tynes, NYG (10) 1 18. Josh Scobee, Jac (7) 1 19. Josh Brown, StL (9) 1 20. Joe Nedney, SF (6) 1 21. Rian Lindell, Buf (9) 1 22. Dan Carpenter, Mia (6) 1 23. Jason Hanson, Det (7) 1 24. Phil Dawson, Cle (9) 1 25. Matt Prater, Den (7) 1 26. Jay Feely, NYJ (9) 1 27. Olindo Mare, Sea (7) 1 28. Mike Nugent, TB (8) 1 29. Shaun Suisham, Was (8) 1 30. Sebastian Janikowski, Oak (9) 1 31. Steve Hauschka, Bal (7) 1 32. Ryan Succop, KC (8) 1
AUCTION
CHEATSHEETS
A twelve-team league where each team starts one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one PK, and one Team Defense/ST. Salary cap = $200 per team, minimum bid = $1 • Passing: 1 point per 20 yards, 4 points per TD, -1 point per interception thrown • Rushing/Receiving: 1 point per 10 yards, 6 points per TD FREE DAILY EMAIL: http://footballguys.com/email
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IDP
CHEATSHEETS DEFENSIVE BACKS (BYE) 1. SS Adrian Wilson, Ari (4) 2. FS Eric Weddle, SD (5) 3. CB Charles Tillman, Chi (5) 4. SS Yeremiah Bell, Mia (6) 5. CB Antoine Winfield, Min (9) 6. FS Gibril Wilson, Mia (6) 7. SS Chris Horton, Was (8) 8. SS Troy Polamalu, Pit (8) 9. SS Kevin Payne, Chi (5) 10. SS Quintin Mikell, Phi (4) 11. CB Richard Marshall, Car (4) 12. SS Bernard Pollard, KC (8) 13. CB Chris Gamble, Car (4) 14. FS Oshiomogho Atogwe, Stl (9) 15. SS Antoine Bethea, Ind (6) 16. SS Sabby Piscitelli, TB (8) 17. SS Michael Lewis, SF (6) 18. SS Patrick Chung, NE (8) 19. FS Kenny Phillips, NYG (10) 20. CB Cedric Griffin, Min (9) 21. SS William Moore, Atl (4) 22. FS Eugene Wilson, Hou (10) 23. CB Corey Graham, Chi (5) 24. CB DeAngelo Hall, Was (8) 25. FS Kerry Rhodes, NYJ (9) 26. SS Louis Delmas, Det (7) 27. CB Brandon Flowers, KC (8) 28. CB Ronde Barber, TB (8) 29. CB Ronald Bartell, Stl (9) 30. CB Terrence McGee, Buf (9) 31. CB Aqib Talib, TB (8) 32. CB Quentin Jammer, SD (5) 33. SS Roman Harper, NO (5) 34. CB Rashean Mathis, Jac (7) 35. FS Bob Sanders, Ind (6) 36. CB Terence Newman, Dal (6) 37. SS Chinedum Ndukwe, Cin (8) 38. FS Nick Collins, GB (5) 39. FS Antrel Rolle, Ari (4) 40. CB Leon Hall, Cin (8) 41. SS Michael Mitchell, Oak (9) 42. CB Brandon McDonald, Cle (9) 43. FS Brandon Meriweather, NE (8) 44. CB Dunta Robinson, Hou (10) 45. CB Brian Williams, Jac (7) 46. SS Chris Hope, Ten (7) 47. CB Darrelle Revis, NYJ (9) 48. CB Cortland Finnegan, Ten (7) 49. CB Tracy Porter, NO (5) 50. FS Erik Coleman, Atl (4) 51. SS Tyrell Johnson, Min (9) 52. FS Madieu Williams, Min (9) 53. FS Ken Hamlin, Dal (6) 54. CB Marcus Trufant, Sea (7) 55. SS Ed Reed, Bal (7) 56. FS Michael Griffin, Ten (7) 57. FS Dawan Landry, Bal (7) 58. SS Sean Jones, Phi (4) 59. CB Charles Woodson, GB (5) 60. SS Mike Adams, Cle (9) 61. CB Kelvin Hayden, Ind (6) 62. SS Chris Harris, Car (4) 63. SS Renaldo Hill, Den (7) 64. CB Nick Harper, Ten (7) 65. CB Brandon Carr, KC (8)
PTS 193 183 181 181 178 175 175 174 174 173 172 172 171 170 169 169 168 166 164 163 159 158 158 158 158 157 157 155 155 153 153 153 151 151 151 149 149 148 148 147 147 147 146 146 146 145 145 144 144 144 144 144 143 143 143 142 142 141 140 138 138 137 137 135 135
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN (BYE) 1. DE Trent Cole, Phi (4) 2. DE Jared Allen, Min (9) 3. DE Mario Williams, Hou (10) 4. DE Justin Tuck, NYG (10) 5. DE John Abraham, Atl (4) 6. DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, Ten (7) 7. DE Robert Mathis, Ind (6) 8. DE Justin Smith, SF (6) 9. DE Aaron Schobel, Buf (9) 10. DE Julius Peppers, Car (4) 11. DE Adewale Ogunleye, Chi (5) 12. OLB Aaron Kampman, GB (5) 13. DE Osi Umenyiora, NYG (10) 14. DT Albert Haynesworth, Was (8) 15. DE Darryl Tapp, Sea (7) 16. DE Patrick Kerney, Sea (7) 17. NT Shaun Rogers, Cle (9) 18. DE Chris Long, Stl (9) 19. DE Derrick Burgess, Oak (9) 20. DE Antonio Smith, Hou (10) 21. DT Kevin Williams, Min (9) 22. DE Gaines Adams, TB (8) 23. DT Tommy Kelly, Oak (9) 24. DE Shaun Ellis, NYJ (9) 25. DE Cliff Avril, Det (7) 26. DE Charles Grant, NO (5) 27. DE Will Smith, NO (5) 28. DE Richard Seymour, NE (8) 29. DT Jason Jones, Ten (7) 30. DE Darnell Dockett, Ari (4) 31. DE Trevor Scott, Oak (9) 32. DE Aaron Smith, Pit (8) 33. DE Dewayne White, Det (7) 34. DE Darren Howard, Phi (4) 35. DE Alex Brown, Chi (5) 36. DE Andre Carter, Was (8) 37. DE Antwan Odom, Cin (8) 38. NT Jay Ratliff, Dal (6) 39. NT Kelly Gregg, Bal (7) 40. DT Kyle Williams, Buf (9) 41. DE Marques Douglas, NYJ (9) 42. DE Ray Edwards, Min (9) 43. DE Derrick Harvey, Jac (7) 44. DT Tony Brown, Ten (7) 45. DT Tommie Harris, Chi (5) 46. DE Mathias Kiwanuka, NYG (10) 47. NT Kris Jenkins, NYJ (9) 48. DE Greg White, TB (8) 49. NT Jamal Williams, SD (5) 50. NT B.J. Ragi, GB (5) 51. NT Vince Wilfork, NE (8) 52. OLB Matt Roth, Mia (6) 53. DT Damione Lewis, Car (4) 54. DE Aaron Maybin, Buf (9) 55. DE Dwight Freeney, Ind (6) 56. DE Leonard Little, Stl (9) 57. DT Grady Jackson, Det (7) 58. DT Cory Redding, Sea (7) 59. DE Michael Johnson , Cin (8) 60. DT John Henderson, Jac (7) 61. NT Haloti Ngata, Bal (7) 62. DT Sedrick Ellis, NO (5) 63. DT Jonathan Babineaux, Atl (4) 64. DT Rocky Bernard, NYG (10) 65. DE Glenn Dorsey, KC (8)
PTS 167 166 158 152 144 143 139 139 136 136 128 127 126 125 124 124 123 123 122 121 120 118 117 115 113 113 113 111 111 110 109 107 106 105 103 103 103 102 102 99 98 98 97 96 95 95 94 93 92 91 91 90 90 89 89 89 88 88 87 87 87 86 86 84 83
LINEBACKERS (BYE) 1. MLB Barrett Ruud, TB (8) 2. ILB Karlos Dansby, Ari (4) 3. MLB Jon Beason, Car (4) 4. ILB Patrick Willis, SF (6) 5. MLB Curtis Lofton, Atl (4) 6. ILB D.J. Williams, Den (7) 7. ILB Ray Lewis, Bal (7) 8. OLB James Harrison, Pit (8) 9. MLB Kirk Morrison, Oak (9) 10. ILB Bradie James, Dal (6) 11. MLB Jonathan Vilma, NO (5) 12. ILB Lawrence Timmons, Pit (8) 13. MLB London Fletcher, Was (8) 14. MLB E.J. Henderson, Min (9) 15. ILB Stephen Cooper, SD (5) 16. OLB Demarcus Ware, Dal (6) 17. MLB DeMeco Ryans, Hou (10) 18. MLB Paul Posluszny, Buf (9) 19. ILB D'Qwell Jackson, Cle (9) 20. ILB Bart Scott, NYJ (9) 21. MLB Stewart Bradley, Phi (4) 22. MLB Gary Brackett, Ind (6) 23. MLB Lofa Tatupu, Sea (7) 24. MLB James Laurinaitis, Stl (9) 25. WLB Justin Durant, Jac (7) 26. WLB Lance Briggs, Chi (5) 27. ILB Jerod Mayo, NE (8) 28. ILB David Harris, NYJ (9) 29. ILB Nick Barnett, GB (5) 30. WLB Thomas Davis, Car (4) 31. MLB Brian Urlacher, Chi (5) 32. ILB Derrick Johnson, KC (8) 33. MLB Rey Maualuga, Cin (8) 34. WLB Will Witherspoon, Stl (9) 35. ILB James Farrior, Pit (8) 36. SLB Chad Greenway, Min (9) 37. OLB Shawne Merriman, SD (5) 38. WLB Keith Rivers, Cin (8) 39. ILB Channing Crowder, Mia (6) 40. WLB Keith Bulluck, Ten (7) 41. WLB Clint Session, Ind (6) 42. WLB Ernie Sims, Det (7) 43. ILB A.J. Hawk, GB (5) 44. WLB Thomas Howard, Oak (9) 45. ILB Gerald Hayes, Ari (4) 46. MLB Antonio Pierce, NYG (10) 47. WLB Mike Peterson, Atl (4) 48. MLB Larry Foote, Det (7) 49. ILB Kevin Burnett, SD (5) 50. ILB Keith Brooking, Dal (6) 51. ILB Takeo Spikes, SF (6) 52. OLB Terrell Suggs, Bal (7) 53. SLB Brian Cushing, Hou (10) 54. WLB Akeem Jordan, Phi (4) 55. WLB Jermaine Phillips, TB (8) 56. OLB Calvin Pace, NYJ (9) 57. SLB Julian Peterson, Det (7) 58. ILB Eric Barton, Cle (9) 59. WLB Leroy Hill , Sea (7) 60. OLB Adalius Thomas, NE (8) 61. ILB Tavares Gooden, Bal (7) 62. WLB Kawika Mitchell, Buf (9) 63. WLB Rocky McIntosh, Was (8) 64. ILB Andra Davis, Den (7) 65. SLB Aaron Curry, Sea (7)
PTS 234 233 226 225 224 224 220 216 211 211 209 209 208 207 205 203 202 200 200 199 198 198 197 194 193 192 192 189 187 187 185 184 184 184 183 181 180 178 177 177 177 174 174 173 173 170 170 164 163 163 162 162 160 160 160 160 158 157 156 155 150 150 148 147 146
1.5 points per solo tackle, .75 points per assisted tackle, 4 points per sack • 4 points per forced fumble, 4 points per fumble recovery 4 points per interception, 1.5 points per pass defensed • 6 points per touchdown, 2 points per safety FREE 32 PAGE CAMP UPDATE: http://freeupdate.footballguys.com
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QUARTERBACKS (BYE) 1. Drew Brees, NO (5) 2. Tom Brady, NE (8) 3. Peyton Manning, Ind (6) 4. Aaron Rodgers, GB (5) 5. Jay Cutler, Chi (5) 6. Tony Romo, Dal (6) 7. Philip Rivers, SD (5) 8. Matt Ryan, Atl (4) 9. Donovan McNabb, Phi (4) 10. Carson Palmer, Cin (8) 11. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit (8) 12. Matt Schaub, Hou (10) 13. Eli Manning, NYG (10) 14. Kurt Warner, Ari (4) 15. David Garrard, Jac (7) 16. Matt Cassel, KC (8) 17. Mark Sanchez, NYJ (9) 18. Matthew Stafford, Det (7) 19. Joe Flacco, Bal (7) 20. Brady Quinn, Cle (9) 21. Matt Hasselbeck, Sea (7) 22. Kyle Orton, Den (7) 23. Jason Campbell, Was (8) 24. JaMarcus Russell, Oak (9) 25. Jake Delhomme, Car (4) 26. Shaun Hill, SF (6) 27. Trent Edwards, Buf (9) 28. Marc Bulger, StL (9) 29. Josh Freeman, TB (8) 30. Chad Pennington, Mia (6) 31. Chad Henne, Mia (6) 32. Derek Anderson, Cle (9) 33. Matt Leinart, Ari (4) 34. Sage Rosenfels, Min (9) 35. Kevin Kolb, Phi (4) TIGHT ENDS (BYE) 1. Jason Witten, Dal (6) 2. Antonio Gates, SD (5) 3. Kellen Winslow, TB (8) 4. Dallas Clark, Ind (6) 5. Tony Gonzalez, Atl (4) 6. Chris Cooley, Was (8) 7. Owen Daniels, Hou (10) 8. Zach Miller, Oak (9) 9. Greg Olsen, Chi (5) 10. Dustin Keller, NYJ (9) 11. John Carlson, Sea (7) 12. Tony Scheffler, Den (7) 13. Brandon Pettigrew, Det (7) 14. Heath Miller, Pit (8) 15. Jeremy Shockey, NO (5) 16. Shawn Nelson, Buf (9) 17. Vernon Davis, SF (6) 18. Jared Cook, Ten (7) 19. Visanthe Shiancoe, Min (9) 20. Bo Scaife, Ten (7) 21. Travis Beckum, NYG (10) 22. Kevin Boss, NYG (10) 23. Brent Celek, Phi (4) 24. Todd Heap, Bal (7) 25. Anthony Fasano, Mia (6) 26. Chase Coffman, Cin (8) 27. James Casey, Hou (10) 28. Cornelius Ingram, Phi (4) 29. Donald Lee, GB (5)RUNNING
BACKS (BYE) 1. Adrian Peterson, Min (9) 2. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac (7) 3. Steven Jackson, StL (9) 4. Michael Turner, Atl (4) 5. Chris Johnson, Ten (7) 6. Matt Forte, Chi (5) 7. Frank Gore, SF (6) 8. Marion Barber, Dal (6) 9. DeAngelo Williams, Car (4) 10. Brandon Jacobs, NYG (10) 11. Reggie Bush, NO (5) 12. Knowshon Moreno, Den (7) 13. Jonathan Stewart, Car (4) 14. Marshawn Lynch, Buf (9) 15. Steve Slaton, Hou (10) 16. Clinton Portis, Was (8) 17. Brian Westbrook, Phi (4) 18. LaDainian Tomlinson, SD (5) 19. Ronnie Brown, Mia (6) 20. Darren McFadden, Oak (9) 21. Kevin Smith, Det (7) 22. Pierre Thomas, NO (5) 23. Joseph Addai, Ind (6) 24. Chris Wells, Ari (4) 25. Donald Brown, Ind (6) 26. Ryan Grant, GB (5) 27. Felix Jones, Dal (6) 28. Ray Rice, Bal (7) 29. Shonn Greene, NYJ (9) 30. Rashard Mendenhall, Pit (8) 31. LeSean McCoy, Phi (4) 32. Thomas Jones, NYJ (9) 33. Willie Parker, Pit (8) 34. Larry Johnson, KC (8) 35. Derrick Ward, TB (8) 36. Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG (10) 37. Darren Sproles, SD (5) 38. Leon Washington, NYJ (9) 39. Jerious Norwood, Atl (4) 40. Earnest Graham, TB (8) 41. Willis McGahee, Bal (7) 42. Cedric Benson, Cin (8) 43. LenDale White, Ten (7) 44. Tashard Choice, Dal (6) 45. Jamal Lewis, Cle (9) 46. Tim Hightower, Ari (4) 47. Chester Taylor, Min (9) 48. Fred Jackson, Buf (9) 49. LeRon McClain, Bal (7) 50. Michael Bush, Oak (9) 51. Andre Brown, NYG (10) 52. Justin Fargas, Oak (9) 53. Gartrell Johnson, SD (5) 54. Jamaal Charles, KC (8) 55. Julius Jones, Sea (7) 56. Laurence Maroney, NE (8) 57. Javon Ringer, Ten (7) 58. Rashad Jennings, Jac (7) 59. Bernard Scott, Cin (8) 60. Glen Coffee, SF (6) 61. Mike Goodson, Car (4) 62. Brandon Jackson, GB (5) 63. Cedric Peerman, Bal (7) 64. Mewelde Moore, Pit (8) 65. Ricky Williams, Mia (6)WIDE
RECEIVERS (BYE) 1. Larry Fitzgerald, Ari (4) 2. Calvin Johnson, Det (7) 3. Reggie Wayne, Ind (6) 4. Andre Johnson, Hou (10) 5. Steve Smith, Car (4) 6. Randy Moss, NE (8) 7. Anquan Boldin, Ari (4) 8. Greg Jennings, GB (5) 9. Dwayne Bowe, KC (8) 10. Roddy White, Atl (4) 11. Brandon Marshall, Den (7) 12. Marques Colston, NO (5) 13. Michael Crabtree, SF (6) 14. Wes Welker, NE (8) 15. Braylon Edwards, Cle (9) 16. Santonio Holmes, Pit (8) 17. Eddie Royal, Den (7) 18. Chad Ochocinco, Cin (8) 19. Santana Moss, Was (8) 20. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Sea (7) 21. Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ (9) 22. Lee Evans, Buf (9) 23. Anthony Gonzalez, Ind (6) 24. Hakeem Nicks, NYG (10) 25. Roy Williams, Dal (6) 26. DeSean Jackson, Phi (4) 27. Donnie Avery, StL (9) 28. Jeremy Maclin, Phi (4) 29. Vincent Jackson, SD (5) 30. Lance Moore, NO (5) 31. Steve Breaston, Ari (4) 32. Laveranues Coles, Cin (8) 33. Antonio Bryant, TB (8) 34. Bernard Berrian, Min (9) 35. Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oak (9) 36. Terrell Owens, Buf (9) 37. Percy Harvin, Min (9) 38. Hines Ward, Pit (8) 39. Donald Driver, GB (5) 40. Josh Morgan, SF (6) 41. Kevin Walter, Hou (10) 42. Brian Robiskie, Cle (9) 43. Kenny Britt, Ten (7) 44. Steve Smith, NYG (10) 45. Chris Chambers, SD (5) 46. Mike Thomas, Jac (7) 47. Sidney Rice, Min (9) 48. Miles Austin, Dal (6) 49. Brandon Tate, NE (8) 50. Ted Ginn, Mia (6) 51. Devin Hester, Chi (5) 52. Jordy Nelson, GB (5) 53. Torry Holt, Jac (7) 54. Derrick Mason, Bal (7) 55. Juaquin Iglesias, Chi (5) 56. Domenik Hixon, NYG (10) 57. Deion Branch, Sea (7) 58. Mark Clayton, Bal (7) 59. Kevin Curtis, Phi (4) 60. James Jones, GB (5) 61. Plaxico Burress, NYG (10) 62. Devin Thomas, Was (8) 63. Matt Jones, Jac (7) 64. Nate Burleson, Sea (7) 65. Mike Wallace, Pit (8)
DEFENSES (BYE) 1. Pittsburgh Steelers, Pit (8) 2. New York Giants, NYG (10) 3. Minnesota Vikings, Min (9) 4. Baltimore Ravens, Bal (7) 5. New England Patriots, NE (8) 6. Chicago Bears, Chi (5) 7. San Diego Chargers, SD (5) 8. Dallas Cowboys, Dal (6) 9. New York Jets, NYJ (9) 10. Philadelphia Eagles, Phi (4) 11. Tennessee Titans, Ten (7) 12. Carolina Panthers, Car (4) 13. Green Bay Packers, GB (5) 14. Jacksonville Jaguars, Jac (7) 15. Arizona Cardinals, Ari (4) 16. Houston Texans, Hou (10) 17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, TB (8) 18. Indianapolis Colts, Ind (6) 19. Oakland Raiders, Oak (9) 20. Atlanta Falcons, Atl (4) 21. Buffalo Bills, Buf (9) 22. Miami Dolphins, Mia (6) 23. Seattle Seahawks, Sea (7) 24. Washington Redskins, Was (8) 25. San Francisco 49ers, SF (6) 26. New Orleans Saints, NO (5) 27. Cleveland Browns, Cle (9) 28. Denver Broncos, Den (7) 29. Cincinnati Bengals, Cin (8) 30. St. Louis Rams, StL (9) 31. Kansas City Chiefs, KC (8) 32. Detroit Lions, Det (7) KICKERS (BYE) 1. Nate Kaeding, SD (5) 2. Rob Bironas, Ten (7) 3. Nick Folk, Dal (6) 4. Stephen Gostkowski, NE (8) 5. Garrett Hartley, NO (5) 6. Kris Brown, Hou (10) 7. Mason Crosby, GB (5) 8. Neil Rackers, Ari (4) 9. Robbie Gould, Chi (5) 10. Shayne Graham, Cin (8) 11. Jeff Reed, Pit (8) 12. Josh Scobee, Jac (7) 13. Jason Elam, Atl (4) 14. Adam Vinatieri, Ind (6) 15. Lawrence Tynes, NYG (10) 16. David Akers, Phi (4) 17. Ryan Longwell, Min (9) 18. Dan Carpenter, Mia (6) 19. John Kasay, Car (4) 20. Joe Nedney, SF (6) 21. Josh Brown, StL (9) 22. Rian Lindell, Buf (9) 23. Sebastian Janikowski, Oak (9) 24. Phil Dawson, Cle (9) 25. Jay Feely, NYJ (9) 26. Mike Nugent, TB (8) 27. Jason Hanson, Det (7) 28. John Carney, FA 29. Olindo Mare, Sea (7) 30. Matt Prater, Den (7) 31. Steve Hauschka, Bal (7) 32. Shaun Suisham, Was (8)
DYNASTY
CHEATSHEETS
A twelve-team league where each team starts one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one PK, and one Team Defense/ST. Passing: 1 point per 20 yards, 4 points per TD, -1 point per interception thrown • Rushing/Receiving: 1 point per 10 yards, 6 points per TD FREE DAILY EMAIL: http://footballguys.com/email
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TOP 220 Expert Rankings Comments by David Dodds
B
ased on the Expert Rankings (pages 49-62), we have constructed an Expert Top 220 List. This list is ordered by our consensus rank. Average Draft Position (ADP) has been added as a reference to indicate when these players will likely be drafted. Difference Rank ADP Diff Pos 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
1 3 2 15 5 4 8 6 10 9 18 7 17 12 13 14 19 20 16 11 23 21 25 34 24 26 27 62 22 30 28 33 37 31 29 35 51 32 39 38
0 1 -1 11 0 -2 1 -2 1 -1 7 -5 4 -2 -2 -2 2 2 -3 -9 2 -1 2 10 -1 0 0 34 -7 0 -3 1 4 -3 -6 -1 14 -6 0 -2
RB1 RB2 RB3 RB4 RB5 RB6 RB7 RB8 RB9 WR1 WR2 RB10 RB11 WR3 RB12 WR4 RB13 WR5 RB14 QB1 WR6 QB2 WR7 RB15 WR8 WR9 WR10 RB16 QB3 RB17 WR11 WR12 RB18 RB19 WR13 WR14 RB20 WR15 RB21 QB4
(Diff) refers to the difference between our rank and the ADP list. A positive Diff value indicates staff expectations to exceed drafted position (value). A negative Diff value indicates staff expectations to fall short of drafted position (over-valued/reach).
Player
Comments
Adrian Peterson, MIN/9 Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC/7 Michael Turner, ATL/4 LaDainian Tomlinson, SD/5 Steven Jackson, STL/9 Matt Forte, CHI/5 Brian Westbrook, PHI/4 DeAngelo Williams, CAR/4 Frank Gore, SF/6 Larry Fitzgerald, ARI/4 Randy Moss, NE/8 Chris Johnson, TEN/7 Clinton Portis, WAS/8 Andre Johnson, HOU/10 Steve Slaton, HOU/10 Calvin Johnson, DET/7 Brandon Jacobs, NYG/10 Reggie Wayne, IND/6 Marion Barber, DAL/6 Drew Brees, NO/5 Steve Smith, CAR/4 Tom Brady, NE/8 Greg Jennings, GB/5 Ronnie Brown, MIA/6 Roddy White, ATL/4 Anquan Boldin, ARI/4 Marques Colston, NO/5 Knowshon Moreno, DEN/7 Peyton Manning, IND/6 Ryan Grant, GB/5 Dwayne Bowe, KC/8 Terrell Owens, BUF/9 Reggie Bush, NO/5 Kevin Smith, DET/7 Brandon Marshall, DEN/7 T.J. Houshmandzadeh, SEA/7 Larry Johnson, KC/8 Wes Welker, NE/8 Marshawn Lynch, BUF/9 Kurt Warner, ARI/4
Had 10 games in 2008 where he rushed for 100 yards or more. Averaged 4.7 YPC on the road. Had career highs in rushes, yards and TDs in 2008. Has never finished worse than the 7th ranked RB. Amassed 1,442 combined yards in just 12 games in 2008. Was the first rookie RB to eclipse 300 carries since LaDainian Tomlinson did it in 2001 Scored 14 TDs in 14 games. Has racked up 355 receptions the last 5 seasons. No RB in the league has more plays of 10+ yards rushing over the last two years . Has career averages of 4.7 yards per carry and 8.3 yards per catch. Had seven 100-yard games in 2008 despite reaching double digit receptions in a game only once. Has reached double-digit TDs in 8 of his 11 seasons. Eight of his 11 total TDs occurred at home last year Excluding his injured 2006 season, He has never finished a season with less than 1262 yards rushing Had 76 of his 115 catches at home From week 11 on, he amassed 737 yards rushing - 4th most in the league. Scored at least one TD in 10 of 16 games last year. Had multiple TDs in 5 games. Has averaged over 85 receptions the last 5 years. Had career high receptions, receiving yards and yards per catch in 2008. Had 23 of his 34 TD passes at home last year. Had 18.2 yards per catch - a full 6.7 yards more than the year prior. Looks to rebound from injury. Has had an increase in receptions, yards and fantasy points in each of his first three years in the league. Had 10 rushing TDs last year, but four of them came against the Patriots in week three. Had career highs in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in 2008. Finished as the 7th ranked WR, despite missing four games due to injury Averaged 12.2 FP/gm in games 9-16 last year. Expected to be the starter out of the gate for the Broncos. Has reached 4,000 yards passing in 9 of his 11 seasons Had impressive 4.9 ypc and 728 yards in his 8 home games. Had nine games with 10+ targets last year. Has finished in the top 10 seven times in the last nine years, with six of those in the top five. Has amassed a whopping 213 receptions in just 38 professional games. Had six games with 20+ carries in 2008. All six came in his last eight games. Had 63 receptions and 775 yards in his 8 home games. Has at least 90 receptions or more in each of his last three years Had an impressive 4.5 yards per carry in the 12 games he played. Had 14 games of six receptions or more in 2008 all (and without Tom Brady) Was 10th in the NFL in touches last year with 297. Had 30 TD passes in 2008. All but one of them were caught by WRs.
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TOP 220 Expert Rankings Rank 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100
ADP Diff 42 43 52 54 47 36 53 45 58 55 65 57 49 48 76 56 67 44 41 59 71 69 40 50 46 61 77 64 79 84 78 72 83 74 63 70 66 80 60 75 90 82 89 68 88 95 87 85 91 99 96 98 93 97 86 121 73 109 103 94
1 1 9 10 2 -10 6 -3 9 5 14 5 -4 -6 21 0 10 -14 -18 -1 10 7 -23 -14 -19 -5 10 -4 10 14 7 0 10 0 -12 -6 -11 2 -19 -5 9 0 6 -16 3 9 0 -3 2 9 5 6 0 3 -9 25 -24 11 4 -6
Pos
Player
Comments
RB22 TE1 WR16 TE2 RB23 QB5 WR17 RB24 QB6 TE3 WR18 WR19 RB25 WR20 WR21 TE4 RB26 WR22 QB7 RB27 WR23 WR24 RB28 WR25 QB8 WR26 RB29 QB9 WR27 RB30 TE5 WR28 QB10 WR29 RB31 WR30 WR31 RB32 QB11 RB33 TE6 WR32 WR33 QB12 TE7 WR34 WR35 QB13 RB34 TE8 WR36 WR37 WR38 WR39 WR40 QB14 RB35 WR41 QB15 RB36
Thomas Jones, NYJ/9 Jason Witten, DAL/6 Braylon Edwards, CLE/9 Antonio Gates, SD/5 Darren McFadden, OAK/9 Aaron Rodgers, GB/5 Antonio Bryant, TB/8 Pierre Thomas, NO/5 Donovan McNabb, PHI/4 Tony Gonzalez, ATL/4 Chad Ochocinco, CIN/8 Eddie Royal, DEN/7 Jonathan Stewart, CAR/4 Santonio Holmes, PIT/8 Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ/9 Dallas Clark, IND/6 Chris Wells, ARI/4 Roy Williams, DAL/6 Philip Rivers, SD/5 Willie Parker, PIT/8 Santana Moss, WAS/8 Hines Ward, PIT/8 Joseph Addai, IND/6 Vincent Jackson, SD/5 Tony Romo, DAL/6 DeSean Jackson, PHI/4 Cedric Benson, CIN/8 Jay Cutler, CHI/5 Laveranues Coles, CIN/8 Donald Brown, IND/6 Kellen Winslow, TB/8 Bernard Berrian, MIN/9 Carson Palmer, CIN/8 Anthony Gonzalez, IND/6 Derrick Ward, TB/8 Lance Moore, NO/5 Lee Evans, BUF/9 Jamal Lewis, CLE/9 Matt Ryan, ATL/4 LenDale White, TEN/7 Owen Daniels, HOU/10 Donnie Avery, STL/9 Donald Driver, GB/5 Matt Schaub, HOU/10 Chris Cooley, WAS/8 Torry Holt, JAC/7 Michael Crabtree, SF/6 Ben Roethlisberger, PIT/8 Felix Jones, DAL/6 Greg Olsen, CHI/5 Derrick Mason, BAL/7 Devin Hester, CHI/5 Kevin Walter, HOU/10 Ted Ginn, MIA/6 Steve Breaston, ARI/4 David Garrard, JAC/7 LeRon McClain, BAL/7 Chris Chambers, SD/5 Eli Manning, NYG/10 Willis McGahee, BAL/7
Finished as the 5th best RB in 2008, but age is an issue. Has averaged 131 targets over the last two seasons. Off year produced just 55 catches and 3 TDs. Looking to rebound. Down year and he still was the 4th best TE in 2008. Managed 164 rushing yards against KC, but spent most of the year hobbled. Had the fans saying Brett who? Finished as the #2 fantasy QB Set career highs in targets, catches, yards and TDs in 2008. Finished strong with 737 combined yards and 9 TDs in his last 7 games. Set a career high in passing yards with 3,916 to finish as the 7th best QB in 2008. Has finished as a top-3 TE nine times. Has averaged 14.6 yards per catch through his career. Managed 727 yards receiving in his 8 road games as a rookie. Averaged 4.9 yards per carry and scored 9 TDs in his 9 home games Was named Super Bowl MVP with his 9 catches, 131 yards and a score. Becomes WR1 with Coles moving to the Bengals. Set career highs in targets, catches and yards in 2008. Rookie looking to make impact with the Cardinals. Has just 26 receptions the last 2 sesons, but is expected to be WR1 for the Cowboys. Set career highs in attempts, completions, yards, TDs and fantasy points. Has racked up 5,622 combined yards in 65 games. Started red-hot with 658 yards and 5 TDs in first 8 games before fading Amassed 81 receptions, 1043 yards and 7 TDs at age 32. Unclear how many carries he will lose to rookie Donald Brown Had career bests in targets, receptions, yards and TDs in 2008. Has thirteen 300-yard passing games in 29 starts the lasttwo years. Debuted with back-to-back 100-yard games as a rookie. Found his groove with 725 combined yards in his last 8 games Switches teams, but inherits Devin Hester for deep routes. Will be active in the Bengals passing attack in 2009. Challenging Addai for carries with the Colts. Gets a new situation with the Bucs Had career high yards, yards per catch (20.1) and TDs in 2008 Looking to rebound to the 4,000 yard passing levels of 2006 and 2007. Looking for bigger role with departure of Marvin Harrison. Catapulted 15 carry / 215 yard performance in week 16 to starter with Bucs. Scored 8 TDs in his last 9 games Averaging 16 yards per catch in his career. Has 10,107 rushing yards in just 8 seasons Amassed 3,440 passing yards as a rookie Had 15 rushing TDs in spot role for the Titans. Had career highs in targets, receptions and yards in his 3rd season. Had 163 yard effort against New England in week 8. Has had five straight 1,000 yard receiving seasons Threw for over 3,000 yards in just 11 games. Had career highs in targets, receptions and yards, but managed just 1 score. Gets fresh start with Jaguars after huge career in St. Louis Impressive rookie is expected to start immediately. Has impressive 7.9 yards per passing attempt for his career. Looking to rebound from injured season. Gets giant upgrade with Cutler as the new QB. Has quietly put up seven 1,000 yard receiving seasons in his last 8 years Continues to improve as a WR. Gets Cutler to play catch with. Had career highs in yards, TDs and fantasy points in 2008. Had career highs in targets, receptions, yards and fantasy points. Managed 1,000 yards receiving on a team with Fitzgerald and Boldin. Set career highs in attempts, completions, yards, and fantasy points. Managed 7 TDs in his 8 home games in 2008. Looking to rebound to 2007 level. Has now thrown for 3,000+ yards the last four seasons. Involved in RBBC for touches.
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TOP 220 Expert Rankings Rank 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160
ADP Diff
Pos
Player
128 164 105 127 108 81 106 104 102 135 116 113 133 123 100 153 119 124 144 134 110 112 138 163 195 132 167 107 130 168 126 114 118 137 169 92 147 117 129 156 184 202 139 115 122 170 149 165 >250 186 161 180 154 131 179 148 174 101 157 182
TE9 WR42 QB16 WR43 WR44 QB17 RB37 TE10 RB38 WR45 QB18 TE11 WR46 WR47 RB39 WR48 QB19 RB40 WR49 WR50 Def1 RB41 TE12 WR51 WR52 Def2 QB20 RB42 TE13 WR53 Def3 QB21 RB43 TE14 WR54 RB44 WR55 RB45 Def4 QB22 TE15 WR56 Def5 RB46 TE16 Def6 K1 QB23 WR57 WR58 Def7 QB24 RB47 WR59 Def8 Def9 QB25 RB48 WR60 Def10
Zach Miller, OAK/9 Mark Clayton, BAL/7 Matt Hasselbeck, SEA/7 Kevin Curtis, PHI/4 Deion Branch, SEA/7 Matt Cassel, KC/8 Ray Rice, BAL/7 John Carlson, SEA/7 Julius Jones, SEA/7 Steve Smith, NYG/10 Trent Edwards, BUF/9 Dustin Keller, NYJ/9 Domenik Hixon, NYG/10 Justin Gage, TEN/7 Earnest Graham, TB/8 Muhsin Muhammad, CAR/4 Kyle Orton, DEN/7 Fred Taylor, NE/8 Hakeem Nicks, NYG/10 Patrick Crayton, DAL/6 Pittsburgh Steelers, PIT/8 Rashard Mendenhall, PIT/8 Jeremy Shockey, NO/5 Michael Jenkins, ATL/4 Earl Bennett, CHI/5 Minnesota Vikings, MIN/9 Jake Delhomme, CAR/4 Leon Washington, NYJ/9 Visanthe Shiancoe, MIN/9 Plaxico Burress, FA Baltimore Ravens, BAL/7 Joe Flacco, BAL/7 Jerious Norwood, ATL/4 Heath Miller, PIT/8 Isaac Bruce, SF/6 Darren Sproles, SD/5 Nate Washington, TEN/7 Fred Jackson, BUF/9 New York Giants, NYG/10 Jason Campbell, WAS/8 Bo Scaife, TEN/7 Antwaan Randle El, WAS/8 Philadelphia Eagles, PHI/4 Chester Taylor, MIN/9 Tony Scheffler, DEN/7 San Diego Chargers, SD/5 Stephen Gostkowski, NE/8 Chad Pennington, MIA/6 Chaz Schilens, OAK/9 Chris Henry, CIN/8 Chicago Bears, CHI/5 Shaun Hill, SF/6 Ricky Williams, MIA/6 Jeremy Maclin, PHI/4 New England Patriots, NE/8 Tennessee Titans, TEN/7 JaMarcus Russell, OAK/9 Tim Hightower, ARI/4 Miles Austin, DAL/6 Dallas Cowboys, DAL/6
27 62 2 23 3 -25 -1 -4 -7 25 5 1 20 9 -15 37 2 6 25 14 -11 -10 15 39 70 6 40 -21 1 38 -5 -18 -15 3 34 -44 10 -21 -10 16 43 60 -4 -29 -23 24 2 17 102 36 10 28 1 -23 24 -8 17 -57 -2 22
Rank ADP 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220
192 140 181 245 178 >250 199 193 111 191 158 >250 210 166 242 159 190 227 213 146 162 185 197 232 194 172 189 237 160 233 125 198 204 >250 241 238 206 183 235 203 176 211 >250 223 234 120 215 243 196 >250 201 214 224 >250 142 143 244 200 225 >250
Diff
Pos
Player
31 -22 18 81 13 85 32 25 -58 21 -13 79 37 -8 67 -17 13 49 34 -34 -19 3 14 48 9 -14 2 49 -29 43 -66 6 11 57 46 42 9 -15 36 3 -25 9 48 19 29 -86 8 35 -13 41 -10 2 11 37 -73 -73 27 -18 6 31
QB26 RB49 TE17 WR61 WR62 Def11 K2 QB27 RB50 WR63 Def12 WR64 Def13 K3 RB51 WR65 K4 Def14 QB28 RB52 TE18 WR66 K5 Def15 K6 QB29 TE19 WR67 WR68 K7 RB53 WR69 K8 WR70 Def16 K9 QB30 WR71 K10 RB54 TE20 K11 Def17 K12 TE21 WR72 RB55 QB31 RB56 TE22 WR73 Def18 K13 QB32 RB57 WR74 K14 QB33 TE23 Def19
Marc Bulger, STL/9 Justin Fargas, OAK/9 Anthony Fasano, MIA/6 Michael Clayton, TB/8 Devery Henderson, NO/5 Carolina Panthers, CAR/4 Nate Kaeding, SD/5 Sage Rosenfels, MIN/9 Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG/10 Bryant Johnson, DET/7 New York Jets, NYJ/9 Dennis Northcutt, JAC/7 Green Bay Packers, GB/5 Rob Bironas, TEN/7 Kevin Faulk, NE/8 Bobby Engram, KC/8 Mason Crosby, GB/5 Miami Dolphins, MIA/6 Kerry Collins, TEN/7 Sammy Morris, NE/8 Kevin Boss, NYG/10 Greg Camarillo, MIA/6 Jason Elam, ATL/4 Jacksonville Jaguars, JAC/7 Nick Folk, DAL/6 Brady Quinn, CLE/9 Vernon Davis, SF/6 Keenan Burton, STL/9 Nate Burleson, SEA/7 Garrett Hartley, NO/5 LeSean McCoy, PHI/4 Mike Walker, JAC/7 David Akers, PHI/4 Chansi Stuckey, NYJ/9 Indianapolis Colts, IND/6 Kris Brown, HOU/10 Mark Sanchez, NYJ/9 Joey Galloway, NE/8 Neil Rackers, ARI/4 Edgerrin James, FA Brent Celek, PHI/4 Ryan Longwell, MIN/9 Houston Texans, HOU/10 Adam Vinatieri, IND/6 Todd Heap, BAL/7 Percy Harvin, MIN/9 Mewelde Moore, PIT/8 Byron Leftwich, TB/8 Brandon Jackson, GB/5 Randy McMichael, STL/9 Jordy Nelson, GB/5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, TB/8 Robbie Gould, CHI/5 Daunte Culpepper, DET/7 Jamaal Charles, KC/8 Darrius Heyward-Bey, OAK/9 John Kasay, CAR/4 Matthew Stafford, DET/7 Brandon Pettigrew, DET/7 Buffalo Bills, BUF/9
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2009 Player
PROJECTIONS Offense by David Dodds IDP by John Norton
A
ll fantasy football magazines rank players. We are no exception. In fact, we have provided Expert Rankings starting on page 42. But we also project player stats. We do this because projections are the lifeblood of everything we do at Footballguys.com. These numbers drive our Value Based Drafting applications like the Draft Dominator. By the time you are picking up this magazine, we will have likely changed these projections 40 times. Look carefully at the detail of the data. We are projecting completion percentages, yards per attempt, etc. We aren’t regurgitating last year’s numbers. We look at what changed within each team and project accordingly. We spent over 40 hours doing this set of offensive projections alone. Why does it take us that long? Because we make sure our numbers add up to historical norms for the league. We also factor in Strength of Schedule differences, three-year weighted team stat averages, player’s age, situation, and a host of other variables. We used the following values to create fantasy points: Offense: Passing TD = 4 points Rushing TD = 6 points Receiving TD = 6 points Passing Yardage = 1 pt. / 20 yards Rushing Yardage = 1 pt. / 10 yards Receiving Yardage = 1 pt. / 10 yards Interceptions = -1 point
ICON/SMI
IDP Scoring: Tackles = 1.5 points Assists = 0.75 points Sacks = 4 points Interceptions = 4 points Passes Defensed = 1.5 points Fumble Recoveries = 3 points Forced Fumbles = 3 points Defensive TDs = 6 points For up to the minute projections on over 1,000 offensive and defensive players, please visit our website at: http://footballguys.com Aaron Rodgers FREE 32 PAGE CAMP UPDATE: http://freeupdate.footballguys.com
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2009 Player
PROJECTIONS CMP
ATT
1. Drew Brees, NO 2. Tom Brady, NE 3. Peyton Manning, Ind 4. Aaron Rodgers, GB 5. Donovan McNabb, Phi 6. Philip Rivers, SD 7. Kurt Warner, Ari 8. Tony Romo, Dal 9. Jay Cutler, Chi 10. David Garrard, Jac 11. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit 12. Matt Schaub, Hou 13. Matt Ryan, Atl 14. Carson Palmer, Cin 15. Matt Hasselbeck, Sea 16. Matt Cassel, KC 17. Trent Edwards, Buf 18. Eli Manning, NYG 19. Joe Flacco, Bal 20. Shaun Hill, SF 21. Jason Campbell, Was 22. Chad Pennington, Mia 23. Jake Delhomme, Car 24. Kyle Orton, Den 25. Mark Sanchez, NYJ 26. JaMarcus Russell, Oak 27. Matthew Stafford, Det 28. Kerry Collins, Ten 29. Marc Bulger, StL 30. Sage Rosenfels, Min
380 369 340 321 338 323 344 333 321 312 301 311 278 313 298 287 280 279 280 264 274 299 250 262 267 241 240 234 246 219
595 565 541 530 555 490 540 525 530 500 490 485 446 505 510 515 450 500 452 445 465 470 436 420 438 420 435 410 445 365
Tight Ends 1. Antonio Gates, SD 2. Jason Witten, Dal 3. Tony Gonzalez, Atl 4. Dallas Clark, Ind 5. Kellen Winslow, TB 6. Owen Daniels, Hou 7. Greg Olsen, Chi 8. Chris Cooley, Was 9. Zach Miller, Oak 10. John Carlson, Sea 11. Dustin Keller, NYJ 12. Jeremy Shockey, NO 13. Visanthe Shiancoe, Min 14. Bo Scaife, Ten 15. Heath Miller, Pit 16. Tony Scheffler, Den 17. Anthony Fasano, Mia 18. Vernon Davis, SF 19. Kevin Boss, NYG 20. Todd Heap, Bal
PASSING STATS YDS
RECEIVING STATS REC YDS TDS
68 80 73 72 66 66 60 65 55 52 54 46 45 50 45 38 38 34 36 38
836 936 810 785 792 759 666 663 644 572 621 529 513 505 482 464 460 408 364 418
8 6 7 6 5 4 5 5 4 5 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 3
4,373 4,040 3,976 3,790 3,774 3,793 3,888 3,712 3,498 3,375 3,391 3,676 3,385 3,560 3,188 3,116 3,128 3,125 3,074 3,026 2,930 3,173 3,008 2,881 2,738 2,667 2,667 2,558 2,715 2,427
TDS
INT
RUSHING STATS ATT YDS
31 30 28 26 25 27 28 23 23 19 23 20 21 22 22 20 20 22 17 18 16 18 19 20 15 14 16 15 14 15
18 13 13 15 15 13 16 18 16 14 17 18 15 15 14 15 15 15 13 16 9 11 14 13 14 10 19 10 14 12
22 35 23 45 42 30 20 32 47 60 35 40 50 15 25 60 32 20 55 35 40 28 20 25 27 23 25 23 20 22
11 70 28 153 176 75 4 96 162 264 105 92 105 20 88 198 106 14 176 144 200 48 28 40 68 94 50 37 34 70
TDS
FANTASY PTS
0 1 1 2 2 1 0 1 1 2 2 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0
325.8 322.0 306.6 305.8 303.3 298.1 290.8 275.2 273.1 269.2 267.0 261.0 254.8 253.0 248.1 246.6 237.9 236.7 232.3 227.7 227.5 224.4 215.2 215.1 195.6 194.8 189.3 181.6 181.1 176.4
FANTASY PTS
131.6 129.6 123.0 114.5 109.2 99.9 96.6 96.3 88.4 87.2 86.1 76.9 75.3 74.5 72.2 70.4 70.0 65.4 60.4 59.8
Antonio Gates
ICON/SMI
Quarterbacks
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4UPQ JOUP UIF XPSLTIPQ BOE TFF ZPVS DVTUPN USPQIZ DPNF UPHFUIFS PO ZPVS TDSFFO 4P HP PO BOE DIFDL PVU UIF TJUF
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2009 Player
PROJECTIONS Running Backs 1,528 1,104 1,508 1,155 1,162 1,106 1,339 1,300 1,179 1,054 935 1,081 1,139 956 966 990 910 595 975 1,148 924 968 900 890 914 900 869 732 693 814 759 871 882 588 640 552 462 656 645 527 623 525 437 473 527 368 484 494 490 546
13 12 13 12 9 9 10 12 9 8 7 8 11 9 7 7 10 5 8 7 7 8 8 5 9 7 8 6 10 7 8 5 4 3 6 3 4 3 6 4 4 3 8 3 4 2 6 6 4 4
25 55 8 42 48 60 34 23 44 49 57 45 18 39 50 40 35 75 40 21 41 28 23 42 16 25 5 27 8 12 10 16 24 51 23 37 45 35 14 34 23 33 15 32 20 47 15 12 18 11
165 462 51 315 413 432 258 138 321 407 450 324 117 296 350 320 277 608 280 137 291 179 173 328 110 168 33 211 50 78 60 112 161 383 168 329 356 273 98 238 170 251 98 262 140 357 110 83 133 76
1 2 0 2 3 3 1 1 1 2 4 2 1 1 2 2 1 5 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 1 1
253.3 240.6 233.9 231.7 229.5 225.8 225.7 221.8 210.0 206.0 204.6 200.5 197.6 186.6 185.6 185.0 184.7 180.2 179.5 170.5 169.5 162.7 161.3 157.8 156.4 154.8 138.2 136.2 134.3 131.2 129.9 128.3 128.2 127.1 122.8 118.1 117.8 116.9 110.3 106.5 103.3 101.6 101.5 97.5 96.7 96.5 95.4 93.7 92.3 92.2
Adrian Peterson
ICON/SMI
325 240 335 275 280 280 315 260 265 245 215 230 245 225 230 225 200 145 235 280 220 220 240 200 215 200 220 190 165 220 165 215 205 120 160 115 110 160 150 130 150 125 115 90 135 75 110 125 100 115
FANTASY PTS
ICON SMI
1. Adrian Peterson, Min 2. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac 3. Michael Turner, Atl 4. Ladainian Tomlinson, SD 5. Steven Jackson, StL 6. Matt Forte, Chi 7. Clinton Portis, Was 8. DeAngelo Williams, Car 9. Steve Slaton, Hou 10. Frank Gore, SF 11. Brian Westbrook, Phi 12. Chris Johnson, Ten 13. Brandon Jacobs, NYG 14. Ronnie Brown, Mia 15. Marion Barber, Dal 16. Darren McFadden, Oak 17. Pierre Thomas, NO 18. Reggie Bush, NO 19. Kevin Smith, Det 20. Ryan Grant, GB 21. Marshawn Lynch, Buf 22. Thomas Jones, NYJ 23. Cedric Benson, Cin 24. Derrick Ward, TB 25. Larry Johnson, KC 26. Knowshon Moreno, Den 27. Chris Wells, Ari 28. Joseph Addai, Ind 29. LenDale White, Ten 30. Jamal Lewis, Cle 31. Jonathan Stewart, Car 32. Willie Parker, Pit 33. Julius Jones, Sea 34. Leon Washington, NYJ 35. Donald Brown, Ind 36. Darren Sproles, SD 37. Chester Taylor, Min 38. Ray Rice, Bal 39. Fred Taylor, NE 40. Ricky Williams, Mia 41. Earnest Graham, TB 42. Fred Jackson, Buf 43. Le'Ron McClain, Bal 44. Jerious Norwood, Atl 45. Willis McGahee, Bal 46. Kevin Faulk, NE 47. Sammy Morris, NE 48. Rashard Mendenhall, Pit 49. Felix Jones, Dal 50. Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG
RECEIVING STATS REC YDS TDS
Michael Turner
LaDainian Tomlinson
ICON SMI
RUSHING STATS YDS TDS
ATT
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Randy Moss
ICON/SMI
Greg Jennings
ICON/SMI
Andre Johnson
ICON/SMI
Wide Receivers 1. Larry Fitzgerald, Ari 2. Andre Johnson, Hou 3. Randy Moss, NE 4. Calvin Johnson, Det 5. Reggie Wayne, Ind 6. Steve Smith, Car 7. Roddy White, Atl 8. Greg Jennings, GB 9. Marques Colston, NO 10. Dwayne Bowe, KC 11. Anquan Boldin, Ari 12. Terrell Owens, Buf 13. Brandon Marshall, Den 14. Braylon Edwards, Cle 15. Chad Ochocinco, Cin 16. DeSean Jackson, Phi 17. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Sea 18. Wes Welker, NE 19. Donnie Avery, StL 20. Antonio Bryant, TB 21. Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ 22. Santonio Holmes, Pit 23. Santana Moss, Was 24. Vincent Jackson, SD 25. Eddie Royal, Den 26. Hines Ward, Pit 27. Roy Williams, Dal 28. Anthony Gonzalez, Ind 29. Laveranues Coles, Cin 30. Torry Holt, Jac 31. Donald Driver, GB 32. Lee Evans, Buf 33. Michael Crabtree, SF 34. Bernard Berrian, Min 35. Derrick Mason, Bal 36. Devin Hester, Chi 37. Ted Ginn Jr., Mia 38. Steve Breaston, Ari 39. Lance Moore, NO 40. Kevin Walter, Hou 41. Hakeem Nicks, NYG 42. Chris Chambers, SD 43. Muhsin Muhammad, Car 44. Steve Smith, NYG 45. Mark Clayton, Bal 46. Michael Jenkins, Atl 47. Justin Gage, Ten 48. Earl Bennett, Chi 49. Domenik Hixon, NYG 50. Plaxico Burress, FA
RUSHING STATS ATT YDS TDS
RECEIVING STATS REC YDS TDS
1 2 2 3 0 5 2 0 0 0 8 2 2 0 0 10 1 2 7 3 2 2 2 4 7 0 1 0 2 0 2 2 2 4 0 5 5 2 0 3 1 1 0 0 6 0 0 0 2 0
94 98 79 88 90 87 84 78 80 90 86 72 83 70 80 74 82 93 77 72 81 65 76 60 77 72 64 71 75 70 67 60 60 55 73 57 59 67 58 59 58 53 55 63 49 53 50 50 50 45
5 10 10 17 0 35 10 0 0 0 48 10 10 0 0 60 9 10 56 27 10 10 10 28 56 0 6 0 10 0 6 12 12 26 0 40 40 10 0 15 5 6 0 0 39 0 0 0 12 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1,250 1,372 1,122 1,294 1,260 1,279 1,252 1,186 1,120 1,143 1,015 1,015 1,046 1,022 1,064 1,051 959 1,014 1,009 1,037 964 943 996 900 916 900 870 930 908 847 878 870 786 825 905 804 814 824 737 779 742 737 743 737 706 726 695 680 660 585
12 9 13 10 10 9 8 9 10 8 9 9 8 8 7 6 8 7 6 6 7 7 6 7 6 7 7 6 6 7 6 6 7 6 5 6 5 5 6 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 4 4 4 5
FANTASY PTS
197.5 192.2 191.2 191.0 186.0 185.4 174.2 172.6 172.0 162.3 160.3 156.5 153.6 150.2 148.4 147.1 144.8 144.4 142.5 142.4 139.4 137.3 136.6 134.8 133.2 132.0 129.6 129.0 127.8 126.7 124.4 124.2 121.8 121.1 120.5 120.4 115.4 113.4 109.7 109.4 104.7 104.3 104.3 103.7 98.5 96.6 93.5 92.0 91.2 88.5
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2009 Player
PROJECTIONS 75 88 77 89 80 78 76 61 77 71 76 82 74 76 70 73 78 78 71 78 78 73 74 61 64 75 74 64 65 63 58 69 79 59 65 55 62 62 66 54 76 59 60 56 67 67 50 60 65 70
21 21 12 20 13 18 24 21 17 25 10 26 9 9 29 22 23 28 17 10 21 21 13 12 25 33 11 8 4 7 10 11 8 5 28 9 28 14 15 13 24 10 18 10 6 17 13 13 6 14
3 2 0 0 2 0 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 0 2 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
3 2 4 1 3 4 4 6 3 2 3 1 4 6 3 3 1 1 4 2 1 3 3 4 3 1 2 3 4 4 6 2 1 5 2 6 3 4 3 4 1 4 4 5 3 3 5 3 3 2
FF
FR
PD
TD
2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 0 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 0 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
2 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
15 6 19 10 13 11 7 14 10 9 19 6 21 9 7 12 7 5 9 14 7 8 13 19 8 4 13 14 15 19 17 18 9 17 6 16 9 13 13 21 5 17 9 15 11 9 17 15 16 8
1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
FANTASY PTS
192.8 182.8 181.0 180.7 178.3 175.0 174.5 174.3 174.3 172.8 172.0 171.5 171.3 170.3 169.3 169.0 167.6 165.5 163.8 162.5 158.7 158.3 158.3 158.0 157.8 157.5 157.3 155.0 155.0 153.3 153.0 152.8 151.0 150.8 150.5 149.3 148.5 148.0 147.8 147.3 146.5 146.5 146.0 146.0 145.5 144.8 144.8 144.3 144.0 143.9
ICON SMI
1. SS Adrian Wilson, Ari 2. FS Eric Weddle, SD 3. CB Charles Tillman, Chi 4. SS Yeremiah Bell, Mia 5. CB Antoine Winfield, Min 6. FS Gibril Wilson, Mia 7. SS Chris Horton, Was 8. SS Troy Polamalu, Pit 9. SS Kevin Payne, Chi 10. SS Quintin Mikell, Phi 11. CB Richard Marshall, Car 12. SS Bernard Pollard, KC 13. CB Chris Gamble, Car 14. FS Oshiomogho Atogwe, Stl 15. SS Antoine Bethea, Ind 16. SS Sabby Piscitelli, TB 17. SS Michael Lewis, SF 18. SS Patrick Chung, NE 19. FS Kenny Phillips, NYG 20. CB Cedric Griffin, Min 21. SS William Moore, Atl 22. FS Eugene Wilson, Hou 23. CB Corey Graham, Chi 24. CB DeAngelo Hall, Was 25. FS Kerry Rhodes, NYJ 26. SS Louis Delmas, Det 27. CB Brandon Flowers, KC 28. CB Ronde Barber, TB 29. CB Ronald Bartell, Stl 30. CB Terrence McGee, Buf 31. CB Aqib Talib, TB 32. CB Quentin Jammer, SD 33. SS Roman Harper, NO 34. CB Rashean Mathis, Jac 35. FS Bob Sanders, Ind 36. CB Terence Newman, Dal 37. SS Chinedum Ndukwe, Cin 38. FS Nick Collins, GB 39. FS Antrel Rolle, Ari 40. CB Leon Hall, Cin 41. SS Michael Mitchell, Oak 42. CB Brandon McDonald, Cle 43. FS Brandon Meriweather, NE 44. CB Dunta Robinson, Hou 45. CB Brian Williams, Jac 46. SS Chris Hope, Ten 47. CB Darrelle Revis, NYJ 48. CB Cortland Finnegan, Ten 49. CB Tracy Porter, NO 50. FS Erik Coleman, Atl
AST SACK INT
Adrian Wilson
ICON/SMI
TCK
Eric Weddle
Charles Tillman
ICON/SMI
Defensive Backs
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Defensive Linemen
ICON/SMI
Jared Allen
ICON/SMI
Mario Williams
ICON/SMI
TCK
Justin Tuck
1. DE Trent Cole, Phi 2. DE Jared Allen, Min 3. DE Mario Williams, Hou 4. DE Justin Tuck, NYG 5. DE John Abraham, Atl 6. DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, Ten 7. DE Robert Mathis, Ind 8. DE Justin Smith, SF 9. DE Aaron Schobel, Buf 10. DE Julius Peppers, Car 11. DE Adewale Ogunleye, Chi 12. OLB Aaron Kampman, GB 13. DE Osi Umenyiora, NYG 14. DT Albert Haynesworth, Was 15. DE Darryl Tapp, Sea 16. DE Patrick Kerney, Sea 17. NT Shaun Rogers, Cle 18. DE Chris Long, Stl 19. DE Derrick Burgess, Oak 20. DE Antonio Smith, Hou 21. DT Kevin Williams, Min 22. DE Gaines Adams, TB 23. DT Tommy Kelly, Oak 24. DE Shaun Ellis, NYJ 25. DE Cliff Avril, Det 26. DE Charles Grant, NO 27. DE Will Smith, NO 28. DE Richard Seymour, NE 29. DT Jason Jones, Ten 30. DE Darnell Dockett, Ari 31. DE Trevor Scott, Oak 32. DE Aaron Smith, Pit 33. DE Dewayne White, Det 34. DE Darren Howard, Phi 35. DE Alex Brown, Chi 36. DE Andre Carter, Was 37. DE Antwan Odom, Cin 38. NT Jay Ratliff, Dal 39. NT Kelly Gregg, Bal 40. DT Kyle Williams, Buf 41. DE Marques Douglas, NYJ 42. DE Ray Edwards, Min 43. DE Derrick Harvey, Jac 44. DT Tony Brown, Ten 45. DT Tommie Harris, Chi 46. DE Mathias Kiwanuka, NYG 47. NT Kris Jenkins, NYJ 48. DE Greg White, TB 49. NT Jamal Williams, SD 50. NT B.J. Raji, GB
54 43 46 50 39 47 41 52 44 39 43 49 39 42 48 41 52 44 41 41 44 38 43 42 36 44 42 37 42 42 37 42 35 31 41 36 36 34 43 41 38 38 31 39 35 30 39 33 42 39
AST SACK
19 13 12 13 4 19 13 23 18 10 13 14 14 21 11 9 14 10 19 10 14 13 24 19 11 15 17 20 10 10 14 17 12 9 9 13 16 20 14 18 17 12 6 13 6 13 16 10 14 17
11 17 14 12 15 12 12 8 9 12 9 7 9 7 7 10 4 9 9 9 8 9 6 6 9 6 7 7 7 6 8 6 8 9 7 8 7 6 4 4 4 6 9 5 7 7 4 7 3 4
INT
FF
FR
PD
TD
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 4 4 2 4 2 4 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 3 1 2 2 2 3 2 1 2 3 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 0 1
2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 0 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 2 0
2 4 3 3 4 2 3 3 5 5 4 4 2 2 2 1 4 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 0 2 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 0 2
1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FANTASY PTS
167.3 166.3 157.5 152.3 144.3 142.8 138.8 138.8 136.2 135.9 128.3 126.8 126.0 124.8 124.5 123.6 122.5 122.5 121.8 121.3 120.0 117.8 117.0 114.8 113.3 113.3 112.8 110.5 110.5 109.5 108.5 107.3 105.5 104.6 103.3 103.3 103.0 102.0 101.5 98.5 97.8 97.5 97.0 95.8 95.0 94.8 94.0 92.5 91.5 91.3
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2008 Player
1. MLB Barrett Ruud, TB 2. ILB Karlos Dansby, Ari 3. MLB Jon Beason, Car 4. ILB Patrick Willis, SF 5. MLB Curtis Lofton, Atl 6. ILB D.J. Williams, Den 7. ILB Ray Lewis, Bal 8. OLB James Harrison, Pit 9. MLB Kirk Morrison, Oak 10. ILB Bradie James, Dal 11. MLB Jonathan Vilma, NO 12. ILB Lawrence Timmons, Pit 13. MLB London Fletcher, Was 14. MLB E.J. Henderson, Min 15. ILB Stephen Cooper, SD 16. OLB Demarcus Ware, Dal 17. MLB DeMeco Ryans, Hou 18. MLB Paul Posluszny, Buf 19. ILB D'Qwell Jackson, Cle 20. ILB Bart Scott, NYJ 21. MLB Stewart Bradley, Phi 22. MLB Gary Brackett, Ind 23. MLB Lofa Tatupu, Sea 24. MLB James Laurinaitis, Stl 25. WLB Justin Durant, Jac 26. WLB Lance Briggs, Chi 27. ILB Jerod Mayo, NE 28. ILB David Harris, NYJ 29. ILB Nick Barnett, GB 30. WLB Thomas Davis, Car 31. MLB Brian Urlacher, Chi 32. ILB Derrick Johnson, KC 33. MLB Rey Maualuga, Cin 34. OLB Will Witherspoon, Stl 35. ILB James Farrior, Pit 36. SLB Chad Greenway, Min 37. OLB Shawne Merriman, SD 38. WLB Keith Rivers, Cin 39. ILB Channing Crowder, Mia 40. WLB Keith Bulluck, Ten 41. WLB Clint Session, Ind 42. WLB Ernie Sims, Det 43. ILB A.J. Hawk, GB 44. WLB Thomas Howard, Oak 45. ILB Gerald Hayes, Ari 46. MLB Antonio Pierce, NYG 47. WLB Mike Peterson, Atl 48. MLB Larry Foote, Det 49. ILB Kevin Burnett, SD 50. ILB Keith Brooking, Dal
105 93 106 105 102 105 88 63 101 85 100 86 94 93 93 63 92 92 88 91 93 95 90 97 93 90 95 88 92 90 85 87 82 84 80 80 55 80 90 82 92 85 85 81 78 81 82 82 80 77
AST SACK
39 33 30 31 39 48 35 32 37 40 36 46 41 37 32 15 31 30 43 37 27 38 28 27 19 18 31 36 32 23 20 28 48 20 42 24 18 40 25 26 32 43 34 19 28 28 29 38 29 36
3 5 0 2 3 2 4 15 1 7 1 5 1 5 1 16 1 1 2 4 2 0 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 3 1 2 1 4 3 6 14 1 1 1 0 1 3 1 3 1 1 0 1 2
INT
FF
FR
PD
TD
FANTASY PTS
2 2 4 2 1 1 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 3 0 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 0 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 3 0 1 1 0 1 0
2 3 3 3 2 2 3 5 1 2 2 1 2 3 2 5 3 3 1 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 3 2 1 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1
1 3 1 1 2 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 0 1 2 1 1 1 0 1
8 11 9 10 7 6 10 4 7 6 7 6 8 4 7 4 7 8 7 5 7 7 9 5 8 11 4 4 6 7 12 7 3 7 6 5 5 5 6 7 4 3 4 8 7 7 6 4 6 4
1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
233.8 232.8 226.0 224.8 223.8 223.5 220.3 215.5 210.8 210.5 208.5 208.5 207.8 207.3 205.0 202.8 201.8 200.1 199.8 198.8 197.9 197.5 196.5 194.3 192.8 192.0 191.8 189.0 186.8 186.6 184.5 184.0 183.5 183.5 182.5 180.5 179.5 177.5 177.4 177.0 177.0 174.3 173.8 172.8 172.5 170.0 169.6 163.5 163.0 162.5
Barrett Ruud
Patrick Willis
Ray Lewis
ICON/SMI
TCK
ICON/SMI
Linebackers
ICON/SMI
PROJECTIONS
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Principles of
VBD By Joe Bryant and David Dodds
W
ant to dominate your league? Then dominate your draft. This article will show you how to do this with the draft system that serious fantasy owners across the country use. It’s called Value Based Drafting or VBD. Why listen to us about it? Because we are the guys that started it. We introduced Value Based Drafting to the fantasy football world back in 1996 when players like Keyshawn Johnson, Eddie George and Marvin Harrison had yet to play an NFL down. And for the last thirteen years, we’ve never stopped improving it. Today, it’s the hot ticket among hardcore owners for one simple reason: It works. The system revolves around making detailed statistical projections for every draftable player. It also involves a fair amount of data manipulation. That’s if you want to do all the forecasting and number crunching yourself. The good news is that you can click over to our website and we’ll do all the work for you. More on that later. The Problem: Here’s the trouble with valuing players. It’s relatively easy to make a list of the quarterbacks and rank them from 1-40. Same thing with running backs and wide receivers. Carson Palmer ranks ahead of David Garrard. Matt Forte is higher than Marion Barber. And Marques Colston squeaks past Dwayne Bowe. These aren’t that hard. When it’s your pick in the draft, it’s not tough to say Matt Forte has a higher value than Marion Barber. But that’s not the only valuation you’re forced to make. The real world scenario is that at some point in your draft, you’re forced to draft one player among the following: • Solid quarterbacks in the Aaron Rodgers / Donovan McNabb range. • Decent running backs in the Thomas Jones / Darren McFadden / Pierre Thomas class. • Quality wide receivers in the Braylon Edwards / Antonio Bryant / Chad Johnson neighborhood. • Elite tight ends in the Jason Witten / Antonio Gates zone. That’s a little tougher situation than deciding if Aaron Rodgers is better than Donovan McNabb. But if you want to dominate your league, it’s a situation you’d better be ready for. With our VBD System you’ll be able to finally place a tangible value on these players that makes sense to you. Always before, you didn’t really know if a QB throwing 22 TDs / 3,000 yards is more valuable than a RB scoring nine TDs / 1,000 yards
or a WR posting seven TDs / 1,100 yards. Now you’ll know. The Principle: The value of a player is determined not by the number of points he scores, but by how much he outscores his peers at his particular position. Think about it like this. We are NOT trying to assemble a group of the highest scoring players with no regard to position. If that were the case, the best team would be full of quarterbacks and kickers. We are bound by our starting lineups as to the positions we must fill. Our team, consisting of a specified number of players from the specified positions will compete against the other teams consisting of the same number of players from the same positions. Think of it in terms of individual matchups pitting your team against another team, position by position. Here’s an example. For simplicity’s sake, let’s just say your starting roster is 1 quarterback, 1 running back, 1 wide receiver and 1 place kicker. In a one game matchup against your buddy, your quarterback outscores his quarterback 35 to 33 (+2 points). You’re up 2. Your running back is outscored by his running back 7 to 12 (-5 points). Now you’re down by 3. Your wide receiver outscores his wide receiver 20 to 5 (+15 points). Now you’re back up by 12. Your kicker outscores his kicker 22 to 21 (+1 point) This puts you up 13. You win the matchup 84 to 71. Your Team Your QB 35 pts Your RB 7 pts Your WR 20 pts Your PK 22 pts
His Team His QB 33 pts His RB 12 pts His WR 5 pts His PK 21 pts
Points Advantage +2 for you -5 for you +15 for you +1 for you
Cumulative Total +2 -3 +12 +13
Total Pts = 84 (Your Team); Total Pts = 71 (His Team)
Listen up now. The point differences at each position, when totaled, will determine the winner. In this case it was a total team difference of 13 points. Simple, right? Now here’s the important question. Let’s say you and the owner above are going to throw all 8 players back into the pool, have a draft, fill your 4 man roster and play a 1 game season. For the sake of argument, these are the only 8 players available to draft ( 2 quarterbacks, 2 running backs, 2 wide receivers and 2 place kickers ) and you already know they’re going to post the points I’ve stated. You must draft 1 quarterback, 1 running back, 1 wide receiver, and 1 place kicker. Who would you draft first? It’s an absolute no brainer. The wide receiver who scores
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20 points MUST be the No. 1 draft pick. The 20-point wide receiver is by far the most valuable player even though he scored less points than both quarterbacks and both kickers. Why? Because he gives you a 15-point advantage at wide receiver while the better quarterback only gives a 2-point advantage, the better kicker gives a 1-point advantage and the better running back gives a 5-point advantage. The wide receiver’s 20 points were much more valuable than the quarterback’s 35 points and the kicker’s 22 points because of how the player relates to his peers. It’s like tic-tac-toe. The season is over once the wide receiver is taken. If it doesn’t make sense, actually do the draft and see it yourself. Do not keep reading unless this is crystal clear to you. When you think about it, this is something you’re probably already doing at some level already. For example, it’s generally accepted that owners wait until the later rounds to draft a kicker. Why? It’s certainly not because they don’t score enough points. They often lead the league in scoring. The reason that most kickers are drafted late is that they have low value. Kickers earn a low value because there are just so many good ones available. They’re a “dime a dozen” as they say. On the other hand, someone like Adrian Peterson has few peers. Running backs who can post his type of numbers are considerably more “rare”. Therefore, his value goes up. With us this far? I’ll assume we’re on the same page as to how value is determined. Now we’re faced with the task of building a draft list based upon those principles. The Solution: In seven easy steps, is the following: 1. Project stats for each player you think will be drafted in your league. 2. Determine projected fantasy points based on your scoring system. 3. Determine your baseline and X numbers. 4. Sort your list by X numbers overall and by position. 5. Determine the average draft position of each player. 6. During the draft, multiply X numbers by need factor. 7. During the draft, know when to deviate from VBD philosophy. Each one of these steps could easily merit its own article but for now, here’s the summary version for each step.
1. PROJECTING STATS The hardest part is the first part. In order for the Value System to work, it requires a firm set of projected stats for every player in your draft pool. Don’t give us grumbling about how unpredictable football players are or the whining that usually follows player projection discussion. If you’re going to dominate this draft (that IS your goal, isn’t it?), it’s absolutely essential that you have all the pertinent stats for your league projected for every player for the entire season. Project these numbers for every player that you expect to be drafted, not just starters. We always smile when we hear the number one complaint against the VBD system --”It’s too haaaaard to make projections”. First off, if that’s their biggest complaint, we are in pretty good shape. Secondly, we always counter with, “That’s fine then. What EXACTLY do you use then to rank your players?” “Uniform style? Alma Mater? Footwear choice?” Seriously, if you’re not going to rank a player by how you expect them to produce fantasy points, you probably are going to be in for a long season. It’s not really that much work though. You’re probably doing these projections already, just not this specifically and probably not formally. Everyone thinks that DeAngelo Williams will
score more TDs than Willie Parker. Most folks think Carson Palmer will throw more touchdowns than Matt Ryan (although it might be closer than you think). Everyone expects Jason Elam to boot some 50+ yard field goals. Those things we know. What you must do with your projections is get a handle on exactly how many more touchdowns you expect an Adrian Peterson to post than will a Ronnie Brown. It’s not enough to say “he’s better”. You must decide how much better. This becomes critical later because in a real draft, you’re not comparing Ray Rice to Julius Jones only. You’re comparing Rice to Domenik Hixon, Kevin Curtis and Dustin Keller perhaps. But to see how Rice compares to them, you must understand exactly how he compares to Jones and the other running backs first. You’ll see why in a moment. Again, we’ve done all this for you in our VBD and Draft Dominator applications if you’d like to skip over this time consuming step. Both of these applications allow the user to change any or all of the stat projections it comes loaded with.
2. PROJECTING FANTASY POINTS OK, stats are projected, now what? Easy. Now you must run these raw stats through your scoring system and come up with a projected number of fantasy points you expect each player to produce. In other words, let’s say you play in a league where quarterbacks earn 4 points for passing touchdowns and 1 point for every 30 yards passing. If you have Tom Brady projected for 40 TDs and 4,000 yards, Brady would project out to score 293 fantasy points (40 TDs x 4 = 160) + (4,000 yards / 30 = 133) = 293 Projected Fantasy points. Do this for every player. Rank each player BY POSITION from highest to lowest number of projected fantasy points. For right now, keep them separated by position. One thing you’ll notice is that hype often doesn’t equate to fantasy points. And fantasy points are what wins championships. You’ll often see low profile guys like WR Antonio Bryant who with his 83 receptions, 1,248 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season, really bring some value. On the flip side, you may be surprised to see big names like Terrell Owens and Randy Moss produce similar numbers, but with a lot more attention and hype.
3. DETERMINING YOUR BASELINE AND X NUMBERS The next step is determining your “Baseline”. What you’re looking for in the baseline is a player (or number) that you’ll compare all the players at that position against. Think back to the example in the beginning using the eight players in a draft. This is where the “peer pressure” comes into play. Remember the goal is to distance yourself ahead of the competition. And you do that by selecting players who outscore their peers, not necessarily the players who score a ton of points as you fill a roster with a specified number of players at specified positions. So what we need is a way to measure each player against his peers. We do that by setting a “baseline” player to serve as a measuring point. Each position player will be either better or worse than this position’s baseline player. There are many ways to establish a baseline and the following are the most popular methods: • Average starter • Worst starter
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ICON ?SMI
ICON ?SMI
PR I N C I PLES O F VB D
DONOVAN MCNABB
vs.
But like most popular things, neither of these choices is the ideal baseline. After years of experimenting, we have found that the best baseline is based on the number of players that will be taken at a given point in a draft. We personally use 100 players as this basis, but you can play around with other points if you like. After nine years, we’ve settled on using 100 players for most leagues. A rather complex formula has been developed to estimate how many players by position will be taken at the 100th pick of the draft, but suffice it to say it is based on scoring criteria, number of teams, number of required starters, number of rounds of the draft and number of flex positions. There are three easy ways to calculate the number by position that will be selected based on all of these factors. 1. Look at last year’s draft and count the positions. 2. Compare to a mock draft / average draft list with similar league structure 3. Let the VBD App calculate this for you. Using our baseline, we need to value each player. As stated, we do that by measuring how much better or worse we expect that player to perform when measured against the baseline player at his position. Keep in mind, at this point we’re still talking about keeping all the positions in their own lists. We only care right now about how one quarterback compares to another quarterback. In our sample league consisting of 18 rounds, 12 teams with the following starters (1 quarterback, 2 running backs, 3 wide receivers, 1 tight end, 1 place kicker and 1 defense), our program tells us approximately the following positions (on average) will be taken in the first 100 picks:
BRAYLON EDWARDS
15 quarterbacks, 36 running backs, 38 wide receivers, 8 tight ends, 2 defenses and 1 place kicker. These represent our baseline players for each position. Here’s how to get the X number. Simply compare the fantasy points each player will score to the corresponding baseline player. In our example, let’s assume that our 15th quarterback will score 138 fantasy points. His X number by definition is 0. All players above him will have a positive X number based on the difference in fantasy points of that player and the baseline player. Assume Aaron Rodgers projects to 200 fantasy points. His X number will be 62 (200-138). In essence, that X number tells you how that player stacks up against the other players at his position. It tells you how about the “peer pressure” that player sees. This is the number that determines value.
4. SORTING YOUR X NUMBERS Up to this point, we have just lists of players at each position. Pretty much the standard fare “cheatsheets” you see everywhere. But as we said earlier, there’s a problem with position lists: If your league is like our leagues, we don’t conduct our draft by saying, “OK Guys, now we’re going to draft all the quarterbacks. And when we’re done with that, we’ll draft all the running backs…” Doesn’t work that way does it? You need to know how all the different players are valued not just among their position peers but among each other. We do that by sorting the X numbers. It’s a very simple matter of throwing all the players (and their
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PR I N C I PLES O F VB D
X numbers) in one heap and ranking by the X number. What you’ll see will likely surprise you. Depending on your league, don’t be shocked to see some players sort out much higher than “conventional wisdom” says. You’ll most likely find that your kickers all have fairly low X numbers and are usually bunched tightly. This reinforces what you already know. Even though they may score a lot of points, they’re all just about the same and you can afford to wait and snag a good one later. And there you have it. All the players are ranked by their X number which means they’re ranked by their value. A key point is to understand what the list is telling you. It’s ranking the players by their value, or where they deserve to be drafted. This is not necessarily the order in which you should draft them (see items 6-8 below).
5. DETERMINE THE AVERAGE DRAFT POSITION OF ALL THE PLAYERS Up to now, everything is based on your value. And this is good, because you want to draft a team that you solidly believe will perform. But to ignore all the opinions of the rest of the 15 million people that play fantasy football could have you overpaying for a few players if you are not careful. Remember the goal is to maximize value with every single pick. An excellent source for average draft value is fantasyfootballcalculator.com. They compile many mock drafts by date and allow you to customize a list based on a few variables. Myfantasyleague.com also produces lists based on actual league drafts using their software. If this sounds like too much work, do not fret - our VBD App contains all of this data based on the number of teams and how you score the tight end position. The reason this data is important is it can provide the right clues when a player might get selected. If Jerricho Cotchery projects to number 60 on your overall list (as sorted by absolute X numbers), but is being drafted at pick 75 on average, you would be smart to wait on him with your sixth pick. If the average draft info also tells you Anthony Gonzalez and Laveranues Coles (who you rate as very similar to Jerricho Cotchery) are also expected to go around pick 75, you may be able to use this to your advantage and squeeze out additional value by watching when they get drafted. Remember your absolute X numbers represent worth to you. But if you draft everyone at worth, your draft will be average. The goal is to squeeze value with every single pick. And that is done by keeping a pulse on what an average draft is likely to do.
6. MULTIPLY X VALUES BY NEED FACTOR TO DETERMINE RELATIVE VALUE With your first round pick, absolute need and relative need are the same. You need all positions equally. But as the draft continues, this is not the case. If you start two running backs and you have taken a running back with your first three picks, it stands to reason that your immediate need is likely not at running back. You’ll likely want to veer from your VBD list if it’s showing your next pick should be a running back. Again for simplicity, we are going to give a formula that should work for most leagues. To determine the need factor of a position at any time in the draft, use the following table:
Have
Start 1
Start 2
Start 3
Start 4
Start 5+
0 of a position 1 of a position 2 of a position 3 of a position 4 of a position
1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2
1.0 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4
1.0 1.0 1.0 0.8 0.6
1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.8
1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0
So as an example, if you have a quarterback already and you start only 1, then the need factor is 0.8 for your next QB. Multiplying this need factor by the X number will yield the relative X value for that player for your fantasy team. This is a major distinction from previous written works regarding Value Based Drafting. It attempts to translate mathematically what we have all done in drafts. You aren’t going to keep drafting quarterbacks if you can only play 1 each week. Additional quarterbacks represent value still (for trades, etc), but for your particular team it is reduced (based on the table above). Most serious VBD owners have always done this intuitively but now we’re putting the math behind it.
7. KNOW WHEN TO DEVIATE FROM VBD PRINCIPLES One of the biggest misconceptions with Value-Based principles is that you should use them for the entire draft. This simply isn’t true. Sure you would like to get value throughout your draft, but after approximately half of your roster is filled, you will generally end up with your best team by using your position lists to address your unique needs. Always look at the best available player by position, but also make sure that person fills bye week needs, etc for your roster. This includes (but is not limited to) the following not based on X Value: • Covering bye weeks • Handcuffing the backup to a key player on your roster • Looking for favorable match ups for certain tough weeks For these reasons, we believe the perfect draft will often abandon strict VBD drafting after all baselines have been passed (this is generally around pick 120 or so). What exactly does this mean? It just means that later in the draft, you’ll likely draft from your positional lists and not from your overall list. In Summary, if you only remember three things, make it these three: 1. The object of the game is not to score a ton of points, but to outscore your opponent. You must fill a roster with a specified number of players at specified positions. The surest way to outscore your opponent is to build a team of players that outscore their peers. The players who most distance themselves from the other players at their respective positions are therefore the most valuable. Remember the eight-player draft example where you can’t lose after drafting the 20-point wide receiver. 2. Factors such as the specific number of teams, starting lineup requirements, frozen players, and scoring system for your league dramatically affect the values of each player. These factors can cause the same player in two different leagues to have dramatically different values. 3. If this seems like a lot of work (and it is) we will do all of the math for you at Footballguys.com Think about these principles. Play around with them and see how they work for you. Once you understand the concepts behind the Value Based Draft System, you’ll be well on your way to dominating your league.
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Value Plays Consolidated Player Receiving 12 Votes QB David Garrard, Jac
Lary Johnson
ICON SMI
ADP - 11.01 / QB20 / #121 Overall Selected by Bloom, Brown, Dodds, Gray, Henry, Hicks, Levin, Magaw, Rudnicki, Tefertiller, Tremblay, and Waldman Dodds - Last year, while running for his life behind an injury-riddled offensive line, Garrard still managed numbers which equated to the 11th best QB. At QB20, Garrard represents all upside. The Jaguars reloaded on the offensive line taking offensive tackles Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton with their first two selections. The team also reloaded at wide receiver bringing in veteran seventime Pro Bowler Torry Holt and drafting speedy/smaller options in Mike Thomas and Jarrett Dillard. With RB Fred Taylor moving on, we also should see a shift from the run-first strategy deployed the last few years. Also working in Garrard’s favor in 2009 is a soft schedule that includes these below average defenses (Seattle, St. Louis, Kansas City, San Francisco, Miami and Cleveland).
Player Receiving 8 Votes QB Carson Palmer, Cin
A
fantasy draft is all about obtaining the most value with each selection. There is value available throughout a draft, and grabbing it is one of the most important keys to a successful fantasy team. In an attempt to point out this value, we asked our staff to look through the Top 150 players and identify players that should outperform their draft position. For each player chosen by at least two writers, we list their Average Draft Position (ADP) in a 12team league, their rank at their position and their overall rank. For each player listed, we asked a writer to offer reasoning as to why value was present.
The following writers contributed to this feature: Dave Baker, Sigmund Bloom, Anthony Borbely, Michael Brown, David Dodds, Colin Dowling, Will Grant, Clayton Gray, Jeff Haseley, Bob Henry, Andy Hicks, Marc Levin, Bob Magaw, Jeff Pasquino, Aaron Rudnicki, Jeff Tefertiller, Maurile Tremblay, Matt Waldman, Mark Wimer, Jason Wood, and David Yudkin.
ADP - 7.11 / QB13 / #83 Overall Selected by Baker, Bloom, Borbely, Dowling, Grant, Haseley, Magaw, and Waldman Waldman - Tom Brady is the most popular rebound QB this year, but the best bargain will be Palmer, who told the media in March that his elbow is 100 percent and took steps to prove it on the practice field. From 2005-2007 he was ranked No. 1, No. 6, and No. 9 among his fantasy brethren. The team will be cautious with Palmer’s elbow during the preseason, but Chad Ochocinco’s return to health, the addition of versatile running mates Laveranues Coles, TE Chase Coffman, and FB Brian Leonard should help the Bengals return to a higher level of productivity in 2009.
Player Receiving 7 Votes RB Knowshon Moreno, Den ADP - 6.02 / RB27 / #62 Overall Selected by Haseley, Henry, Hicks, Pasquino, Tefertiller, Tremblay, and Wimer Tremblay - Talented rookie RBs can often be productive in the NFL right away.
Moreno is supremely talented and has landed in about the best situation possible. Despite all their troubles at the RB position last year (they finished the season with seven RBs on injured reserve), the Broncos averaged 4.8 yards per rush in 2008 – third best in the league. Knowshon Moreno will take over as the featured RB in Denver and will be a fantasy gem right off the bat.
Players Receiving 6 Votes RB Larry Johnson, KC ADP - 5.03 / RB25 / #51 Overall Selected by Baker, Brown, Grant, Gray, Waldman, and Wimer Grant - Johnson has been banged up the last two seasons, and it has caused fantasy owners to lose faith in him. People overlook the fact that his PPG has been a lot better than you’d expect from a fifth-round pick. Will he make it 16 games this season? It’s hard to say. Even if he misses 25 percent of the season, Johnson’s PPG will justify a higher draft position than 51st overall. Grab Johnson and make sure that he’s covered by other RBs and enjoy the starter quality PPG while he’s healthy.
QB Donovan McNabb, Phi ADP - 5.1 / QB8 / #58 Overall Selected by Bloom, Dodds, Henry, Hicks, Wimer, and Wood Wimer - Donovan McNabb enjoyed a renaissance season last year, and he enters 2009 happy, healthy, and with a reloaded roster of pass receivers. The Eagles’ offense is pass-happy as Andy Reid has plenty of targets for McNabb to utilize. Plus, Philadelphia boasts the premier dual-threat RB in the league in Brian Westbrook. McNabb figures to be among the Top 5 at his position by seasons’ end – he’s a bargain at QB #8.
WR Chad Ochocinco, Cin ADP - 6.05 / WR23 / #65 Overall Selected by Borbely, Dodds, Dowling, Grant, Levin, and Waldman Levin - Regardless of whether the Bengals improve or decline as a team, one thing is clear – Carson Palmer will be throwing a significantly greater number of passes to Chad Ochocinco in 2009 than last year. The loss of T.J. Houshmandzadeh, replaced by Laveranues Coles, means Ochocinco is vir-
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tually assured of a return to the 150+ targets he received from 2003-2007. Ochocinco finished no lower than WR9 and had three Top 5 finishes over that time period. That’s nice upside potential for the WR24.
WR Donnie Avery, StL ADP - 7.1 / WR32 / #82 Overall Selected by Bloom, Dodds, Gray, Hicks, Wood, and Yudkin Wood - Many were surprised when the Rams made Avery the first rookie off the draft board last April, yet they were justly rewarded as he stepped into a starting role. The Rams were so impressed with his progression, they released long-time star Torry Holt. Avery is the clear cut WR1 and should push for 70 catches and 1,000 yards this year provided the rebuilt Rams line can keep Mark Bulger healthy.
TE Greg Olsen, Chi ADP - 9.03 / TE8 / #99 Overall Selected by Dodds, Gray, Magaw, Rudnicki, Tefertiller, and Waldman Gray - While it can be a bit worrisome to draft a tight end that is breaking in a new quarterback, there are few concerns surrounding the Jay Cutler / Greg Olsen combo. Olsen is used to catching passes and appears to be growing into his role as a starting tight end. He finished 22nd and ninth in his two seasons as a pro despite having to play catch with the likes of Brian Griese, Rex Grossman, and Kyle Orton. Now, he gets a huge upgrade in Cutler (who is used to throwing to Top 10 TEs), and the consensus bumps Olsen up only one spot from his 2008 finish. You’re looking at Top 3 potential here, and that is great value.
QB Matt Hasselbeck, Sea ADP - 9.09 / QB16 / #105 Overall Selected by Baker, Dodds, Levin, Magaw, Pasquino, and Yudkin Magaw - Sometimes the fantasy football collective memory doesn’t extend back much further than the previous season. In his last three complete 16 game seasons, Hasselbeck ranked sixth in 2007 and fourth in 2005 and 2003. T.J. Houshmandzadeh was added to a WR corps decimated by injury last season, and Nate Burleson and Deion Branch are healthy again. Second year TE John Carlson is an emerging player at his position. While not exactly young (turns 34 in September), Hasselbeck is hardly a geezer in QB years. Playing six games in the typically defensechallenged NFC West is a bonus.
TE Jeremy Shockey, NO ADP - 12.06 / TE15 / #138 Overall Selected by Borbely, Gray, Henry, Pasquino, Rudnicki, and Wimer Borbely - Shockey was traded to the Saints just before training camp last year and never seemed to have any chemistry with Drew Brees. It also did not help that Shockey battled injuries for most of the season. When healthy, Shockey is an elite TE and a full offseason and training camp with the Saints should help Brees and Shockey get more acclimated to each other. Shockey is capable of mid TE1 numbers and with him being drafted as TE15; it represents great value with minimal risk.
Players Receiving 5 Votes WR Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ ADP - 7.04 / WR30 / #76 Overall Selected by Bloom, Dodds, Grant, Henry, and Hicks Dodds - Laveranues Coles is now with the Bengals leaving Jerricho Cotchery as the best WR on the Jets by a wide margin. Even with Coles on the team, Cotchery managed to finish as the 23rd, 25th and 30th best WR the last three years. So at an ADP of WR30, it appears the fantasy community is discounting the departure of Coles in a big way. Coles accounted for 356 targets, 216 receptions, 2,594 yards and 19 TDs these last three years. If Cotchery even sees a 20 percent increase in fantasy production, he would vault to the 18th-19th best WR. This is the one no-risk pick you should be making in your fantasy leagues this year.
WR Donald Driver, GB ADP - 8.05 / WR35 / #89 Overall Selected by Grant, Pasquino, Tefertiller, Wimer, and Yudkin Yudkin - Driver seems to get drafted later and later each year, with many people predicting a big drop-off from the season before. He’s had five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and still sees a ton of targets. The trend has been for people to forgo the tried and true for the up and comer at receiver on draft day, but you know what you get with a savvy veteran.
WR Torry Holt, Jac ADP - 8.11 / WR37 / #95 Overall Selected by Baker, Hicks, Magaw, Rudnicki, and Wood Baker - Sure, Torry Holt will be 33 years old when the 2009 season begins, and his numbers last year (64/796/3) were the worst
fantasy numbers of his entire career. But I think everything boiled down to a Rams squad that was just pitiful. Now he moves to a better offense in Jacksonville, a fresh start, and a receiving target that the Jaguars have been seeking for a long time. I believe Holt quenches their thirst for an elite wideout and this will mean a resurgence to excellence for Holt in 2009.
TE Dustin Keller, NYJ ADP - 10.05 / TE10 / #113 Overall Selected by Bloom, Brown, Hicks, Pasquino, and Wood Hicks - With only the running backs and Jerricho Cotchery around to provide any pass catching experience, second-year man Dustin Keller will be called upon to plug any gaps in the passing game and provide the security blanket that rookie QB Mark Sanchez requires. Keller caught 48 balls in his debut season and generally won rave reviews for his play. Expectations will be high in 2009, but Keller is more than capable of moving into the upper echelons of fantasy tight ends.
Players Receiving 4 Votes RB LaDainian Tomlinson, SD ADP - 2.03 / RB11 / #15 Overall Selected by Baker, Brown, Dodds, and Tremblay Tremblay - A lot went wrong for Tomlinson last season, but he still finished as the #7 fantasy RB (FBG scoring). He suffered through a painful toe injury that prevented him from cutting off his left foot during the first half of the season. That limited his workload – for the first time in his career he had fewer than 300 carries. Improved health in 2009 should put him back in the top five at his position.
RB Clinton Portis, Was ADP - 2.05 / RB13 / #17 Overall Selected by Dodds, Hicks, Levin, and Yudkin Levin - Portis is an elite fantasy back, he is the centerpiece of the Redskins’ offense, he has the credentials of multiple Top 10 finishes, and he is still in his prime as an athlete. Steal this RB1/potential Top 5 RB from the RB13 spot and do not look back.
RB Pierre Thomas, NO ADP - 4.09 / RB22 / #45 Overall Selected by Hicks, Magaw, Pasquino, and Wood Magaw - While Thomas may not be as versatile a weapon as his far more high profile teammate Reggie Bush, he is indis-
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putably the most gifted pure RUSHER on the roster. In the last six regular season games, he rattled off 475 yards and six TDs rushing (chipping in 200+ yards and three TDs receiving). Prorated over 16 games = combined 1,800 yards and 24 TDs. While highly unlikely to approach those lofty prorationfuelled numbers, he is the top rushing option on the most potent, explosive offense in the league, and the Saints didn’t bring in a challenger to usurp his de facto feature role.
RB Chris Wells, Ari ADP - 6.07 / RB29 / #67 Overall Selected by Bloom, Henry, Magaw, and Tremblay Henry - Wells is a physically gifted runner joining a team of physically gifted skill players. He should excel as long as he stays healthy and outperforms Tim Hightower in training camp. Hightower won’t go away and he’ll get plenty of touches, but Wells has much more big play potential on a team loaded with playmakers. With an ADP around RB29, Wells has starter potential but you can draft him as your third RB.
QB Matt Schaub, Hou ADP - 6.08 / QB11 / #68 Overall Selected by Dowling, Gray, Henry, and Tremblay Tremblay - Schaub leads what I think will be one of the more dynamic offenses in the league this season. Andre Johnson has grown into a Top notch receiver, and Schaub was on pace to finish as the No. 4 fantasy QB last season if he hadn’t gotten injured. Some are discounting Schaub based on durability concerns, but I think he’s just suffered some bad luck in each of the past two seasons and is no more of an injury risk this season than the next QB.
WR Bernard Berrian, Min ADP - 6.12 / WR28 / #72 Overall Selected by Haseley, Magaw, Waldman, and Wood Waldman - Receivers with high yardsper-catch averages on low reception-counts understandably make fantasy owners nervous, but Berrian doesn’t fit the mold of one-season wonders. He has increased his productivity for three consecutive seasons and last year he lacked the continuity of one starting QB. Expect Sage Rosenfels to bring more stability and productivity to the Vikings offense and the addition of rookie Percy Harvin will make it more difficult for opposing defenses to limit Berrian’s productivity. Berrian ended last year as WR 18, and I think he should have at least as good of a year in 2009.
QB Trent Edwards, Buf ADP - 10.08 / QB18 / #116 Overall Selected by Gray, Pasquino, Waldman, and Wood Gray - Trent Edwards must have stolen lunch money from some of my colleagues because this is borderline ridiculous. The guy played in only 14 games last season, yet he finished as the #23 fantasy QB. In the offseason, he loses no significant receiver and adds the fairly productive Terrell Owens, but the fantasy community only considers Edwards to be an average backup? Considering that, over the last decade, the average starting passer throwing to Owens finished as the #7.3 fantasy QB (and no starting QB ranked lower than #20), and this draft position for Edwards has to be considered the low end of his 2009 range.
QB Kyle Orton, Den ADP - 10.11 / QB19 / #119 Overall Selected by Haseley, Rudnicki, Tefertiller, and Yudkin Rudnicki - After spending several years developing on the bench, Orton emerged as an effective starting QB in 2008. He did this despite playing in a rather conservative offense with some of the worst WRs in the league to throw to. After the trade to Denver, he’s likely to take over an offense that has a much better collection of offensive weapons and an aggressive coach who got the most out of Matt Cassel. At this point in the draft, Orton is a relatively low-risk selection with a potential high reward.
TE Zach Miller, Oak ADP - 11.08 / TE12 / #128 Overall Selected by Bloom, Dodds, Tefertiller, and Yudkin Bloom - Miller still had a respectable low-end fantasy starter type season last year, and that was with him often marooned at the line of scrimmage to give help to a feeble pass blocking offensive line. This year, JaMarcus Russell and the Raiders passing offense is sure to continue the trend of improvement started in December of last season, and Miller should be the main beneficiary. It’s a no brainer to wait on TE if you can get Miller in the 11th round.
Players Receiving 3 Votes RB Ronnie Brown, Mia ADP - 3.1 / RB17 / #34 Overall Selected by Brown, Haseley, and Waldman Waldman - All signs point to a breakout year for Brown. He will be two years removed from his ACL injury and should average more
than his 2008 tally of 14 carries per game. Miami is a run-heavy offense, Brown is in the final year of his contract, and in the six games before his ACL tear in 2007, he was the leading fantasy RB. Of backs that have at least one 370-carry season, their first one is (on average) in their fifth season. This is Year 5 for Brown. Coincidence? Probably, but I’ll bite because of his skill, the track record for a Parcells-style team, and his full recovery.
WR Anthony Gonzalez, Ind ADP - 7.02 / WR29 / #74 Overall Selected by Brown, Dowling, and Pasquino Dowling - Gonzalez at WR29, after players like Bernard Berrian and Santana Moss, borders on insanity. With Marvin Harrison no longer in the picture, Anthony Gonzalez is going to have plenty of chances to put up great numbers. And while Gonzalez has a long way to go before we compare him to the man he’s replacing, it’s an undeniable reality that whoever is catching passes in one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses is going to put up some great numbers.
RB Cedric Benson, Cin ADP - 7.05 / RB32 / #77 Overall Selected by Dowling, Tefertiller, and Yudkin Yudkin - Benson was part of the Bengals late season surge, amassing 462 yards from scrimmage in Cincinnati’s three-game winning streak to end the season. With the offense having some key figures healthy again, Benson should be the beneficiary of starting on an above average offense. Rudi Johnson ranked in the Top 10 three times in recent years, which illustrates that the Bengals can support a decent ground game.
Players Receiving 2 Votes RB Steve Slaton, Hou ADP - 2.01 / RB10 / #13 Overall Selected by Wimer and Wood Wood - Fantasy success is about ability and opportunity. Slaton proved last year he has plenty of ability (1,659 yards from scrimmage and 10 TDs) and this offseason provided him a world of opportunity. The only other backs on the roster are Chris Brown, Ryan Moats and a pair of street free agents. In other words, Slaton is going to get a boatload of touches week in, week out and that means he’s a great bet for elite fantasy numbers.
RB Brandon Jacobs, NYG ADP - 2.07 / RB14 / #19 Overall
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Selected by Pasquino and Wood Pasquino - Jacobs is in line to have the lion’s share of the workload for the Giants. New York had two 1,000-yard rushers last season (Derrick Ward and Jacobs), and they love to control the game on the ground. The passing game for the Giants will suffer with inexperienced options at wide receiver after the Plaxico Burress adventures of 2008, so expect New York to try to win games running the ball and playing solid defense. As long as Jacobs remains healthy, he is a strong RB1 candidate that can be had on the cheap.
WR Dwayne Bowe, KC ADP - 3.04 / WR11 / #28 Overall Selected by Brown and Haseley Haseley - I have a definite interest in Dwayne Bowe this year. He and Tony Gonzalez shared the offensive load in the passing game for the Chiefs last season (150+ targets each). The trade that sent Gonzalez to the Falcons leaves a gaping hole in the Chiefs receiving corps. As of now there is nobody else who will pick up that slack except Bowe. Bowe should easily see the same, if not more production than last year. If Matt Cassel shows he’s for real, Bowe could be a very nice Top 5 fantasy surprise. If Cassel struggles, the Chiefs still have Tyler Thigpen who would play with a chip on his shoulder. I can’t find a reason to think that Bowe won’t be a huge fantasy producer in 2009.
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Sea ADP - 3.11 / WR15 / #35 Overall Selected by Baker and Wimer Baker – T.J. Houshmandzadeh may be on the wrong side of 30, but the guy can still play, as evidenced by his 92 receptions in that thing they called an offense last year in Cincinnati. This season, though, Houshmandzadeh gets a real passer again in Matt Hasselbeck, and a change of scenery could be just what the doctor ordered for another 1,000+ receiving yards and doubledigit touchdowns. That should easily make him better than a Top 15 WR.
RB Darren McFadden, Oak ADP - 4.11 / RB23 / #47 Overall Selected by Dodds and Gray Dodds - The Oakland RBs accounted for 2,389 rushing/receiving yards in 2008. In 2007 they amassed 2,394 rushing and receiving yards. Oakland’s offensive line is an above average unit and excels at run blocking. So when I hear about McFadden turning heads in camp this offseason, it’s
hard not to get a little excited about his chances. He came into the league highly regarded as the fourth overall pick in 2007, but injuries derailed his game from the start. He did manage 164 yards against the Chiefs in Week 2 though to show he belongs in this league. At RB23, he represents a goldmine if he can stay healthy all year.
WR Braylon Edwards, Cle ADP - 5.04 / WR19 / #52 Overall Selected by Brown and Dodds Brown - Yes, he had some problems with the drops a year ago. But the fact is, he was able to drop all those long passes because he was very open. What that tells me is that his route-running and burst off the line are fine, and if he can reduce the drops even by a small amount, then a Top 10 WR ranking is all but a given. Kellen Winslow is also gone, meaning Edwards’ targets will likely increase.
WR Eddie Royal, Den ADP - 5.09 / WR21 / #57 Overall Selected by Tremblay and Wimer Tremblay - Rookie WRs often struggle initially, but Royal showed excellent quickness, route-running, and hands from the first time he took an NFL field. He is also an excellent runner after the catch and should be a great fit for Josh McDaniels’ offense. Kyle Orton may not have Jay Cutler’s arm, but Royal excels at getting open underneath the coverage (similar to Wes Welker) and turning short passes into worthwhile gains.
RB Derrick Ward, TB ADP - 6.03 / RB28 / #63 Overall Selected by Haseley and Tefertiller Tefertiller - Derrick Ward played very well for the New York Giants the last couple of seasons. The Buccaneers invested a good amount of money in the former unknown from Ottawa University in Kansas. Tampa Bay has few options in the backfield and should rely on Ward to carry the load. His ability in the passing game will also be a big asset to the Buccaneers offense. Derrick Ward is a bargain at this ADP, running behind the young, talented Buccaneers offensive line.
WR Lee Evans, Buf ADP - 6.06 / WR24 / #66 Overall Selected by Bloom and Magaw Bloom - It’s understandable to be frustrated with Lee Evans. After a breakout 2006, he’s had sporadic stretches of good
production, only to disappear for even longer stretches. The arrival of Terrell Owens signals a possible return to the fantasy elite for Evans because defenses can no longer gear their coverage to Evans with impunity. His Top 10 potential is more than worth it in the sixth round.
WR Laveranues Coles, NYJ ADP - 7.07 / WR31 / #79 Overall Selected by Pasquino and Tefertiller Pasquino - The Bengals need receivers, so welcome Laveranues Coles into the mix. With T.J. Houshmandzadeh gone to Seattle in free agency and few options to catch the ball outside of Chad Ochocinco and head case Chris Henry, Coles is instantly a top option for the Bengals passing game. Cincinnati will welcome back Carson Palmer at quarterback, and he will be asked to throw early and often with a below average defense. Coles finds himself in a great spot to post big fantasy numbers.
QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pit ADP - 8.01 / QB14 / #85 Overall Selected by Hicks and Pasquino Hicks - Ben Roethlisberger was progressing nicely as a fantasy quarterback, moving from 20th, to 18th, 12th & fifth in his first four seasons. Last year he dropped to 17th as the Steelers imposed their authority on games. If they repeat last year’s success, then Roethlisberger will still be a fantasy option, but history rarely repeats in the NFL. If the Steelers show any signs of regressing in the areas in which they excelled in 2008 or other NFL teams are better equipped to match them, then it will be Big Ben to the rescue. Expect results closer to 2007 than 2008.
WR Michael Crabtree, SF ADP - 8.03 / WR34 / #87 Overall Selected by Magaw and Wood Wood - Michael Crabtree is arguably the most polished receiver to enter the league in years. Few prospects can match his collegiate production, and he actually landed in an attractive situation where he should start immediately. While the QB situation is in flux, Crabtree isn’t the typical rookie receiver and shouldn’t be drafted as such. As long as he is signed and in camp on time, Crabtree should have little trouble finishing as a Top 25 receiver.
WR Devin Hester, Chi ADP - 9.02 / WR40 / #98 Overall Selected by Henry and Tefertiller
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Henry - As the 40th WR off the board around the eighth or ninth round, Hester is just the type of player you can swing for the fences if he’s your fourth WR. With Jay Cutler throwing to him, he could easily finish among the Top 30 or so WRs. Just don’t reach for him as anything more than a high potential player with designs on being your super sub – he could end up being a consistent player in lineups this year.
RB Ray Rice, Bal ADP - 9.1 / RB41 / #106 Overall Selected by Bloom and Haseley Haseley - At first glance the Ravens backfield is a crowded mess that includes Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain, Ray Rice and rookie RB Cedric Peerman, who I really like. However, a second, more detailed look suggests that McClain will see plenty of duties as the team’s fullback and Willis McGahee may be one or two injuries past being as effective as he once was. That leaves Rice and Peerman. I like Peerman, but he doesn’t have the total package that Rice has, not to mention Rice has a year of experience under his belt. He knows the offense and knows how to protect his QB. This could be the year Rice is given the opportunity to carry the team. If given that chance, I have no doubts that he’ll have success. The best part – Rice could be doing this as your RB4.
QB Joe Flacco, Bal ADP - 10.06 / QB17 / #114 Overall Selected by Grant and Tefertiller Tefertiller - Flacco finished as QB20 last season. His development should take a giant step forward with another offseason to work with Coach Harbaugh and company. Many young passers improve dramatically in year two. The Ravens will rely heavily on their big quarterback in 2009. Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton are adequate options. Plus, Flacco has the mobility to pull the ball down and make a play on the ground. He is agile for a big guy.
TE Visanthe Shiancoe, Min ADP - 11.1 / TE13 / #130 Overall Selected by Magaw and Wimer Wimer - Visanthe Shiancoe hauled in 42/596/7 last season, ending up as the #5 fantasy TE in the land - while catching balls from the likes of Gus Frerotte and Tarvaris Jackson. This year, the team brought in Sage Rosenfels to compete for the top job in Minnesota, and I think Rosenfels will win the job and substantially upgrade the Minnesota passing attack. Shiancoe stands to benefit from better QB play, and may have another
Top 5 fantasy season on tap – he’s a steal at his current ADP of TE #13.
Players Receiving 1 Vote
WR Lance Moore, NO ADP - 6.1 / WR26 / #70 Overall Selected by Tremblay
RB Steven Jackson, StL
RB LenDale White, Ten
ADP - 1.05 / RB5 / #5 Overall Selected by Gray
ADP - 7.03 / RB31 / #75 Overall Selected by Dowling
RB DeAngelo Williams, Car
RB Jamal Lewis, Cle
ADP - 1.06 / RB6 / #6 Overall Selected by Magaw
ADP - 7.08 / RB33 / #80 Overall Selected by Henry
WR Anquan Boldin, Ari
RB Donald Brown, Ind
ADP - 3.02 / WR9 / #26 Overall Selected by Gray
ADP - 7.12 / RB34 / #84 Overall Selected by Bloom
WR Wes Welker, NE
WR Kevin Walter, Hou
ADP - 3.08 / WR13 / #32 Overall Selected by Gray
ADP - 8.09 / WR36 / #93 Overall Selected by Tefertiller
WR Terrell Owens, Buf
RB Willis McGahee, Bal
ADP - 3.09 / WR14 / #33 Overall Selected by Hicks
ADP - 8.1 / RB37 / #94 Overall Selected by Levin
QB Aaron Rodgers, GB
RB Tim Hightower, Ari
ADP - 3.12 / QB4 / #36 Overall Selected by Wimer
ADP - 9.05 / RB39 / #101 Overall Selected by Levin
RB Marshawn Lynch, Buf
RB Julius Jones, Sea
ADP - 4.03 / RB19 / #39 Overall Selected by Baker
ADP - 9.06 / RB40 / #102 Overall Selected by Rudnicki
QB Philip Rivers, SD
TE John Carlson, Sea
ADP - 4.05 / QB6 / #41 Overall Selected by Brown
ADP - 9.08 / TE9 / #104 Overall Selected by Yudkin
QB Tony Romo, Dal
WR Chris Chambers, SD
ADP - 4.1 / QB7 / #46 Overall Selected by Wimer
ADP - 10.01 / WR42 / #109 Overall Selected by Grant
RB Jonathan Stewart, Car
RB Jerious Norwood, Atl
ADP - 5.01 / RB24 / #49 Overall Selected by Borbely
ADP - 10.1 / RB47 / #118 Overall Selected by Rudnicki
WR Vincent Jackson, SD
WR Justin Gage, Ten
ADP - 5.02 / WR18 / #50 Overall Selected by Gray
ADP - 11.03 / WR44 / #123 Overall Selected by Rudnicki
WR Antonio Bryant, TB
RB Fred Taylor, NE
ADP - 5.05 / WR20 / #53 Overall Selected by Haseley
ADP - 11.04 / RB48 / #124 Overall Selected by Rudnicki
QB Matt Ryan, Atl
WR Jeremy Maclin, Phi
ADP - 5.12 / QB9 / #60 Overall Selected by Brown
ADP - 11.11 / WR46 / #131 Overall Selected by Pasquino
QB Jay Cutler, Chi
WR Josh Morgan, SF
ADP - 6.04 / QB10 / #64 Overall Selected by Wood
ADP - 12.09 / WR50 / #141 Overall Selected by Bloom
WR Hines Ward, Pit
RB Sammy Morris, NE
ADP - 6.09 / WR25 / #69 Overall Selected by Wimer
ADP - 13.02 / RB53 / #146 Overall Selected by Yudkin
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Overvalued Players Consolidated Selected by Brown, Dowling, Haseley, Rudnicki, Tremblay, Waldman, and Wood Rudnicki - Cassel certainly had an impressive breakout season in 2008 but he was throwing to Randy Moss and Wes Welker in an offense that allowed Tom Brady to throw for 50 TDs the year before. Now he moves on to Kansas City where he has little else after Dwayne Bowe since the trade of Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta. The Chiefs will also be breaking in a new head coach and start out with a pretty difficult looking schedule over the first few months. Finishing as QB12 is probably the best case scenario for Cassel this year but he’s just as likely to finish outside the Top 20.
Players Receiving 6 Votes
ICON SMI
RB Chris Johnson, Ten
Brandon Marshall
T
he flip side of succeeding with value players is failing with overvalued players. These are players that will not put up stats commensurate to their draft spot, and avoiding them is another of the important keys to a successful fantasy team. In an attempt to point out these players, we asked our staff to look through the Top 150 players and identify players that should under perform their draft position. For each player chosen by at least two writers, we list their Average Draft Position (ADP) in a 12-team league, their rank at their position and their overall rank. For each player listed, we asked a writer to offer reasoning as to why this player was overvalued. The following writers contributed to this feature: Dave Baker, Sigmund Bloom, Anthony Borbely, Michael Brown, David Dodds, Colin Dowling, Will Grant, Clayton Gray, Jeff Haseley, Bob Henry, Andy Hicks, Marc Levin, Jeff Pasquino, Aaron Rudnicki, Jeff Tefertiller, Maurile Tremblay, Matt Waldman, Mark Wimer, Jason Wood, and David Yudkin.
Player Receiving 8 Votes QB Tony Romo, Dal ADP - 4.1 / QB7 / #46 Overall Selected by Brown, Dodds, Henry, Pasquino, Rudnicki, Tremblay, Wood, and Yudkin Brown - Romo already had a couple of strikes against him going into this season, and that was before the release of Terrell Owens and his subsequent signing in Buffalo. Romo, for all of his stardom, hasn’t played terribly well in some of the more crucial moments of his career to this point. The Cowboys have gone from Super Bowl favorites to also-rans in their own division under his watch, and he has presided over one of the biggest turnarounds in recent memory as America weeps that Jessica Simpson fills out her Daisy Dukes a bit too well these days.
Player Receiving 7 Votes QB Matt Cassel, KC
ADP - 1.07 / RB7 / #7 Overall Selected by Dodds, Haseley, Rudnicki, Tefertiller, Waldman, and Wimer Waldman - Everything came together for Johnson as a rookie with the Titans. He got the right balance of carries per game for his skills. Johnson’s talent is undeniable, but his opportunities had a lot to do with a strong defense led by Albert Haynesworth who is now a Redskin. Tennessee’s defense won’t do a complete 180, but they won’t consistently keep games low scoring. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but LenDale White appears motivated to make amends for his sloppy work habits and fumbling away the Titans playoff victory. Johnson will remain a fantasy starter but not a No. 1 RB.
WR Brandon Marshall, Den ADP - 3.05 / WR12 / #29 Overall Selected by Brown, Dowling, Henry, Levin, Waldman, and Wimer Henry - While I love Marshall’s game and abilities, he’s recovering from offseason hip surgery and on a short leash due to his legal woes. Take Jay Cutler away and replace him with Kyle Orton or Chris Simms, and Marshall’s just not worth the risk with an ADP of WR12 – in the third round range. You’re better off taking your chances with Wes Welker, Dwayne Bowe or even Braylon Edwards. Edwards’ hands maybe suspect, but at least he’s healthy and not a suspension risk.
ADP - 7.09 / QB12 / #81 Overall FREE DAILY EMAIL: http://footballguys.com/email
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Players Receiving 5 Votes RB Matt Forte, Chi ADP - 1.04 / RB4 / #4 Overall Selected by Gray, Haseley, Henry, Pasquino, and Tremblay Henry - While I love Forte’s game, I don’t think he’ll get the ball as often as he did last year. The Bears offensive line lost some pop when John Tait retired, and Kevin Jones has looked great in minicamps now that he’s a year removed from a torn ACL. The Bears won’t go away from Forte, but it’s unlikely that he will get 316 carries and 63 catches again. Still a solid RB1 in fantasy terms, I’d prefer taking Forte late in Round 1.
RB Joseph Addai, Ind ADP - 4.04 / RB20 / #40 Overall Selected by Haseley, Hicks, Pasquino, Tefertiller, and Wood Pasquino - The Colts’ actions speak louder than their words, and no action is bigger than their drafting of another tailback in the first round in April. Donald Brown from UCONN joins Indianapolis and will at a bare minimum take the role of former Colt Dominic Rhodes. Addai was a disappointment last year, and with both the offensive line coach and the offensive coordinator leaving the Colts may underperform across the board this year. Look for Addai to share the workload and drop out of the Top 25 fantasy rushers for 2009.
WR Roy Williams, Dal ADP - 4.08 / WR16 / #44 Overall Selected by Bloom, Dodds, Tefertiller, Wood, and Yudkin Yudkin - Williams just did not click at all with Tony Romo last season, and Williams’ production numbers were terrible. He should have been aided by defenders cheating to cover Terrell Owens, but this year Williams will be the one seeing double coverage. Unless things change dramatically, Williams won’t approach the Top 15 receivers.
QB Matt Ryan, Atl ADP - 5.12 / QB9 / #60 Overall Selected by Baker, Bloom, Hicks, Tefertiller, and Wimer Bloom - Matt Ryan was a fantastic story last year, but the league seemed to catch up to him in December. Not only did he finish the season with some of his worst football of the year, Ryan is also subject to sophomore slump that seems to bring down so many rookie QBs that saw success in their first
season. Even if he takes that next step this season, his ADP of QB9 going around the 5/6 turn assumes that he will, so there’s nothing to gain by taking him there.
RB Le’Ron McClain, Bal ADP - 7.01 / RB30 / #73 Overall Selected by Bloom, Dodds, Dowling, Pasquino, and Rudnicki Rudnicki - McClain was a surprise breakout player last year, leading the Ravens in rushing and finishing as a Top 20 fantasy RB. This year, however, the team has moved him to fullback to replace Lorenzo Neal, and the team has two perfectly capable feature backs in Willis McGahee and Ray Rice. McClain may wind up as a short yardage back and steal some TDs, but people drafting him this high and expecting a repeat of last year’s performance are probably going to be disappointed.
TE Tony Scheffler, Den ADP - 11.02 / TE11 / #122 Overall Selected by Brown, Dodds, Tefertiller, Tremblay, and Wimer Tremblay - Scheffler is one of the more athletic pass-receiving tight ends in the league. But even athletic tight ends are no sure bet to produce strong fantasy numbers in a Josh McDaniels offense. Ask Ben Watson. Moreover, it appears that the Broncos will try to run the ball more this season; and with Scheffler relatively ineffective as a blocker, he may lose playing time to the Broncos’ blocking TEs, Daniel Graham and Richard Quinn.
Players Receiving 4 Votes QB Drew Brees, NO ADP - 1.11 / QB1 / #11 Overall Selected by Bloom, Dodds, Grant, and Gray Dodds - It’s hard not to like Brees. He gets the most out of his body and has always over-achieved. And when you could get him as the fifth best QB, he was a safe selection that still had some potential to outperform his ADP. At QB1 (and an ADP of 11 overall), all Brees can do is underperform. This year the quarterbacks are deeper than ever (Garrard has an ADP of QB20), so even if Brees was guaranteed to throw for 4,000 yards and 40 TDs, he likely could not justify an 11th overall selection. Let others reach in the early rounds for QBs that overachieved in 2008. Use those early rounds to stockpile RBs and WRs (the positions that will win your fantasy league).
QB Kurt Warner, Ari ADP - 4.02 / QB5 / #38 Overall Selected by Dodds, Grant, Hicks, and Tefertiller Grant - I love Kurt Warner as much as the next guy. I like seeing him succeed when everyone is expecting him to fail. I even thought that Leinart would be the guy in Arizona last year. That being said, Warner is 38 this season. Expecting him to have another 4500 yard passing season is asking a lot. Maybe he has one more year in the tank. Maybe he can do it again. But at the top of the fourth round, there are plenty of other options that will have great production and value for your team and will not be as risky as taking Warner.
WR Vincent Jackson, SD ADP - 5.02 / WR18 / #50 Overall Selected by Baker, Bloom, Pasquino, and Wimer Bloom - Jackson benefitted from a lot of factors coming together last year – a career year from Philip Rivers, the banged up trio of Chris Chambers, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Antonio Gates, and an offense tilted towards the pass. Surely there will be more competition for targets this season, and Jackson still could face a suspension after his second DUI arrest in January. Count on someone else to be your WR2 in the fifth round.
QB Jay Cutler, Chi ADP - 6.04 / QB10 / #64 Overall Selected by Levin, Pasquino, Waldman, and Yudkin Levin - Sure, Cutler finished as the #11 QB in 2007 and the #5 QB in 2008, but that was with WR Brandon Marshall grabbing 100+ catches, 1,200+ yards and a handful of TDs. Devin Hester, as Chicago’s #1 receiver, will be a poor substitute. Expecting QB10 numbers from a QB in this offense is grossly overestimating Cutler’s ability to make those around him better.
WR Lee Evans, Buf ADP - 6.06 / WR24 / #66 Overall Selected by Dodds, Gray, Pasquino, and Tefertiller Dodds - In four of his five seasons as a starter in Buffalo, he has finished 24th or worse as a wide receiver. This is despite him not missing a single game during these five years. In the offseason, the Bills brought in Terrell Owens making Lee Evans the clear WR2 on the team now. Owens is a target, reception and TD hound which will likely cut considerably into Lee Evans opportunities in 2009. There simply aren’t enough passes to go around for Lee Evans to catapult much
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higher than his ADP of WR24 without Owens getting injured. Even with no competition for touches, Evans managed just thirteen 100+ receiving yard efforts in his first 80 NFL games. I expect more of the same, except with fewer opportunities.
WR Steve Breaston, Ari ADP - 8.02 / WR33 / #86 Overall Selected by Grant, Hicks, Waldman, and Yudkin Grant - Anquan Boldin isn’t going anywhere this season, and Larry Fitzgerald is as rock solid as ever. That means for Breaston to put up WR3 numbers, someone is going to have to fall to injury, or the Cardinals are going to have to pass a ton again this season. Arizona has made solid upgrades to their running game, especially by drafting Chris Wells. If anything, they’ll be throwing the ball less. Drafting Breaston as WR33, you’re passing on guys with bigger upside like Michael Crabtree, Donald Driver and Kevin Walter. Whereas Breaston doesn’t have much upside beyond WR33 unless something drastic happens.
Players Receiving 3 Votes
ADP - 1.05 / RB5 / #5 Overall Selected by Brown, Haseley, and Wimer Brown - Every year, some owner drafts Jackson Top 5. And every year, Jackson fails to live up to expectations. He has finished in the Top 5 exactly once, and that was three seasons ago. His yards per carry average has now dropped in each of the last three year, and it’s not as if the Rams made wholesale changes across the board that suggest a turnaround is imminent. Jackson’s final season ranking in the last four years is 11th, third, 14th, 13th. The trend is for him to finish outside the Top 10; don’t pay for him as if it’s common.
RB DeAngelo Williams, Car ADP - 1.06 / RB6 / #6 Overall Selected by Brown, Grant, and Gray Grant - After two seasons of obscurity an ineffectiveness, it seemed as if Williams was about to be replaced by rookie Jonathan Stewart. Instead, Stewart took the backseat and Williams exploded for almost 1,700 yards and 20 TDs. This season, will it be more of the same? Stewart was a 13th overall pick. To expect him to sit on the sidelines again is pretty silly. Stewart is going to push hard for more carries. Williams and Stewart will be the best 1-2 punch in the league. But it will mean Williams will not be worth the
ICON SMI
RB Steven Jackson, StL
Steve Breaston
sixth overall pick. Let someone else be disappointed.
WR Reggie Wayne, Ind ADP - 2.08 / WR5 / #20 Overall Selected by Gray, Haseley, and Wood Haseley - Reggie Wayne had only six TDs last year with just two after Week 6. He has only had two multiple TD games since 2004 and only one since Week 1 of 2007. The Colts have a new coach this year, and while I’m not predicting this, Manning eventually is going to slow down. Reggie Wayne is a good WR, but is he still an elite one? Since Week 11 last year, he had as many fantasy points as the slumping Torry Holt.
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Sea ADP - 3.11 / WR15 / #35 Overall Selected by Brown, Gray, and Tefertiller Tefertiller - Houshmandzadeh left the high octane offense of the Cincinnati Bengals
for the struggling Seattle Seahawks. He goes from playing across from Chad Ochocinco with Carson Palmer tossing the ball to being the only legitimate receiver with the oftinjured Matt Hasselbeck under center. The Seahawk offense struggles without much of a run game and few options in the passing game. There are several pass receivers that offer more upside and value as a high-end fantasy WR2 at this ADP.
WR Santonio Holmes, Pit ADP - 4.12 / WR17 / #48 Overall Selected by Hicks, Tefertiller, and Wood Tefertiller - Holmes played great down the stretch last season and gave the Steelers a huge boost in the Super Bowl. But, we need to remember that Hines Ward was the team’s WR1 during the season. The former Buckeye only accumulated 821 receiving yards and five scores on the season. This was good for a WR32 finish. And now, after a
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great Super Bowl, we are drafting Santonio Holmes higher than he has ever finished? This is curious with Ward being drafted eight spots later as WR25.
Players Receiving 2 Votes RB Michael Turner, Atl ADP - 1.02 / RB2 / #2 Overall Selected by Baker and Waldman Baker - While it may be hard to discount Michael Turner’s numbers last year, I’m not nearly as hyped on him this year as many. Yes – 17 touchdowns and nearly 1,700 rushing yards are eye-opening, but I personally doubt he carries the ball 377 times again in 2009. And while adding Tony Gonzalez may help the offense, it also could mean less carries for Turner. As great as last season was for Turner, it smells like a peak year to me, and I think he has nowhere to go but down. Do I still like the guy? Sure. But I can’t see myself drafting him with the second overall pick.
RB Marion Barber, Dal ADP - 2.04 / RB12 / #16 Overall Selected by Wimer and Wood Wood - I like Marion Barber, but I worry about his ability to perform as a fantasy RB1 this year, which is what his current ADP assumes. The league is embracing a committee system, and the Cowboys have not one, but two compelling alternatives. Felix Jones was a big-play threat every time he touched the ball last year and is healthy. Tashard Choice proved equally capable of handling a large role. Expect all three to help Dallas, but in turn be less-than-ideal fantasy options.
QB Tom Brady, NE ADP - 2.09 / QB2 / #21 Overall Selected by Brown and Wimer Wimer - Tom Brady had a career year two seasons ago (398/578 for 4,806 yards, 50 TDs and eight interceptions), but he missed almost an entire year of football due to his torn ACL – and he is reportedly expected to wear the knee brace for the rest of his career. Throwing a ball takes a whole body motion - we have yet to see what effect the devastating knee injury has had on Brady’s passes. I think QB2 is wildly optimistic for a player coming off a serious injury and who’ll also do without the offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, who helped craft the phenomenal 2007 season.
QB Peyton Manning, Ind ADP - 2.1 / QB3 / #22 Overall
Selected by Gray and Haseley Haseley - It’s hard to even consider overvaluing the future Hall of Famer, but eventually he’ll have to slow down. Last season, Peyton Manning finished as the sixth ranked QB, which is his lowest finish since a ninth place campaign during his rookie year. Reggie Wayne had a down year, Marvin Harrison is gone, there are some question marks at the RB position, and oh by the way, the Colts have a new head coach and offensive coordinator. I am not saying the Colts are going to struggle, but they could. Last year there were times well past Manning’s recovery from knee surgery, where he just didn’t look like his old self. He’ll probably still be the third QB taken in drafts this year, but something tells me he won’t finish in that spot.
WR Wes Welker, NE ADP - 3.08 / WR13 / #32 Overall Selected by Brown and Wood Brown - Two seasons ago, Welker caught 112 passes and was the 11th-ranked wideout. A year ago, with Tom Brady out, Welker still managed to snag 111 passes but was only WR21 on fantasy lists. The problem was that his scores dropped from eight to three. Now he’s being taken as the 13th receiver off the board. Unless you think Brady is going to step back in and toss another 45-50 scores, Welker will be hard-pressed to crack the top 13 with his dreadful YPC and lack of scoring.
RB Reggie Bush, NO ADP - 4.01 / RB18 / #37 Overall Selected by Tefertiller and Yudkin Yudkin - Bush has battled the injury bug so far in his career, and he ended last year with a knee injury that may have some lingering effects. His games played, touches, and fantasy scoring have dropped each season. Bush will need a bigger workload, more TDs, and to play in a lot more games to rank in the Top 20 in a standard scoring fantasy league.
RB Marshawn Lynch, Buf ADP - 4.03 / RB19 / #39 Overall Selected by Hicks and Wood Hicks - In case you have missed the news, Marshawn Lynch will be suspended for the first three games of the 2009 season, yet he is still rated as a fantasy starter? The rap sheet for Lynch is getting longer every season and people will still take him as their starter? The Bills signed Dominic Rhodes and Fred Jackson continues to impress, yet
people still want to take Lynch as their starter? If you want to use a second-round pick on a guy who misses the first three weeks of the season, then you are already starting behind the 8-ball.
QB Philip Rivers, SD ADP - 4.05 / QB6 / #41 Overall Selected by Pasquino and Wimer Wimer - Philip Rivers was a Top 5 fantasy QB last season, largely due to throwing 34 TDs and also crossing the 4000 yardspassing barrier. However, the Chargers are planning on emphasizing the running game this year with a healthy LaDainian Tomlinson, and Rivers’ #1 receiver last year, Vincent Jackson, is in legal trouble (DUI arrest while serving probation on a DUI conviction). Antonio Gates is struggling with his chronically injured toe. I don’t see Rivers repeating a Top 10 finish this season.
RB Larry Johnson, KC ADP - 5.03 / RB25 / #51 Overall Selected by Bloom and Dowling Dowling - As a Larry Johnson fan it pains me to admit it, but the bloom is off the rose. He turns 30 during the upcoming season and has been a shell of himself for the last two years. As much as we try not to convince ourselves otherwise, 400-rush seasons (like Johnson had in 2006) are great predictors of things going downhill, in a hurry, in future seasons. Toss in that Johnson is playing for a new coach who has rarely shown a fondness for rushing the ball in the past, and Johnson simply isn’t worth the gamble this year.
TE Antonio Gates, SD ADP - 5.06 / TE2 / #54 Overall Selected by Brown and Wood Wood - Antonio Gates is going to be the first TE off the board in many drafts, and almost certainly will be drafted shortly after someone takes Jason Witten in most others. While Gates is a viable fantasy starter, it’s risky to draft him at projected ADP. Gates admitted to lingering soreness in his ankle during May mini-camp; and that has to worry anyone who plans on using an early round pick on him.
WR Eddie Royal, Den ADP - 5.09 / WR21 / #57 Overall Selected by Hicks and Pasquino Hicks - According to his ADP, Eddie Royal is expected to duplicate his phenomenal rookie season. This is despite losing his head coach & quarterback. The Broncos will have a more than likely rejuvenated running
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game following the drafting of first-round pick Knowshon Moreno and the addition of a slew of capable assistants in free agency. With the QB battle between Kyle Orton and Chris Simms likely to be a huge fantasy regression from Jay Cutler, expect one of the prime fantasy casualties to be Eddie Royal.
WR Lance Moore, NO ADP - 6.1 / WR26 / #70 Overall Selected by Borbely and Hicks Borbely - Moore came out of nowhere last year and became a favorite target of Drew Brees, finishing with over 900 yards and 10 TDs. But last year, Reggie Bush missed six games, Marques Colston missed five, and Jeremy Shockey missed four. That adds up to a load of targets that Moore got last year. I expect his numbers to decline sharply because he will likely be the fourth target in the passing game. That is just too risky when compared to his ADP of WR26. I would rather let another owner draft him.
TE John Carlson, Sea
Players Receiving 1 Vote RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac
WR Laveranues Coles, Cin ADP - 7.07 / WR31 / #79 Overall Selected by Gray
ADP - 1.03 / RB3 / #3 Overall Selected by Grant
QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pit
RB Steve Slaton, Hou
ADP - 8.01 / QB14 / #85 Overall Selected by Gray
ADP - 2.01 / RB10 / #13 Overall Selected by Hicks
WR Michael Crabtree, SF
WR Calvin Johnson, Det
ADP - 8.03 / WR34 / #87 Overall Selected by Tremblay
ADP - 2.02 / WR3 / #14 Overall Selected by Rudnicki
TE Chris Cooley, Was
WR Roddy White, Atl
ADP - 8.04 / TE6 / #88 Overall Selected by Gray
ADP - 2.12 / WR7 / #24 Overall Selected by Haseley
TE Owen Daniels, Hou
WR Dwayne Bowe, KC
ADP - 8.06 / TE7 / #90 Overall Selected by Bloom
ADP - 3.04 / WR11 / #28 Overall Selected by Tremblay
RB Willis McGahee, Bal
RB Kevin Smith, Det
ADP - 8.1 / RB37 / #94 Overall Selected by Dodds
ADP - 3.07 / RB16 / #31 Overall Selected by Levin
RB Tim Hightower, Ari
WR Terrell Owens, Buf
ADP - 9.05 / RB39 / #101 Overall Selected by Yudkin
ADP - 9.08 / TE9 / #104 Overall Selected by Haseley and Pasquino Pasquino - Carlson was one of very few glimmers of hope for Seattle last year. The team was decimated with wide receiver injuries along with Matt Hasselbeck missing time, so Carlson had to step up and contribute much more than expected in his first year. Carlson was a Top 10 fantasy tight end with 55 catches and seven scores, but the Seahawks now have TJ Houshmandzadeh, Nate Burleson and Deion Branch ready to take more targets. Carlson will have a tough time getting that many catches and scores in his second year with so many other pass catchers available.
ADP - 3.09 / WR14 / #33 Overall Selected by Bloom
QB Matt Hasselbeck, Sea
RB Ronnie Brown, Mia
ADP - 9.09 / QB16 / #105 Overall Selected by Hicks
TE Dustin Keller, NYJ
ADP - 5.04 / WR19 / #52 Overall Selected by Wimer
WR Percy Harvin, Min
WR Antonio Bryant, TB
ADP - 10.12 / WR43 / #120 Overall Selected by Dodds
ADP - 10.05 / TE10 / #113 Overall Selected by Rudnicki and Wimer Rudnicki - Keller had an impressive rookie season and finished as a pretty decent starter in most leagues. While it would be reasonable to expect improvement from him in his second year, the Jets passing game is a potential disaster. Brett Favre is gone so the team will be forced to rely on Kellen Clemens or the rookie Mark Sanchez at QB. Laveranues Coles has also moved on to the Bengals, which means Keller should see a lot more defensive attention. The Jets are going to rely heavily on their running game and defense this year, resulting in fewer quality targets for Keller.
ADP - 3.1 / RB17 / #34 Overall Selected by Gray
WR Deion Branch, Sea
RB Thomas Jones, NYJ
ADP - 9.12 / WR41 / #108 Overall Selected by Rudnicki
ADP - 4.06 / RB21 / #42 Overall Selected by Borbely
RB Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG
RB Jonathan Stewart, Car
ADP - 10.03 / RB43 / #111 Overall Selected by Henry
ADP - 5.01 / RB24 / #49 Overall Selected by Brown
QB Kyle Orton, Den
WR Braylon Edwards, Cle
ADP - 10.11 / QB19 / #119 Overall Selected by Wood
ADP - 5.05 / WR20 / #53 Overall Selected by Pasquino
WR Jeremy Maclin, Phi
TE Tony Gonzalez, Atl
ADP - 11.11 / WR46 / #131 Overall Selected by Yudkin
ADP - 5.07 / TE3 / #55 Overall Selected by Grant
WR Patrick Crayton, Dal
TE Dallas Clark, Ind
ADP - 12.02 / WR48 / #134 Overall Selected by Dodds
ADP - 5.08 / TE4 / #56 Overall Selected by Pasquino
TE Heath Miller, Pit
WR Chad Ochocinco, Cin
ADP - 12.05 / TE14 / #137 Overall Selected by Gray
ADP - 6.05 / WR23 / #65 Overall Selected by Wimer
TE Jeremy Shockey, NO ADP - 12.06 / TE15 / #138 Overall Selected by Tefertiller
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Rookie Review QUARTERBACKS by Sigmund Bloom
1. Matthew Stafford - Detroit Lions - 6’2, 225 Scouting Report: Stafford has the right skill set to weather the storm around a rebuilding team and take advantage of the immense talent of Calvin Johnson. He uses his athleticism to keep the play alive and he’ll take the big hit to make the play. His arm strength is remarkable, giving him the ability to make 50-yard throws off his back foot. He’ll have to minimize the stretches of inconsistent mechanics and decision making that plagued him at Georgia. 2009 Outlook: Lions want to ease him in; probably won’t start until late in the season Dynasty Outlook: Top 5-10 QB NFL Comparison: Jay Cutler & Brett Favre, frustrating moments included
2. Mark Sanchez - New York Jets - 6’2, 227 Scouting Report: The Jets traded up to snag Sanchez because of his arm, smooth mechanics, and tremendous intangibles. He’s considered a natural leader on and off the field, and he can throw well on the run rolling to either side of the field. Sanchez will need to develop pocket presence and overcome questions about lack of experience (only 16 starts at USC). 2009 Outlook: Likely starting from day one Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-15 QB NFL Comparison: Tom Brady when he’s good; Rex Grossman when he’s not
3. Josh Freeman - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 6’6, 248 Scouting Report: NFL teams can’t resist an athletic, statuesque QB with a big arm, and Freeman fits the bill. He’s a competitive gamer who is hard to bring down, but he also failed to top 60 percent accuracy or lead his team to a winning record last year in a conference not exactly known for its defense. 2009 Outlook: Will compete with Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich to start Dynasty Outlook: Top 5-25 QB with bust risk NFL Comparison: JaMarcus Russell without the college heroics
throwing on the move and always a threat to hurt a defense with his legs. 2009 Outlook: Competing with Chad Henne to backup Chad Pennington Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-25 QB but may not stay at the position NFL Comparison: Seneca Wallace with an arm
DRAFTED QUARTERBACKS Pos QB QB QB QB QB QB QB QB QB QB QB QB
Pick 1.01 1.05 1.17 2.12 4.01 5.15 5.35 6.01 6.05 6.23 6.28 7.23
Player Stafford, Matthew Sanchez, Mark Freeman, Josh White, Pat McGee, Stephen Bomar, Rhett Davis, Nate Brandstater, Tom Teel, Mike Null, Keith Painter, Curtis Edelman, Julian
Ht 6’2 6’2 6’6 6’0 6’3 6’2 6’1 6’5 6’3 6’3 6’3 5’11
Wt 225 227 248 197 225 225 226 220 225 222 225 195
College Georgia Southern Cal Kansas State West Virginia Texas A&M Sam Houston St. Ball State Fresno State Rutgers West Texas AM Purdue Kent State
Team Lions Jets Buccaneers Dolphins Cowboys Giants 49ers Broncos Seahawks Rams Colts Patriots
RUNNING BACKS by Cecil Lammey
1. Knowshon Moreno – Denver Broncos – 5’11, 208 lbs. Scouting Report: The Broncos had Knowshon Moreno ranked very high on their draft board, and they are expecting him to be the feature back for their offense. Denver has added several RBs this offseason, but none are as versatile or athletic as Moreno. The comparison that is tossed around most when talking about Moreno is Clinton Portis, and it is an accurate one. Like Portis, Knowshon has outstanding vision and the quickness to get to and through the hole in a hurry. He doesn’t have ideal bulk or speed for an every down RB, but Moreno is a game breaker and doesn’t require a ton of carries to make big plays. 2009 Outlook: The Broncos will use him on all three downs with 20+ touches per game. Dynasty Outlook: He is a special back that could be Top 5 in a few years. NFL Comparison: Clinton Portis with a little less speed.
4. Pat White - Miami Dolphins - 6’0, 197 Scouting Report: After his terrific Senior Bowl and combine, you knew some team was going to take the athletic fouryear starter a round or two earlier than expected, and it makes sense that it would be wildcat reviving Dolphins. White is short and slight for an NFL QB, but he has an NFL arm. He’s great at
2. Donald Brown – Indianapolis Colts – 5’10, 210 lbs. Scouting Report: The Colts have realized that Joseph Addai works best when he’s not the feature back and thus selected Donald Brown with the 27th pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Brown is a compact runner, with a high-energy
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playing style. When his shoulders are square to the line of scrimmage, he can break through to the second level, and he has deceptive speed in the open field. It might not be long before Donald Brown is the Colts’ #1 RB and Joseph Addai is relegated to a change-of-pace role. 2009 Outlook: Will compete with Joseph Addai for carries. Dynasty Outlook: In this offense, Top 5-10 for many years. NFL Comparison: Slightly less elusive Thurman Thomas
3. Chris Wells – Arizona Cardinals – 6’1, 237 lbs. Scouting Report: Chris Wells may have the highest ceiling of any back in this draft, but questions abound about his desire and work ethic. The Cardinals needed to get a premier back in this draft as Tim Hightower is not the fulltime answer. Wells has outstanding vision, the power to run between the tackles, and can hurdle defenders in the open field. He is a patient, downhill runner that can spot cutback lanes before they open, and he has the elite athleticism to change direction without losing much momentum. There are durability concerns as Wells seemed to be constantly dinged up at Ohio State. 2009 Outlook: Will be the Cardinals starting RB, but may lose scoring opportunities to Tim Hightower. Dynasty Outlook: If healthy and motivated, he will take advantage of defenses keyed on the passing game and could be a Top 10 RB for a few years. NFL Comparison: Jamal Lewis with less power and more elusiveness.
4. LeSean McCoy – Philadelphia Eagles – 5’11, 210 lbs. Scouting Report: The Eagles need to keep Brian Westbrook fresh for the playoffs and want to groom an eventual replacement for him. LeSean McCoy is a perfect fit for their needs. He gets to top speed in a hurry and can blow by - or through - unsuspecting defenders. A natural hands-catcher, McCoy makes for a great checkdown receiver and uses his pad level plus his forward lean to maximize the yardage gained after contact. When he hits the open field he has so many moves that he can sometime run out of control, which leads to him getting tackled instead of making an even bigger play. 2009 Outlook: A nice change of pace for Brian Westbrook. Dynasty Outlook: Will be groomed to replace Westbrook and could have five or more Top 10 seasons. NFL Comparison: Felix Jones with less pop at the point of attack.
5. Shonn Greene – New York Jets – 5’11, 235 lbs. Scouting Report: A RB’s greatest attribute is his feet, and Greene has outstanding footwork when running through trash at the line of scrimmage. He is a punishing runner that gets stronger as the game goes on, and he constantly wears down the defense. On many of his carries it takes more than one defender to bring him down as he loves to fight for extra yardage. Greene is not as powerful as he should be and tends to lean into defenders rather than strike them. Weight might become an issue for Greene if he’s not monitored closely. 2009 Outlook: Could start if Thomas Jones leaves New York, but more than likely will have to serve as a backup this year.
Dynasty Outlook: He could be the nice power option in a RBBC with Leon Washington. NFL Comparison: Rudi Johnson with better instincts.
6. Gartrell Johnson – San Diego Chargers – 5’11, 222 lbs. Scouting Report: With the loss of Michael Turner in 2008, the Chargers were left without a power runner behind LaDainian Tomlinson. Gartrell Johnson is an aggressive runner that loves to pound defenders play after play. He is very patient and does a good job of allowing his blocks to develop in front of him. Using a good pad level, leg drive, and low center of gravity Johnson knows how to find his way to the endzone. He does not have elite speed, however, and can let plays swallow him up when the lane is not there. 2009 Outlook: Will be the backup to Tomlinson and give him a breather when necessary. Dynasty Outlook: Could be the starter for San Diego after Tomlinson retires and be the lead back in a committee. NFL Comparison: Marion Barber without the receiving ability.
7. Andre Brown – New York Giants – 6’0, 224 lbs. Scouting Report: The Giants lost Derrick Ward in free agency and wanted to add another piece to the backfield in the 2009 NFL Draft. Andre Brown is an aggressive runner, and he doesn’t like to go down without a fight. He is also a consistent receiver out of the backfield, so he’s more than just a 2-down back. In addition to his natural hands, he is also very good in pass protection which is extremely important for young backs looking for playing time. Injuries are a concern, as he’s had two surgeries on his left foot, and Brown does take some time to get to full speed. 2009 Outlook: Will compete for the #3 RB spot behind Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. Dynasty Outlook: Has the power and receiving ability to be the lead back in a 2- or 3-headed committee. NFL Comparison: Kevin Smith with a better stiff arm and injury concerns.
8. Cedric Peerman – Baltimore Ravens – 5’10, 210 lbs. Scouting Report: The Baltimore Ravens have a punishing ground game and like to keep their RB corps stacked with effective runners and receivers. Cedric was known as “Mr. Versatility” during his time with the Cavaliers. A natural leader, Peerman’s work ethic is contagious to his teammates. He is quick to the hole and has been known to bust long runs off from time to time. Durability is a concern, and scouts question whether ball security will be an issue as well because Peerman has very small hands. 2009 Outlook: Will be the backup to Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain, and Ray Rice. Dynasty Outlook: Could become a starter and possibly post a few Top 10 seasons because of his versatility. NFL Comparison: Chester Taylor with more speed but less moves.
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R O O KI E R EVI EW
DRAFTED RUNNING BACKS Pos RB RB RB RB RB RB RB FB RB RB FB RB RB RB RB RB RB RB RB RB RB RB
Pick 1.12 1.27 1.31 2.21 3.01 3.10 4.11 4.28 4.29 4.34 5.09 5.33 5.37 6.12 6.19 6.22 6.36 7.02 7.03 7.06 7.31 7.41
Player Moreno, Knowshon Brown, Donald Wells, Chris McCoy, LeSean Greene, Shonn Coffee, Glen Goodson, Mike Fiammetta, Tony Brown, Andre Johnson, Gartrell Johnson, Quinn Summers, Frank Ringer, Javon Peerman, Cedric Brown, Aaron Davis, James Scott, Bernard Ogbonnaya, Chris Williams, Javarris Vakapuna, Fui Stephens-Howling, LaRod Jennings, Rashad
Ht 5’11 5’10 6’1 5’10 5’11 6’0 6’0 6’0 6’0 5’10 6’1 5’9 5’9 5’10 6’1 5’11 5’10 6’0 5’10 5’11 5’7 6’1
Wt 217 210 235 198 227 209 208 245 224 219 246 241 205 216 196 218 200 220 223 244 180 231
College Georgia Connecticut Ohio State Pittsburgh Iowa Alabama Texas A&M Syracuse N. C. St. Colorado State LSU UNLV Michigan State Virginia TCU Clemson Abilene Christian Texas Tennessee St. BYU Pittsburgh Liberty
Team Broncos Colts Cardinals Eagles Jets 49ers Panthers Panthers Giants Chargers Packers Steelers Titans Ravens Lions Browns Bengals Rams Chiefs Bengals Cardinals Jaguars
WIDE RECEIVERS by Sigmund Bloom
1. Michael Crabtree - San Francisco 49ers - 6’2, 215 Scouting Report: Unlike most WRs that go in the Top 10 of the draft, Crabtree isn’t a burner nor does he tower over most NFL corners. What he does do is attack the ball in the air like a DB and run angry after the catch like an RB. His ball skills and hands are so good that it seems like he was born to play WR. He’ll have to get over a broken foot and character concerns to fulfill his potential. 2009 Outlook: Competing with Josh Morgan and Brandon Jones to start Dynasty Outlook: Top 5-15 WR NFL Comparison: Shorter Brandon Marshall
2. Hakeem Nicks - New York Giants - 6’1, 212 Scouting Report: The Giants have found their future #1 WR in Hakeem Nicks. He has extraordinarily soft hands that allow him to make circus catches, and he’s surprisingly elusive and strong running after the catch. Nicks plays with a “my ball” mentality that should help him overcome a lack of great speed or size. 2009 Outlook: Competing with Domenik Hixon to start Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-25 WR NFL Comparison: Thinner Dwayne Bowe
Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-25 WR with bust risk NFL Comparison: Bigger and faster Chris Chambers
4. Jeremy Maclin - Philadelphia Eagles - 6’0, 198 Scouting Report: Maclin will bring world-class speed and decent size to an offense already stocked with burners at wide receiver. He’ll be one of the most dangerous return threats in the league. He’ll need to learn the route tree because he played in a spread offense at Mizzou. 2009 Outlook: In on passing downs and returns; pushing Kevin Curtis soon Dynasty Outlook: Top 15-40 WR NFL Comparison: Bigger Ted Ginn
5. Percy Harvin - Minnesota Vikings - 5’11, 192 Scouting Report: Few college players were more dangerous with the ball in their hands than Harvin, but even fewer had his terrible off the field reputation. Harvin is a work in progress as a wide receiver, but he runs like Chris Johnson in the open field. 2009 Outlook: Wildcat QB and novelty player with some work in 3- and 4-WR sets Dynasty Outlook: Top 15-40 WR with bust risk NFL Comparison: Laveranues Coles
6. Brian Robiskie - Cleveland Browns - 6’3, 209 Scouting Report: Robiskie plays exactly the way you’d expect a WR coach’s son would. He runs crisp routes, catches everything thrown his way, and uses his big frame naturally to block out. He won’t win footraces or break ankles in the open field, but Robiskie should be a terrific #2 possession receiver. 2009 Outlook: Competing with a host of players to start opposite Braylon Edwards Dynasty Outlook: Top 20-50 WR NFL Comparison: Muhsin Muhammad with less strength
7. Kenny Britt - Tennessee Titans - 6’3, 218 Scouting Report: Britt is big, fast, strong, and a whale of a blocker for a wide receiver. He doesn’t routinely hands-catch and lets the ball get to his body too often, but he still is the best talent the Titans have had at wide receiver since Derrick Mason left town. 2009 Outlook: Competing to start and push Nate Washington to the slot Dynasty Outlook: Top 25-50 WR NFL Comparison: Bigger and stronger Derek Hagan before his hands turned into skillets
8. Jarett Dillard - Jacksonville Jaguars - 5’10, 191 3. Darrius Heyward-Bey - Oakland Raiders - 6’2, 210 Scouting Report: Everyone laughed at Al Davis when he selected Heyward-Bey #7, but the Raiders could have the last laugh. His 4.3 speed is legit, and his ability to track and adjust to the deep ball will make him lethal when JaMarcus Russell lets one fly. He has inconsistent hands and his game needs some polish, but Heyward-Bey will be one of the best deep threats in the league. 2009 Outlook: In on passing downs; pushing Javon Walker/ Johnnie Lee Higgins soon
Scouting Report: Dillard fell to the fifth round because he doesn’t run in the 4.4s, and he’s less than six feet tall. He’ll be one of the steals of the draft because his precise routes will create separation and his pillow soft hands and 40+ inch vertical will allow him to make plays that most WRs can’t. 2009 Outlook: Competing for WR2 with Mike Walker and Mike Thomas Dynasty Outlook: Top 25-75 WR NFL Comparison: Slower Greg Jennings
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DRAFTED WIDE RECEIVERS Pos WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR WR
Pick 1.07 1.10 1.19 1.22 1.29 1.30 2.04 2.18 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.23 3.27 3.35 4.07 4.08 4.24 4.27 5.04 5.05 5.08 5.24 6.02 6.21 6.33 7.15 7.20 7.24 7.28 7.34 7.42 7.43 7.44
Player Ht Heyward-Bey, Darrius 6’2 Crabtree, Michael 6’2 Maclin, Jeremy 6’0 Harvin, Percy 5’11 Nicks, Hakeem 6’1 Britt, Kenny 6’3 Robiskie, Brian 6’3 Massaquoi, Mohamed 6’2 Williams, Derrick 6’0 Tate, Brandon 6’0 Wallace, Mike 6’0 Barden, Ramses 6’6 Turner, Patrick 6’5 Butler, Deon 5’10 Iglesias, Juaquin 6’1 Thomas, Mike 5’8 Hartline, Brian 6’2 Murphy, Louis 6’2 Collie, Austin 6’1 Knox, Johnny 6’0 McKinley, Kenny 6’0 Dillard, Jarett 5’10 Foster, Brooks 6’1 Lawrence, Quinten 6’0 Gibson, Brandon 6’1 Edison, Dominique 6’2 Byrd, Demetrius 6’0 Johnson, Manuel 5’11 Stroughter, Sammie 5’9 O’Connell, Jake 6’3 Mitchell, Marko 6’4 Kinder, Derek 6’0 Brown, Freddie 6’3 Underwood, Tiquan 6’1
Wt 210 215 198 192 212 218 209 210 194 183 199 229 223 182 210 195 195 203 200 185 189 191 211 184 206 204 199 189 189 250 218 202 215 184
College Maryland Texas Tech Missouri Florida North Carolina Rutgers Ohio State Georgia Penn State North Carolina Mississippi Cal Poly Southern Cal Penn State Oklahoma Arizona Ohio State Florida BYU Abilene Christian South Carolina Rice North Carolina McNeese State Washington St. Stephen F Austin LSU Oklahoma Oregon State Miami (OHIO) Nevada Pittsburgh Utah Rutgers
Team Raiders 49ers Eagles Vikings Giants Titans Browns Browns Lions Patriots Steelers Giants Dolphins Seahawks Bears Jaguars Dolphins Raiders Colts Bears Broncos Jaguars Rams Chiefs Eagles Titans Chargers Cowboys Buccaneers Chiefs Redskins Bears Bengals Jaguars
TIGHT ENDS by Sigmund Bloom
as a receiver. He’s not a supreme athlete, but he was still underused in the passing game at Oklahoma State. 2009 Outlook: Should start from day one Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-20 TE NFL Comparison: Daniel Graham with more reliable mitts
4. Shawn Nelson - Buffalo Bills - 6’5, 240 Scouting Report: Nelson spent a lot of time split out wide at Southern Miss, so his prowess as a blocker was a pleasant surprise at the Senior Bowl. He’s a fluid athlete with a long frame, and he’s terrific at catching the ball outside of his frame. 2009 Outlook: Will compete to start on opening weekend Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-20 TE NFL Comparison: Shorter Marcedes Lewis
5. Chase Coffman - Cincinnati Bengals - 6’6, 250 Scouting Report: He won’t be useful as an inline TE, or even an H-back, but Coffman’s hands, ball skills, and toughness catching balls over the middle are tops in this unique class. He is coming off a broken foot and will need to overcome a lack of burst off the line and speed in his routes. 2009 Outlook: Pushing Ben Utecht for snaps on passing downs Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-20 TE with bust risk NFL Comparison: Less athletic Todd Heap
6. Cornelius Ingram - Philadelphia Eagles - 6’4, 245 Scouting Report: Like most Florida players, Ingram is a terrific athlete and playmaker, but what he did in Gainesville is nothing like what he’ll be asked to do in the NFL. He’s coming off an ACL tear, but he should be a good fit in the Philly passing offense once he’s healthy. 2009 Outlook: Pushing Brent Celek for snaps on passing downs Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-20 TE with bust risk NFL Comparison: Randy McMichael
1. Travis Beckum - New York Giants - 6’3, 239 Scouting Report: The Giants got themselves a supersized slot receiver at the end of the third round. Beckum has eerie accurate ball tracking and runs strong after the catch. He’s coming off a broken leg, and he’ll need to be more consistent in his routes and off the field work ethic to hit it big in the Big Apple. 2009 Outlook: Worked into passing sets as the year goes on Dynasty Outlook: Top 5-15 TE NFL Comparison: Dustin Keller
2. Jared Cook - Tennessee Titans - 6’5, 246 Scouting Report: The most athletically gifted of this strong class of receiving TEs, Cook runs, leaps, and adjusts to the ball in the air like a wide receiver. Questions about his coachability and one-dimensional game caused him to fall to the third rounds. 2009 Outlook: Mixed in on passing downs Dynasty Outlook: Top 5-15 TE with bust risk NFL Comparison: Slightly less freakish Vernon Davis
3. Brandon Pettigrew - Detroit Lions - 6’6, 263 Scouting Report: Pettigrew is like a third offensive tackle as a run and pass blocker, and he has a big frame and great hands
DRAFTED TIGHT ENDS Pos TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE TE
Pick 1.20 2.32 3.25 3.34 3.36 4.21 4.22 5.13 5.16 5.17 5.25 6.07 6.11 6.29 6.35 7.12 7.32 7.39 7.46
Player Ht Pettigrew, Brandon 6’5 Quinn, Richard 6’4 Cook, Jared 6’5 Coffman, Chase 6’6 Beckum, Travis 6’3 Nelson, Shawn 6’5 Hill, Anthony 6’5 Drew, Davon 6’4 Casey, James 6’3 Ingram, Cornelius 6’4 Nalbone, John 6’4 Miller, Zach 6’4 Pascoe, Bear 6’5 Myers, Brandon 6’4 Phillips, John 6’5 Williams, Eddie 6’1 Johnson, David 6’2 Morrah, Cameron 6’3 Gronkowski, Dan 6’6
Wt 263 264 246 244 243 240 262 256 246 245 251 233 251 250 251 239 260 244 255
College Team Oklahoma State Lions North Carolina Broncos South Carolina Titans Missouri Bengals Wisconsin Giants Southern Miss Bills N. C. St. Texans East Carolina Ravens Rice Texans Florida Eagles Monmouth (NJ) Dolphins Nebraska-Omaha Jaguars Fresno State 49ers Iowa Raiders Virginia Cowboys Idaho Redskins Arkansas State Steelers California Seahawks Maryland Lions
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DEFENSIVE LINEMEN by Sigmund Bloom
1. Brian Orakpo - Washington Redskins - 6’3, 263 Scouting Report: Orakpo is a weight room beast, maintaining a bodybuilder frame and strength, but with great first quickness and killer instinct. He’ll need to develop a repertoire of pass moves and learn to play LB on run downs, but he can be an instant game changer on third down. 2009 Outlook: SLB on 1st/2nd down, DE on 3rd down Dynasty Outlook: Top 15-40 LB, Top 7-15 DE NFL Comparison: Shawne Merriman without steroid questions
2. Everette Brown - Carolina Panthers - 6’2, 256 Scouting Report: Sometimes a player can’t outrun the ‘tweener label on draft day. Brown fell to the second round despite Top 10 pick type production. He was considered too small to play 4-3 DE and not agile enough to play 3-4 OLB. It won’t stop him from making plays with regularity in the NFL. 2009 Outlook: Situational pass rusher Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-25 DE NFL Comparison: James Harrison
3. Michael Johnson - Cincinnati Bengals - 6’7, 266 Scouting Report: The Bengals landed the next Julius Peppers/Mario Williams - well, at least on one out of every four or five plays. Johnson has elite athleticism, a lightning quick first step, and a basketball player’s vertical and wingspan. If his motor and effort become more consistent, he’ll be one of the steals of the draft. 2009 Outlook: Situational pass rusher and maybe some OLB duty Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-25 DE with bust risk NFL Comparison: Mario Williams, when he was back at NC State
4. Connor Barwin - Houston Texans - 6’2, 249 Scouting Report: Barwin led the Big East in sacks during his first season as a DE after playing TE, the position he was asked to play for most of the week at the Senior Bowl. He has the athleticism to play some LB and catch some short yardage TDs a la Mike Vrabel. 2009 Outlook: Situational pass rusher and short yardage TE Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-30 DE NFL Comparison: More athletic Mike Vrabel
5. Aaron Maybin - Buffalo Bills - 6’4, 256 Scouting Report: Being a one-trick pony can get you drafted at #11, provided that one trick is having the best first step of any pass rusher in the draft. Maybin bulked up for the pre-draft workouts, but he was subbed out on run downs at times at Penn State and he’ll need to mature physically before he can be a three down end. 2009 Outlook: Situational pass rusher Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-30 DE NFL Comparison: Robert Mathis
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN Drafted In First Four Rounds Pos DE DT DE DE DE DT DT DT DE DE DE DT DE DT DE DT DE DE DE DT DT DL DT DE DE DT DT DE DE DE DE DT
Pick 1.03 1.09 1.11 1.13 1.16 1.24 1.32 2.08 2.11 2.14 2.20 2.24 2.25 2.30 2.31 3.03 3.04 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.17 3.29 4.03 4.05 4.10 4.13 4.15 4.17 4.20 4.25 4.26 4.36
Player Jackson, Tyson Raji, B.J. Maybin, Aaron Orakpo, Brian English, Larry Jerry, Peria Hood, Evander Brace, Ron Brown, Everette Barwin, Connor Veikune, David Moala, Fili Kruger, Paul Marks, Sen’Derrick Brown, Cody Magee, Alex Gilbert, Jarron Johnson, Michael Shaughnessy, Matt Knighton, Terrance Miller, Roy Irvin, Corvey Scott, Dorell Melton, Henry Butler, Victor Martin, Vaughn Hill, Sammie Lee Moore, Kyle Williams, Brandon Sidbury Jr., Lawrence Norris, Slade Taylor, Terrance
Ht Wt College 6’4 295 LSU 6’2 337 Boston College 6’4 249 Penn State 6’3 263 Texas 6’2 274 Northern Illinois 6’2 299 Mississippi 6’3 300 Missouri 6’3 330 Boston College 6’2 256 Florida State 6’4 256 Cincinnati 6’2 257 Hawaii 6’4 305 Southern Cal 6’4 263 Utah 6’2 306 Auburn 6’2 244 Connecticut 6’3 298 Purdue 6’5 288 San Jose State 6’7 266 Georgia Tech 6’5 266 Wisconsin 6’3 321 Temple 6’1 310 Texas 6’3 301 Georgia 6’3 312 Clemson 6’3 260 Texas 6’2 248 Oregon State 6’3 331 W. Ontario (CAN) 6’4 329 Stillman 6’5 272 Southern Cal 6’5 252 Texas Tech 6’2 266 Richmond 6’2 232 Oregon State 6’0 306 Michigan
Team Chiefs Packers Bills Redskins Chargers Falcons Steelers Patriots Panthers Texans Browns Colts Ravens Titans Cardinals Chiefs Bears Bengals Raiders Jaguars Buccaneers Panthers Rams Bears Cowboys Chargers Lions Buccaneers Cowboys Falcons Raiders Colts
LINEBACKERS by Sigmund Bloom
1. Aaron Curry - Seattle Seahawks - 6’2, 254 Scouting Report: The closest thing to a can’t-miss pick in this draft, Curry is big, athletic, strong, and versatile. He can rush the passer, drop into coverage (and have the hands to get the INT), and flash sideline to sideline range. 2009 Outlook: Starting OLB Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-20 LB NFL Comparison: Post-achilles blowout Julian Peterson
2. Rey Maualuga - Cincinnati Bengals - 6’2, 249 Scouting Report: Rey took a tumble because of character and two-down LB concerns, but he plays with a passion and fire that fuels a defense, and he’s a big hitter. Maualuga has also displayed natural playmaking ability as a pass rusher and in coverage during his time at USC. 2009 Outlook: Competing to start at MLB/SLB Dynasty Outlook: Top 5-25 LB with bust risk NFL Comparison: Junior Seau
3. James Laurinaitis - St. Louis Rams - 6’2, 244 Scouting Report: He was likely a top 10-15 pick if he came out last year, but Laurinaitis wasn’t as explosive in his senior season. He’s an LB with great coverage ability, intangibles, and football smarts, he’s just not especially powerful, speedy, or quick.
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Dynasty Outlook: Top 12-30 DB NFL Comparison: Shorter Rodney Harrison
2009 Outlook: Starting MLB Dynasty Outlook: Top 15-30 LB NFL Comparison: Paul Posluszny
3. Louis Delmas - Detroit Lions - 6’0, 202 4. Jason Williams - Dallas Cowboys - 6’1, 241 Scouting Report: The Cowboys first pick wasn’t until the third round, but they used on the eventual heir to the fantasy jackpot WILB position in Wade Phillips defense. Williams played at a small school, but his workout numbers and ability to fly to the ball were among the best in this class. 2009 Outlook: Backup ILB/special teamer Dynasty Outlook: Top 15-30 with bust risk NFL Comparison: untested Lawrence Timmons
Scouting Report: The Lions landed the best two way safety in the draft. Delmas loves to throw his body around to make big hits, but he’s also athletic enough to cover the deep middle. There is some question about his level of competition in the MAC and whether his somewhat slight frame will hold up under the punishment of his physical playing style. 2009 Outlook: Competing with Gerald Alexander and Daniel Bullocks to start Dynasty Outlook: Top 15-40 DB NFL Comparison: Michael Griffin
5. Larry English - San Diego Chargers - 6’2, 255 Scouting Report: Few players in the draft can claim English’s toughness, playing most of last year with a broken thumb and winning back to back MAC top player awards even though he tore an ACL at the end of 2007 and a pec in the spring of 2008. He’s physical edge rusher who plays with a mean streak. 2009 Outlook: Backup OLB Dynasty Outlook: Top 20-40 LB NFL Comparison: LaMarr Woodley
4. Michael Mitchell - Oakland Raiders - 6’1, 216 Scouting Report: The Raiders second pick inspired even more laughter than their first. Mitchell is a destructive force who put up fantastic numbers at his pro day, but he’s largely unproven and most expected him to go in the late rounds, not the second. 2009 Outlook: Competing with Tyvon Branch to start Dynasty Outlook: Top 10-40 DB with bust risk NFL Comparison: Bernard Pollard
LINEBACKERS Drafted In First Four Rounds Pos OLB OLB OLB OLB ILB ILB OLB OLB OLB OLB ILB ILB LB
Pick 1.04 1.15 1.18 1.26 2.03 2.06 2.13 3.05 3.12 3.33 4.04 4.18 4.30
Player Curry, Aaron Cushing, Brian Ayers, Robert Matthews, Clay Laurinaitis, James Maualuga, Rey Sintim, Clint Williams, Jason Levy, DeAndre McKenzie, Tyrone Maiava, Kaluka Arnoux, Stanley McRath, Gerald
Ht 6’2 6’3 6’3 6’3 6’2 6’2 6’3 6’1 6’2 6’2 5’11 6’0 6’2
Wt 254 243 272 240 244 249 256 241 236 243 229 232 231
College Wake Forest Southern Cal Tennessee Southern Cal Ohio State Southern Cal Virginia Western Illinois Wisconsin South Florida Southern Cal Wake Forest Southern Miss
Team Seahawks Texans Broncos Packers Rams Bengals Giants Cowboys Lions Patriots Browns Saints Titans
DEFENSIVE BACKS by Sigmund Bloom
1. William Moore - Atlanta Falcons - 6’0, 221 Scouting Report: Moore played like a franchise safety in 2007, and then he got posterized by deep throws way too often in 2008. He’s an instinctive player who blows up receivers who come into his zone with a ballhawk mentality, but sometimes he looks like a linebacker miscast in the secondary. 2009 Outlook: Starting SS Dynasty Outlook: Top 5-20 DB with bust risk NFL Comparison: Roy Williams, both the good and the bad
2. Patrick Chung - New England Patriots - 5’11, 212 Scouting Report: Chung is a classic intimidator who punishes wide receivers and running backs alike. He’s at his best playing downhill versus the pass and lining up in the box against the run. He can be exposed if he’s left on an island in deep coverage. 2009 Outlook: Competing with James Sanders and Brandon McGowan to start
5. Malcolm Jenkins - New Orleans Saints - 6’0, 204 Scouting Report: Jenkins has the size, physicality, and mentality to be a shutdown corner, the only thing missing is elite speed. He played some free safety at Ohio State, so there is a plan B, but the Saints plan on keeping him at corner. 2009 Outlook: Competing with Randall Gay and Tracy Porter to start Dynasty Outlook: Top 15-50 DB NFL Comparison: Antrel Rolle
DEFENSIVE BACKS Drafted In First Four Rounds Pos CB CB CB SS CB CB CB SS CB S S CB CB CB CB CB CB CB CB CB S CB CB CB FS S CB CB
Pick 1.14 1.25 2.01 2.02 2.05 2.09 2.10 2.15 2.16 2.23 2.27 2.29 3.02 3.09 3.16 3.22 3.24 3.26 3.28 3.30 3.31 3.32 4.02 4.12 4.14 4.16 4.19 4.31
Player Jenkins, Malcolm Davis, Vontae Delmas, Louis Chung, Patrick Smith, Alphonso Butler, Darius Byrd, Jairus Mitchell, Mike McBath, Darcel Moore, William Martin, Sherrod Smith, Sean Fletcher, Bradley Cox, Derek Barnes, Kevin Allen, Asher Webb, Lardarius Owens, Christopher Powers, Jerraud Mouton, Ryan Johnson, Rashad Lewis, Keenan Washington, Donald Quin, Glover Bruton, David Vaughn, Chip Moore, D.J. Toler, Greg
Ht 6’0 5’11 6’0 5’11 5’9 5’11 5’10 6’0 6’0 6’0 6’1 6’4 6’0 6’1 6’0 5’10 5’10 5’10 5’9 5’9 5’11 6’0 6’0 5’11 6’2 6’1 5’9 5’11
Wt 204 203 202 212 193 183 207 220 198 221 198 214 196 189 187 194 179 181 188 187 203 208 197 204 219 221 192 191
College Ohio State Illinois W. Michigan Oregon Wake Forest Connecticut Oregon Ohio Texas Tech Missouri Troy Utah Iowa William & Mary Maryland Georgia Nicholls State San Jose State Auburn Hawaii Alabama Oregon State Ohio State New Mexico Notre Dame Wake Forest Vanderbilt St Pauls
Team Saints Dolphins Lions Patriots Broncos Patriots Bills Raiders Broncos Falcons Panthers Dolphins Rams Jaguars Redskins Vikings Ravens Falcons Colts Titans Cardinals Steelers Chiefs Texans Broncos Saints Bears Cardinals
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QUARTERBACKS Intro by Jason Wood
L
QUARTERBACKS
ast year, Drew Brees became only the second QB in NFL history to throw for more than 5,000 yards en route to the top fantasy ranking. Few were surprised to hear that Brees was one of three QBs to throw for at least 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, but they may be surprised to know the other two were Philip Rivers and Kurt Warner. This year, Brees, Rivers and Warner are part of a seven-QB tier atop the QB rankings. Peyton Manning is in his usual spot as a Top 3 option, and Tom Brady will join him as long as his knee is 100 percent. Aaron Rodgers, last year’s breakout star, and veteran Donovan McNabb, who has his deepest arsenal ever, round out the top slots. The next tier of QBs could put up numbers rivaling the
Top 7 but have more question marks entering the season. Carson Palmer needs to stay healthy and overcome the loss of T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Tony Romo has to prove he can deliver without Terrell Owens. Jay Cutler has to prove that he can excel in a new city with a more conservative offensive approach. The next group of QBs is really a case of the eye of the beholder. Some will target Matt Ryan because of his youth and breakout potential. Others may view the steady veteran hand of Eli Manning or Big Ben Roethlisberger as the smart play. You don’t want to reach for the QBs beyond the Top 7, focus on building your WR and RB depth and then target one or two mid-level QBs in the seventh to 10th rounds. Cutler isn’t the only projected starter to change teams this offseason. The Chiefs acquired Matt Cassel from the Patriots, the Broncos will start either Kyle Orton or Chris Simms, Byron Leftwich will compete for PT in Tampa Bay, and Brett Favre could quite possibly un-retire to play in Minnesota. If Favre doesn’t sign with Minnesota, Sage Rosenfels may start over Tarvaris Jackson. QB battles rage in San Francisco and Cleveland, to the victor goes the spoils. And two rookies, Mark Sanchez (NYJ) and Matt Stafford (DET) will play sooner than later. The QB position is different than WR or RB in that you can land a Top 5 performer in the middle of your draft if you’re smart and lucky. For that reason, many owners ignore the elite at the position and hope to strike gold after building out their rosters. That strategy can work, but don’t underestimate the value of a Top 7 passer this year, either. Visit our website – Footballguys.com – where you can view customized rankings that are tailor-made for your league’s scoring system.
1. Drew Brees - NO 6-1, 220, age: 30
Peyton Manning
ICON SMI
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 595 NO 635 NO 655 NO 554
pcmp 380 413 443 356
pyds ptds 4373 31 5069 34 4428 28 4418 26
int ryds rtds 18 11 0 17 -1 0 18 52 1 11 32 0
FP FP Rank 326 1 372 1 328 4 317 2
The Good - Drew Brees is coming off one of the finest fantasy seasons ever for a quarterback. More than 5,000 yards and 30 TDs put Brees in statistical territory only occupied previously by Dan Marino. He achieved these figures despite missing his top WR, top RB, and top TE for significant periods of time throughout the season. With the supporting cast in New Orleans largely intact and all key players at 100 percent, there is no logical reason why Brees cannot continue his fantasy success again this season. Having just turned 30, he should be at the top of his game, and the attack minded Saints offense is unlikely to change a successful formula. The Bad - It is often difficult to replicate or even get close to a year of fantasy excellence. Some of the more recent great QB fantasy years have resulted in disappointing follow ups or worse. Tom Brady, Daunte Culpepper, Steve Young and Kurt
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Warner were all hit by the injury bug in the following season, while Peyton Manning saw his TDs decline from 48 to 28 and his passing yardage drop by 700 yards. Maybe Brees can buck the trend, but it’s hard to repeat dominant stats in back to back years. Additionally with ANY improvement by the Saints defense, maybe Brees won’t have to throw the ball over 600 times a year to keep the Saints in touch with opposing offenses. The Bottom Line - In his three years with the Saints, Brees has clearly established himself as one of the finest fantasy quarterbacks available. He makes good decisions considering the Saints’ aggressive approach, although last year’s 17 interceptions is not a career anomaly. While it would be difficult to match last year, he has been a Top 5 fantasy QB for three straight seasons. Brees is easily one of the safest options t the position, but it will cost you a high draft pick.
2. Tom Brady - NE 6-4, 210, age: 32
team patt PROJ 565 NE 11 NE 578 NE 516
pcmp 369 7 398 319
pyds ptds 4040 30 76 0 4806 50 3529 24
int ryds rtds 13 70 1 0 0 0 8 98 2 12 102 0
FP FP Rank 322 2 4 60 454 1 271 7
The Good - “It was the best of times” - in 2007. We’ve already seen Tom Brady set the single-season TD passing record with 50 TDs to go along with 4,800 passing yards. That translated into an NFL-record 589 points scored for New England and an undefeated regular season. The key cogs in the offense are still in place, and New England has added some proven veterans to the mix. If collectively the offense stays healthy, opposing defensive coordinators will again be losing sleep and loading up on Maalox. Pick your poison on who to cover - Moss, Welker, Galloway, one of the TEs, or stick guys in the box to thwart the run – there are just too many options to worry about. The Bad - “It was the worst of times” - in 2008. On the second drive of the year, Brady went down for the season with a knee injury. It doesn’t get any worse than that. Brady may forever hold a dubious record that may not ever be broken: biggest drop-off in TD passes from one season to the next. Given that Brady is coming back from a serious injury and hasn’t played much since the Pats loss to the Giants in the Super Bowl (he barely participated in camp last year), he could be rusty and not completely healed. He may have to permanently wear a knee brace which could hamper his mobility, limit his scrambling, and reduce his rushing attempts. The Bottom Line - It’s unlikely the Patriots offense will take a nosedive with Brady coming back. Given the arsenal Brady has to work with, he should be in for another Top 5 fantasy season if healthy. He has already displayed what could happen if all the planets align properly and could lap many other QBs in fantasy scoring. However, the Pats have bulked up their running attack and may try to implement more of a ball-control offense in order to keep their defense off the field more than in recent seasons. That could also lead to a lot of dink and dunk passes - something Matt Cassel made a living on last year and a scheme the Patriots have used at times with Brady.
6-5, 230, age: 33
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 541 IND 555 IND 515 IND 557
pcmp 340 371 337 362
pyds ptds 3976 28 4002 27 4040 31 4397 31
int ryds rtds 13 28 1 12 21 1 14 -5 3 9 36 4
FP FP Rank 307 3 304 6 330 3 362 1
The Good - Peyton Manning has been a Top 3 fantasy QB seven of the last 11 seasons, so the upside is obvious. He stands a good chance of finishing as the No. 1 QB if the season goes well. An average year for Manning would be 4,150 yards with 30 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. A good year (the average from his five best seasons) would be 4,335 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. That would have made him the No. 2 QB last season behind Drew Brees. Manning will need some help from his receivers, however, to achieve that potential. Last year was a down year for Reggie Wayne, and 2007 first-round pick Anthony Gonzalez has yet to fulfill expectations. The Bad - Manning is as dependable as they come. He has missed only one snap due to injury in his entire 176-game career. He started 16 games for the 11th consecutive season last year, and made his ninth trip to the Pro Bowl. He is the only QB in NFL history to throw for over 3,000 years in each of his first 11 seasons - and he’s hit the 4,000 yard mark in nine of those seasons. He’s finished as a Top 10 fantasy QB in all 11 seasons, and has finished outside the Top 5 only twice: his rookie year, and last year when a knee injury slowed him initially. In other words, Manning’s realistic “worst case” scenario is better than most QBs’ realistic “best case” scenario. Expect a Top 5 season out of Manning even if it’s a down year for him. The Bottom Line - Manning got off to a slow start last season after undergoing knee surgery in July. He skipped the preseason and wasn’t quite himself during the first few games. After averaging just 15.8 fantasy points per game during the first three games, he averaged a much more Manning-like 20.9 fantasy points per game over the remaining 13 games. Manning will be drafted as a Top 3 fantasy QB in most leagues and is a decent bet to live up to his draft position.
QUARTERBACKS
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
3. Peyton Manning - IND
4. Kurt Warner - ARI 6-2, 220, age: 38
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 540 ARI 599 ARI 452 ARI 168
pcmp 344 402 282 108
pyds ptds 3888 28 4582 30 3409 27 1377 6
int ryds rtds 16 4 0 14 -2 0 17 15 1 5 3 0
FP FP Rank 291 7 335 4 269 10 88 37
The Good - If Kurt Warner fully recovers from his hip injury, receives adequate protection from his offensive line, and receives sufficient run support to force eight men in the box on occasion, he is destined for another Top 5 fantasy season. The Bad - Though we rarely predict injury when making projections, acknowledging an existing injury is reasonable. In a worst-case scenario, Warner would struggle in his recovery, and the Cardinals offensive line and running game would struggle as they did for much of 2008. It is difficult to imagine Warner, who is nearing the end of his career, overcoming those obstacles to repeat as an elite fantasy QB. That said, even if all goes wrong, he is unlikely to lose his starting spot. The team invested too much money in him to bench him. He would still
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be a viable fantasy QB2. The Bottom Line - In all likelihood, since it appears almost certain that Anquan Boldin will remain in town for another year, Warner will be a solid starting fantasy QB. He plays in a spread offense against mostly inferior pass defenses this year. He will provide six to nine games of elite fantasy numbers, and he should be a solid performer most of the other weeks.
5. Aaron Rodgers - GB 6-2, 220, age: 26
QUARTERBACKS
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 530 GB 536 GB 28 GB 15
pcmp 321 341 20 6
pyds ptds 3790 26 4038 28 218 1 46 0
int ryds rtds 15 153 2 13 207 4 0 29 0 0 11 0
FP FP Rank 306 4 346 2 18 61 3 62
The Good - Aaron Rodgers has helped the Packers organization and fans move on from the legend of Brett Favre. He had a remarkable season in 2008, throwing for 4,038 yards and 28 touchdowns. He found success passing the football despite a rushing attack that struggled compared to the 2007 season. He has legitimized himself as the starting quarterback of the present and future in Green Bay. It’s hard to envision a better season for Rodgers, so the best-case scenario would be a repeat of 2008. The Bad - There is really not a worst-case scenario for Rodgers barring injuries. The only possible risk is if the offensive line regresses and doesn’t allow him as much time to throw. If the rushing attack does better this season, he may throw 50 fewer passes for 400 fewer passing yards. That would put him around 3,600 yards and 24 touchdowns as his worstcase scenario. The Bottom Line - Rodgers had a wonderful season last year, and he has a great group of receivers. His numbers may take a slight downtick if the rushing attack improves, as expected, this season, but he is still likely to throw for 3,800 yards and 26+ touchdowns this season. He was the third-best fantasy quarterback in 2008 and should finish Top 5 once again in 2009.
6. Donovan McNabb - PHI 6-2, 226, age: 33
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 555 PHI 571 PHI 473 PHI 316
pcmp 338 345 291 180
pyds ptds 3774 25 3916 23 3324 19 2647 18
int ryds rtds 15 176 2 11 147 2 7 236 0 6 212 3
FP FP Rank 303 5 304 7 259 13 238 13
The Good -McNabb is one of a handful of veteran QBs capable of finishing atop the fantasy rankings under ideal circumstances. He’s coming off his best fantasy season since 2004, throwing for almost 4,000 yards to go along with 23 TDs and just 11 interceptions. With a strong arm, a rebuilt offensive line and complete mastery of the playbook, McNabb is positioned for a big year. DeSean Jackson should emerge as a 1,000-yard threat in his second season. If rookie Jeremy Maclin can provide an explosive after-the-catch option, McNabb could deliver Top 5 numbers including 4,000 yards passing and 25+ touchdowns. The Bad - If either Stacy Andrews or Jason Peters struggle as the Eagles’ new tackles, McNabb could suffer undue pressure - something that affected his play in 2007. If Brian Westbrook suffers further decline, the entire cohesion of the Eagles offense could grind to a halt, particularly given the lack
of a proven veteran backup at RB. The Bottom Line - It’s interesting that McNabb enjoyed his best season in five years last year, considering he was benched midway through the Ravens game and could conceivably have been done as the Eagles starter had Kevin Kolb played better. But that’s ancient history now and McNabb is healthy, happy, and has the deepest collection of offensive weapons in his career. As long as the rebuilt offensive line gels quickly, there is no reason to expect anything less than a Top 10 fantasy season with the potential for more.
7. Philip Rivers - SD 6-5, 228, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 490 SD 478 SD 460 SD 460
pcmp 323 312 277 284
pyds ptds 3793 27 4009 34 3152 21 3388 22
int ryds rtds 13 75 1 11 84 0 15 33 1 9 49 0
FP FP Rank 298 6 334 5 236 15 253 9
The Good - Philip Rivers exceeded everyone’s expectations last year when he led the league in passer rating and touchdown passes and was the No. 3 fantasy QB. Rivers broke the 4,000-yard barrier for the first time last season, and threw 34 touchdowns compared to just 11 interceptions. Most impressively, he had an elite season while finishing just No. 11 in pass attempts (without any significant rushing statistics). If the Chargers continue the transition from running team to passing team and Rivers gets over 500 attempts in 2009, he could improve on his 2008 fantasy stats. Vincent Jackson has established himself as a solid NFL WR1, and Antonio Gates should be healthy (after struggling through toe and hip injuries in 2008. The Bad - Rivers had his best year as a pro in 2008, but it could have been an aberration rather than a sign of things to come. He lacks the arm strength of many of the other uppertier QBs. While Vincent Jackson appears to be coming into his own, Chris Chambers disappeared over the second half of 2008 and the other WRs (Malcom Floyd and Buster Davis) are unproven. Antonio Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson have been nagged by injuries and may never be the players they were earlier in their careers. If the offense around him regresses, Rivers could regress to his 2007 season level. The Bottom Line - Rivers is an underdog to repeat his Top 5 performance of a year ago, but is a favorite to finish in the Top 10. The Chargers still have a high-powered offense that should score a lot of points, and QBs on high-scoring offenses are nearly always good fantasy bets. In particular, the Chargers should continue to enjoy success in the red zone with their bevy of large receivers (Gates, Jackson, and Floyd are like a basketball team’s front court), so Rivers should comfortably toss 25+ TDs again. Expect a fantasy finish somewhere in the 4-9 range.
8. Tony Romo - DAL 6-2, 219, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 525 DAL 450 DAL 520 DAL 337
pcmp 333 276 335 220
pyds ptds 3712 23 3448 26 4211 36 2903 19
int ryds rtds 18 96 1 14 41 0 19 129 2 13 102 0
FP FP Rank 275 8 266 10 360 2 218 19
The Good -To hear some people tell it, Tony Romo flopped in 2008. Yet, in 13 games he threw for 3,448 yards and 26 touchdowns. He was a Top 10 fantasy passer in spite of miss-
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Player Spotlight:
QB Jay Cutler ICON SMI
Chicago Bears by Jason Wood – Senior Writer, Footballguys.com
J
ay Cutler grew up a Chicago Bears fan, but he never had reason to think his NFL fortunes would ever coincide with his childhood fandom. After all, teams simply don’t let franchise passers go. It’s so rare to find a true franchise cornerstone that no organization would be foolish enough to let one go in his prime. Cutler will be a Denver Bronco for life. Right? Yikes, if you’re a Broncos fan reading this let me apologize for the flippant recap but let’s be honest, this offseason was shocking. Regardless of where you place the blame, the simple truth is Josh McDaniels and Jay Cutler couldn’t coexist. The Bears traded two 1sts, a 3rd, a 5th and Kyle Orton for the 26-year old star. In Chicago expectations are sky high. For years, Bears fans have thought they were only a QB away from Super Bowl contention. Jay Cutler is the best quarterback in modern Bears history. Sid Luckman is a Hall of Famer, and I’m not going to try to compare his achievements in the 1940s to offensive numbers of today’s game. But Luckman’s career ended in 1950, which means Jay Cutler is the best QB the Windy City has seen in almost 60 years. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the Bears Top 5 passers of the modern era:
1. Jim Harbaugh (’87-’93) – 89 games, 58.2% completion, 11,567 yards, 50 TDs, 56 INTs 2. Jim McMahon (’82-’88) – 66 games, 57.8% completion, 11,203 yards, 67 TDs, 56 INTs 3. Erik Kramer (’94-’98) – 49 games, 58.6% completion, 10,582 yards, 63 TDs, 45 INTs 4. Billy Wade (’61-’66) – 59 games, 54.5% completion, 9,958 yards, 68 TDs, 66 INTs 5. Ed Brown (’54-’61) – 98 games, 48.7% completion, 9,698 yards, 63 TDs, 88 INTs
Compare that to Jay Cutler’s career numbers: • Jay Cutler (’06-’08) – 37 games, 62.5% completion, 9,024 yards, 54 TDs, 37 INTs
But just because Jay Cutler is the
best Chicago QB in generations doesn’t mean he’s a great bet to lead your fantasy team to a championship. In fact, there are a lot of reasons to think that Jay Cutler will be more valuable to the Bears than he will be to fantasy owners. The Offensive Line – The Bears offensive line only allowed 29 sacks last year (13th best) and signed Orlando Pace to improve the left tackle position this offseason, but that can’t compare to the Broncos OL, which allowed a league-low 12 sacks. Receiving Corps – It’s fair to say the Bears receivers will look better with Jay Cutler throwing to them, and Earl Bennett and the pair of rookies are particularly attractive sleepers. But it’s equally fair to say that Brandon Marshall is demonstrably better than any Bears receiver and Eddie Royal may be, too. Run/Pass Balance – The Broncos threw 620 passes last year while the Bears have averaged 500 pass attempts during Lovie Smith’s tenure. It’s easier to think the Bears will throw more with Cutler under center, but realistically he’ll still throw fewer than 550 passes. Offensive Coaching – Mike Shanahan is a two-time Super Bowl champion and offensive guru, while Bears OC Ron Turner is, shall we say, decidedly less
accomplished. Turner is infamous for being an ultra-conservative play-caller which doesn’t play into Jay Cutler’s strengths.
Final Thoughts Jay Cutler is one of the best young quarterbacks in the league. The fact the Bears were able to acquire him, in his prime, was a coup and sets the Bears up as a title contender for years to come. But is what’s good for Bears fans necessarily what’s good for fantasy owners? Even though Cutler should win more games in Chicago than he did in Denver, it’s not clear he’s going to be a better fantasy player. The Bears run a more conservative offense, maintain a more balanced run/pass ratio, have a less imposing offensive line, and don’t have proven WRs on the roster. Cutler should elePositives vate the Bears offense to new levels, • Jay Cutler is a strong-armed, accurate passer but the aforementioned factors should in his prime crimp his upside. Cutler could be a • The Bears have above average receiving options Top 5 fantasy passer on talent alone, at TE and RB but more likely slots as a rock solid • The Bears offensive line is above average, with depth QB2 who should finish in the 10-12 Negatives range this year. • Ron Turner is a conservative play-caller • The Bears wide receivers aren’t as good as the Broncos • Expect the Bears to have a more balanced run/pass ratio
If you’d like access to more than 120 other detailed Player Spotlights, be sure to visit Footballguys.com and become a subscriber.
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QUARTERBACKS
ing almost a month with a finger injury. The best case for Romo is a return to the Top 5, where he finished in 2007. But that will only happen if the Cowboys receiving corps takes shape quickly, which means Roy Williams must approximate the 1,000-yard receiver he was in Detroit and not the marginal contributor he was as a Cowboy last year. Romo is an accurate passer (63.6 percent career completion rate) who loves to throw downfield (8.1 career yards per attempt), and it’s entirely possible that he’ll benefit from addition by subtraction (i.e., Terrell Owens). The Bad - The worst case would be if fantasy owners had to count on Romo in the NFL playoffs, but lucky for us our fantasy playoffs take place during the NFL’s regular season. In all seriousness, the questions for Romo are more about his supporting cast than his own ability. Williams has enormous shoes to fill and the rest of the WR corps is far from a sure bet. If they all struggle in their roles, even someone as talented as Romo could struggle to be a consistent fantasy star. The Bottom Line - Last year Romo missed three games and still finished as the 10th-best fantasy QB. With Owens gone, it’s reasonable to expect the team’s passing numbers to take a hit, but Romo is far too talented to completely fall off the map. Over a full 16-game season, as long as TE Jason Witten and the talented trio of RBs are healthy, Romo is still a solid bet for Top 10 production. Don’t pay Top 5 prices for Romo, but if he falls into the QB10-12 range, he’s not only worth rostering, he offers tremendous upside.
9. Jay Cutler - CHI 6-4, 225, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 530 DEN 616 DEN 467 DEN 137
pcmp 321 384 297 81
pyds ptds 3498 23 4526 25 3497 20 1001 9
int ryds rtds 16 162 1 18 200 2 14 205 1 5 18 0
FP FP Rank 273 9 340 3 267 11 83 40
See Cutler’s full-page Spotlight on Page 99.
pcmp 313 75 373 324
pyds ptds 3560 22 731 3 4131 26 4035 28
int ryds rtds 15 20 0 4 38 0 20 10 0 13 37 0
6-4, 228, age: 24
year team patt 2009 PROJ 446 2008 ATL 434
pcmp 278 265
pyds ptds 3385 21 3440 16
int ryds rtds 15 105 1 11 104 1
FP FP Rank 255 13 241 15
The Good – Matt Ryan has the potential to be an elite passer, and the addition of TE Tony Gonzalez might put the Falcons’ offense on a par with the best units in the NFL. With a year of experience under his belt, Ryan’s confidence and comfort level will be high from Day 1. The Bad - As we saw with Jeremy Shockey in New Orleans last season, team chemistry is a funny thing that can backfire even when a Pro Bowl level talent like Gonzalez is involved. Ryan could fail to improve if Gonzalez flounders or even throw less (the Falcons’ rushing attack is pretty awesome). If Roddy White were to miss some time due to injury, there isn’t another top-tier receiver on the squad that could fill in. The Bottom Line - Ryan exploded onto the scene last year, leading the Falcons to the playoffs. He had one of the most impressive rookie seasons in history, completing 61 percent of his passes for 3,440 yards and 16 TDs. The team has added Gonzalez at the TE position, boasts Roddy White and Michael Jenkins at WR, and has a good pass-catching back in Jerious Norwood. Ryan has a wide array of targets that should allow him to far exceed last year’s 16th-place fantasy ranking.
6-5, 237, age: 28
6-5, 230, age: 30
team patt PROJ 505 CIN 129 CIN 575 CIN 520
11. Matt Ryan - ATL
12. Matt Schaub - HOU
10. Carson Palmer - CIN year 2009 2008 2007 2006
fringe Top 20 QB, and is a total let down given the price you’ll pay for him. The Bottom Line - Palmer has all the potential to be the comeback kid this year. Ochocinco seems to be minding his Ps and Qs, and a crafty veteran like Coles can only add to the mix. The big rookie OT helps protect Palmer, and he shakes off the rust early and hits his stride by Game 1. Look for Palmer to return to his Top 10 form and prove to be a solid addition to any fantasy roster.
FP FP Rank 253 14 48 41 292 9 304 5
The Good - Palmer returns with a vengeance this season. All reports from the summer are true and he’s healthier than ever. Although T.J. Houshmandzadeh is no longer with the team, the Bengals added veteran Laveranues Coles during the offseason to make up for the receiving gap. Coles is a solid veteran who knows how to break apart opposing defenses. This frees up Chad Ochocinco to do what he does best: make big plays. With the addition of a big OT in No. 6 overall rookie pick Andre Smith, Palmer gets some much needed protection. The Bad - If Palmer is healthy, he’ll be on the field. If he’s on the field, he’ll be throwing. Yet setting the league on fire with attempts and incompletions isn’t going to win you any fantasy games. In a ‘how bad could it get?’ scenario, Palmer could try his best, but fail to make a bad team good by himself. The Bengals running game flames out and defenses stack five and six DBs against Palmer. He finishes the season as a
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 485 HOU 380 HOU 289 ATL 27
pcmp 311 251 192 18
pyds ptds 3676 20 3043 15 2241 9 208 1
int ryds rtds 18 92 1 10 68 2 9 52 0 2 21 0
FP FP Rank 261 12 221 21 144 22 14 55
The Good - When healthy, Matt Schaub, RB Steve Slaton, and WR Andre Johnson form one of the most dangerous trios in the league. Schaub threw for over 3,000 yards last season in just 10.5 games. He was the No. 5 fantasy QB in terms of points per game. With another year of starting experience under his belt, Schaub could reasonably be a Top 5 fantasy QB this season if he plays 16 games. The Bad - Schaub is not the safest pick. He missed five games with a shoulder injury and concussion in 2007 and another five with an intestinal illness and a knee injury in 2008. Moreover, his production depends not only on his own health but also on that of Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton. The Texans lack depth at the offensive skill positions, so an injury to any of its primary weapons will set the whole offense back quite a bit. The Bottom Line - If Schaub stays healthy, he’ll be a fantasy starter. Andre Johnson has developed into a topnotch offensive weapon, and Schaub can make all the throws asked
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of him. Of the 10 games he played from start to finish last season, he threw for over 250 yards in eight of them and multiple touchdowns in five of them. Schaub would likely finish in the Top 7 or so range this year if he stays healthy, but concern about his durability will probably drop him just outside the Top 10 QBs in most fantasy drafts.
13. Ben Roethlisberger - PIT 6-5, 241, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 490 PIT 468 PIT 404 PIT 469
pcmp 301 280 264 280
pyds ptds 3391 23 3308 17 3154 32 3513 18
int ryds rtds 17 105 2 15 101 2 11 204 2 23 98 2
FP FP Rank 267 11 240 16 307 6 246 10
14. David Garrard - JAX 6-1, 237, age: 31
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 500 JAX 535 JAX 325 JAX 241
pcmp 312 335 208 145
pyds ptds 3375 19 3620 15 2509 18 1735 10
int ryds rtds 14 264 2 13 322 2 3 182 1 9 250 0
FP FP Rank 269 10 272 9 219 16 143 28
The Good - Since David Garrard took the reins in Jacksonville midway through the 2006 season, his top receivers have been Matt Jones, Reggie Williams, Dennis Northcutt, and Ernest Wilford - not exactly an all-star cast. This season he’ll have seven-time Pro Bowler Torry Holt in the mix. Holt had a down year in 2008, but he still outperformed each of Jacksonville’s WRs. If Holt can bounce back and give Garrard a legitimate playmaker to throw to on the outside (and if the Jaguars’ offensive line can offer him some protection), Garrard possibly could challenge for a spot among the Top 5 fantasy QBs. The Bad - One might think that, barring injury, 2009 could not be any worse for Garrard than was 2008. The Jaguars’
15. Eli Manning - NYG 6-4, 218, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 500 NYG 479 NYG 529 NYG 522
pcmp 279 289 297 301
pyds ptds 3125 22 3238 21 3336 23 3244 24
int ryds rtds 15 14 1 10 10 1 20 69 1 18 21 0
FP FP Rank 237 18 243 14 252 14 242 11
The Good - Eli Manning had almost no chance of matching his 2007 achievements last year. After all, how do you follow up a Super Bowl win and marrying your long-time sweetheart? But last year was hardly a disappointment. Manning led his team to a personal-best 12 wins, completed 60 percent of his passes for the first time, and threw at least 21 TDs for the fourth consecutive season. Perhaps most impressive, Manning cut his interception total in half, throwing just 10 picks. Manning’s best case is a Top 5 fantasy finish, something he accomplished in 2005. In order for that to happen, the group of young receivers led by Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden will need to replace Plaxico Burress’ incomparable productivity. The Bad - Another season, another December swoon. Manning may have had legitimate reasons to struggle in December, but that’s little solace for fantasy owners who had to start him in their league’s playoffs. Without Plaxico Burress to win jump balls, it’s hard to believe Manning won’t regress a bit in 2009 and that means sub-60 percent passing and 15-20 interceptions. That also means Manning is, once again, a quality fantasy backup but not a worthwhile fantasy starter. The Bottom Line - Manning has the experience and track record to comfortably expect Top 12 to 15 numbers at the worst. The question fantasy owners must ask themselves is whether the youth movement at WR can overcome the loss of Burress and whether any of that matters in December. Manning should be viewed as an excellent QB2 because he could put up QB1 numbers in any given week, but don’t reach for him expecting QB1 production.
QUARTERBACKS
The Good - Another year and another championship for Ben Roethlisberger in 2008. However, fantasy owners that expected a repeat of his 2007 numbers were sorely disappointed. Two years ago Big Ben was a Top 6 fantasy QB, but a new offensive philosophy coupled with a tougher schedule made for a barely Top 20 performance in. The Steelers plan to protect Roethlisberger better this year and give him more time to make plays through the air. Even though Nate Washington left for Tennessee, the Steelers are expecting Limas Sweed to step in as a deep threat and red zone target. The Bad - Pittsburgh is not known for an awesome air attack. With their stifling defense they only need their offense to move the ball and eat up the clock. Big Ben has only had more than 18 TD passes once (32 in 2007) and usually throws 17 TDs on the season. The Steelers will once again be making a championship run, and with that tremendous defense it should be more of the same for the passing attack in 2009. The Bottom Line - The Steelers want to win games with a tough defense and a clock-chewing ground game which leaves little room for Roethlisberger to put up big numbers unless the team gets in a shootout. Big Ben needs a better offensive line because he took a beating week in and week out in 2008. Sure, he can make big plays when the called play breaks down, but too often he was running for his life behind a porous line. Throwing for 20 TDs would be an improvement for Roethlisberger, and on this Steelers team that could be his ceiling.
offensive line was in shambles last season, and Garrard lacked a go-to receiver. Yet, he still finished as the No. 11 fantasy QB. Can his downside be any worse than that? Actually, yes. While the Jaguars’ season was a huge disappointment, the Jaguars’ did face more prevent defenses, trailing in the fourth quarter, than they are likely to see this year. If Holt is washed up and Mike Walker isn’t yet ready for prime time, the Jaguars’ receiving corps could be worse than it was last year. The Bottom Line - Garrard should have a fantasy season comparable to last year’s. Holt will provide some help, but he isn’t the superstar he used to be. The offensive line should be better, but that will probably make a bigger difference in the running game than in the passing game. The Jaguars probably won’t play from behind as often, but if they can better sustain drives, they’ll have more total offensive plays. All in all, we can probably expect comparable yardage numbers and 15 to 20 TDs.
16. Matt Hasselbeck - SEA 6-4, 220, age: 34
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 510 SEA 209 SEA 562 SEA 371
pcmp 298 109 352 210
pyds ptds 3188 22 1216 5 3966 28 2442 18
int ryds rtds 14 88 1 10 69 0 12 79 0 15 110 0
FP FP Rank 248 15 78 36 306 7 190 22
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QUARTERBACKS
The Good - The Seahawks had a chance to select Mark Sanchez in this year’s draft but passed on the opportunity, leaving Matt Hasselbeck with a hold on the starting QB position in Seattle. He has been a Top 10 fantasy QB when he has stayed healthy. Over the last seven years, Hasselbeck has been nagged by injuries during the even years but has been able to stay healthy during the odd years. If you’re superstitious – this is an odd year. T.J. Houshmandzadeh gives him a true WR1 for the first time since Darrell Jackson left, and the combination of Houshmandzadeh and TE John Carlson will provide a pair of solid red zone targets. A Top 10 season is well within reason if Hasselbeck can stay healthy. The Bad - Hasselbeck is six months older than Peyton Manning – no spring chicken, but the Seahawks are convinced he has at least a few good years left in him. Nonetheless, unlike Manning, Hasselbeck has struggled with injuries in about half of his seasons as a Seahawk. Concern about his durability will likely drop him down to the QB15-QB20 range in most fantasy drafts this season, and if last year’s back injury (which plagued him from Week 5 on) continues to give him trouble, he could easily fail to live up to even that discounted draft position. The Bottom Line - Hasselbeck has a high upside and a low downside. If he stays healthy, he should be good for at least 3,300 yards and 22 touchdowns, and perhaps substantially better than that. But his frequent assortment of injuries over the past eight season make him difficult to count on as a starter.
17. Matt Cassel - KC 6-5, 230, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 515 NE 516 NE 7 NE 8
pcmp 287 327 4 5
pyds ptds 3116 20 3693 21 38 0 32 0
int ryds rtds 15 198 1 11 271 2 1 12 1 0 4 0
FP FP Rank 247 16 297 8 8 70 2 64
See Cassel’s full-page Face-off on Page 103.
18. Trent Edwards - BUF 6-4, 220, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007
team patt PROJ 450 BUF 374 BUF 269
pcmp 280 245 151
pyds ptds 3128 20 2699 11 1630 7
int ryds rtds 15 106 1 10 117 3 8 49 0
FP FP Rank 238 17 199 22 106 30
The Good - Entering his third year in the NFL, Trent Edwards has already started 23 games, but he is still a young QB who should continue to improve as he gains more experience. The Bills have not given him a lot to work with in the past as they had Lee Evans at WR and not a whole lot else. This year, however, the Bills made one of the offseason’s biggest headlines when they signed Terrell Owens to a one-year contract. Adding one of the league’s elite receivers should have a dramatic impact on the Bills offense. With two of the best WRs in the league at his disposal along with a deep group of RBs to keep the chains moving, Edwards could be on the verge of a breakout season. The Bad - Although Edwards has shown some promise as a game manager and has a high completion percentage, he does not take a lot of chances and frequently looks for a checkdown when a bigger play might be available. He’s also limited by the conservative nature of the Bills coaching staff. Owens doesn’t have a great history of getting along with his QBs and
coaches, so we’ll have to see what type of chemistry he and Edwards can develop. If they don’t click early and the season gets off to a bad start, things could spiral downward very quickly. The biggest concern is probably the Bills offensive line, which will have three new starters this year after trading away Pro Bowl LT Jason Peters. The Bottom Line - In 24 career games, Edwards has only accounted for 21 total TDs, so he hasn’t been a very productive fantasy option up to this point. In his favor, however, most young QBs take time to develop, and the Bills have not had much talent for him to throw to. Neither of those challenges should hold him back anymore as he is at the point in his career where he should be able to lead an offense and the addition of Owens has dramatically upgraded the Bills talent level. If the line can play well and Edwards stays healthy all year, he has a chance to be a reliable QB2 this year.
19. Kyle Orton - DEN 6-4, 220, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007
team patt PROJ 420 CHI 465 CHI 79
pcmp 262 272 42
pyds ptds 2881 20 2972 18 475 3
int ryds rtds 13 40 0 12 49 3 2 -1 0
FP FP Rank 215 24 232 18 34 55
The Good - Kyle Orton comes to Denver from Chicago and suddenly finds himself surrounded by superior talent. The Broncos have a better offensive line, better wide receivers, and arguably a better ground game than the Bears which could mean that Orton is primed for a banner year. Add in the fact that he will now be coached by QB guru Josh McDaniels and it only enhances his potential production. In 2008 Jay Cutler had a phenomenal season in Denver, but Orton is no Cutler. While he may not throw for as many yards (Denver could feature Knowshon Moreno more than expected) Orton could be a more efficient QB - especially in the red zone. The Bad - The Broncos brought in Chris Simms to compete for the QB position and it could be a battle that goes back and forth throughout the season. Simms has reportedly looked very good in mini camp and he has a much stronger arm than Orton. Head Coach Josh McDaniels may vacillate back and forth between the two until one emerges. Orton looked good in the first half of the 2008 season, but after an ankle injury (that he, perhaps mistakenly, played through) he looked like a below average QB. Orton should be better protected behind the Denver offensive line, but if the pressure gets to him he usually falters. The Bottom Line - We expect Orton to win the starting job in Denver, although it could take him until the end of training camp to do so. We’ve seen what Orton can do with average weapons and average protection, so it’s not out of the question to expect his numbers to match - or perhaps improve upon his 2008 performance.
20. Jake Delhomme - CAR 6-2, 205, age: 34
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 436 CAR 414 CAR 86 CAR 431
pcmp 250 246 55 263
pyds ptds 3008 19 3288 15 626 8 2805 17
int ryds rtds 14 28 0 12 21 2 1 26 0 11 12 0
FP FP Rank 215 23 226 20 65 43 198 21
The Good - Jake Delhomme is certainly capable of a big season – he threw for 3,800+ yards and 29 TDs in 2004. In his
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QB - Kansas City
Matt Cassel Face-off In a Footballguys.com Face-off, two writers provide an in-depth look at a player by examining either his high side or his low side. Whose argument is stronger? That is left up to you. For dozens more Face-offs, visit Footballguys.com.
The Low Side
The High Side
by Cecil Lammey
by Andy Hicks
ICON/SMI
M
att Cassel will be one of the more polarizing players in fantasy drafts this year. There will be many people in every draft who do not want to touch him. This is to your advantage. The case against Cassel is relatively easy to make: 1) Cassel is a system QB. 2) He had Randy Moss & Wes Welker among others to account for his “successful” season. 3) He moves from an 11-5 team to a 2-14 team. 4) His new team lost their best receiver. 5) Tyler Thigpen is ready to start at a moment’s notice. I’m sure that there are more issues that could be dredged up, particularly from a statistical point of view, but his passer rating was Top 10 in the league and all of this was achieved by a player who hadn’t started since high school. Despite a slow start last year, Cassel found his groove and ended the season as the eighth ranked fantasy QB. He threw back-toback 400-yard games and passed for at least three touchdowns in five games. His touchdown to interception ratio was impressive and his ability to run the ball added an additional two touchdowns and almost 300 yards. In short Cassel did more than was expected of him. Let’s look at the move to Kansas City and remove the fear factor. Last year despite a conservative offense, and let’s verify that by quoting former coach Herm Edwards “If we score 21 points, I’ll say, ‘Whoa, we scored a lot of points.’ Twenty-one points – that’s a lot of points.” Kansas City still ranked in the Top 10 in pass attempts and passing TDs, higher than New England. The introduction of new head coach, former Arizona offensive coordinator Todd Haley, should give a boost to the offense, particularly the passing game. The Cardinals ranked third in points scored, with 136 more than Kansas City. The departure of Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons will hurt, but they have plenty of other options for Cassel. Dwayne Bowe is quickly making a name for himself as one of the best young receivers in the game, and Mark Bradley came from the scrap heap to become an excellent complement to Bowe. The Chiefs have good pass-catching backs in Larry Johnson & Jamaal Charles, and they also have high hopes for the probable replacement of Tony Gonzalez, last year’s third-round pick Brad Cottam. A lot of people when rating Cassel don’t seem to account for possible improvement in a guy who hadn’t played competitively for seven years. Cassel’s first season as a starter is as good if not better than almost any other quarterback ever to play the game. His pass completion percentage was Top 10 all-time for a first season starting quarterback, with mainly established greats such as Joe Montana, Brett Favre and Tom Brady ahead of him. Drafting Matt Cassel to be your starting QB would be risky, but as your backup or part of a committee he’ll be very useful.
M
att Cassel has backed up some of the best QBs in the game today – Carson Palmer while at USC and Tom Brady during his time in New England. Many wondered how he would perform if he was forced into the starting lineup, and in 2008 we got to see that after Tom Brady went down in Week 1. This offseason Cassel was given the franchise tag by the Patriots, traded to Kansas City for a second round pick, and is now the main man for the Chiefs as they begin the rebuilding process. Last season Cassel finished as the No. 8 fantasy QB, and many people are expecting him to do the same – or even more – this year. As Joe Bryant likes to say, things change fast around here so you have to stay on top of the happenings in the NFL. First off, Cassel likely had a career year in 2008, and as history tells us repeatedly, very few players repeat or improve on their numbers after such a performance. So why wouldn’t Matt Cassel at least come close to those numbers again? Let’s look into this a little further. Last season Cassel struggled in the preseason and some thought that he might lose his roster spot to the Patriots 2008 third-round pick Kevin O’Connell. The Patriots didn’t feel they could trust a rookie behind Tom Brady and kept Cassel on the roster which proved to be their saving grace when Bernard Pollard rolled up on Brady’s knee. He looked rough the first several weeks of the season, but Josh McDaniels started to open things up and by the middle of the year he was running the offense effectively. However, even with elite talent surrounding him, too often Cassel looked painfully average. He likes to lock on to his receivers and tends to hold on to the ball too long which was evident because he was sacked 47 times in 2008. Now he goes to a team in Kansas City that doesn’t have the same type of weapons as New England, let alone the same type of offensive line. He goes from throwing to Randy Moss and Wes Welker to throwing to Dwayne Bowe and Mark Bradley. That is a huge difference that will show up in his final numbers. Todd Haley is his new head coach and he did great things with the Arizona offense – but Cassel is not Kurt Warner. What is the biggest difference between Cassel and Warner (or Tom Brady)? It’s quickness when going through reads and decisiveness when throwing the football. Being with a new team, with less dangerous weapons, and more pressure on his shoulders = Matt Cassel struggling to match his numbers from 2008.
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QUARTERBACKS
second year back from Tommy John surgery, we could expect improvement after an uneven 2008 season. Steve Smith should be available for all 16 games this year, which should help Delhomme get off to a better start. If he can put together a few more outstanding games this season, Delhomme could outperform his draft spot significantly. The Bad - Delhomme’s numbers could come in below last year’s mark as he plays in a very run-oriented offense these days. It’s hard to see him getting back to his mid-decade form, despite the big contract. Muhsin Muhammad is aging and the Panthers didn’t upgrade the WR position during the draft leaving a rather thin selection of targets for Delhomme to choose from (neither Dante Rosario nor Jeff King impressed from the TE position last year, either). The Bottom Line - Delhomme signed a $42.5 million deal with Carolina ($20 million guaranteed) during the offseason, so he is entrenched as the starter. His numbers last season were solid considering he was coming off major elbow surgery, as he finished at No. 19 among all fantasy QBs (in the middle of fantasy QB2 range). That’s a good spot for him as the Panthers love to grind out the game with their running backs, limiting Delhomme’s ceiling as a passer (he’s had fewer than 450 passing attempts in each of his last four seasons).
21. Joe Flacco - BAL 6-6, 236, age: 24
year team patt 2009 PROJ 452 2008 BAL 428
pcmp 280 257
pyds ptds 3074 17 2971 14
int ryds rtds 13 176 1 12 180 2
FP FP Rank 232 19 227 19
The Good - The theory goes, the biggest leap forward a quarterback will make is between his first and second seasons as a starter. Considering Joe Flacco took his team to within a game of the Super Bowl, a significant increase in productivity would be music to Baltimore’s ears. Flacco will go into the season with three legitimate runners to help the ground game, all of his receivers back in town, and an additional tight end in L.J. Smith. What’s more, in an interesting twist, the defensive losses for Baltimore could be Flacco’s gain. If the Ravens play fewer close, smash-mouth style games, the potential could be there for the team to air it out a bit more. He has already proven that he throws a very good deep ball - why not use it a bit more? The Bad - Flacco’s numbers were solid, but not eye-popping, a year ago. Obviously it’s difficult to say anything negative about his performance, but a case can be made that the defense and running game carried the team to the AFC title game. It could be argued that the best thing Flacco did was to not mess it all up. While he did make plays and didn’t make a ton of mistakes, he’ll also enter his second season with expectations now. Had he turned in a typical rookie season, fans would be looking for improvement. The fact that he had an unprecedented rookie season means that anything short of significant improvement might be seen as regression. The Bottom Line - The training wheels should come off in 2009 as the Ravens look to find out if Flacco can join the ranks of the elite in Year 2. He’ll likely be given a bit more freedom within the offense, as he showed signs of that a year ago. His counting numbers (yards, touchdowns) should increase as the team takes to the air a bit more. It wouldn’t be surprising in the least to see him enjoy a Ben Roethlisbergertype arc to his career.
22. Jason Campbell - WAS 6-5, 228, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 465 WAS 506 WAS 417 WAS 207
pcmp 274 315 250 110
pyds ptds 2930 16 3245 13 2700 12 1297 10
int ryds rtds 9 200 1 6 258 1 11 185 1 6 107 0
FP FP Rank 228 21 240 17 196 18 110 33
The Good - After seven offensive playbooks in nine seasons, Jason Campbell has to be happy to enter the 2009 season with the same coaches, supporting cast and playbook as last year. After completing a career-best 62.3 percent of his passes and throwing the fewest interceptions per pass in the league, Campbell has something to build upon. If he can shake off the team’s overtures to replace him and show a willingness to take more chances downfield, this year, Campbell could surprise and be a fringe Top 12 passer. His athleticism and mobility (258 yards rushing in 2008) add upside beyond what should be solid but not spectacular passing stats. The Bad - Campbell must have felt like persona non grata at times this offseason, as the Redskins were linked to Jay Cutler rumors and then were allegedly interested in drafting Mark Sanchez. It’s hard to believe the Redskins view Campbell as the long-term answer anymore. If Campbell lets that fact affect his confidence all bets are off. If the team’s young receivers fail to improve in their second year, or Campbell continues to play ultra-conservatively, he could be among the least compelling fantasy options. The Bottom Line - Campbell is a difficult player to project this year. Realistically, neither Todd Collins nor Colt Brennan should threaten his playing time. But then again, coaches can make surprising decisions particularly if management doesn’t feel Campbell has a long-term future in Washington. The real key for Campbell will be whether his supporting cast develops.
23. Chad Pennington - MIA 6-3, 225, age: 33
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 470 MIA 476 NYJ 260 NYJ 485
pcmp 299 321 179 313
pyds ptds 3173 18 3653 19 1765 10 3352 17
int ryds rtds 11 48 0 7 62 1 9 32 1 16 109 0
FP FP Rank 224 22 264 11 128 27 231 16
The Good - The best-case scenario for Chad Pennington in 2009 is the same production as he enjoyed in 2008. He had an unbelievable season, but with a killer schedule in front of the Dolphins this year, it will be difficult to expect more than what he accomplished in 2008. The Bad - Pennington struggles to live up to the spectacular 2008 campaign and slides back down to earth. He doesn’t complete 67 percent of his passes and throws for fewer yards. In addition the Dolphins fall out of playoff contention thanks to a murderous schedule and second-year pivot Chad Henne as well as rookie Pat White earn some second half playing time as the Dolphins prepare for the future. The Bottom Line - Pennington may struggle to match 3,600+ passing yards this season, but he’ll still have a high completion percentage and may get a few more touchdown passes. All things considered, he’ll have marginal value as a fantasy starter but possibly good value as a backup.
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24. Shaun Hill - SF
27. Sage Rosenfels - MIN
6-3, 226, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007
team patt PROJ 445 SF 288 SF 79
6-4, 216, age: 31
pcmp 264 181 54
pyds ptds 3026 18 2046 13 501 5
int ryds rtds 16 144 1 8 115 2 1 14 1
FP FP Rank 228 20 170 27 51 48
25. JaMarcus Russell - OAK 6-6, 255, age: 24
year 2009 2008 2007
team patt PROJ 420 OAK 368 OAK 66
pcmp 241 198 36
pyds ptds 2667 14 2423 13 373 2
int ryds rtds 10 94 1 8 127 1 4 4 0
FP FP Rank 195 26 184 24 23 60
The Bottom Line - This is the year that JaMarcus Russell starts to earn that No. 1 overall draft pick. He started to “get it” at the end of the 2008 season, and now with better WRs he should have the best season of his career. Over 3,000 yards passing with around 15 passing TDs certainly isn’t out of the question for the big signal caller.
26. Marc Bulger - STL 6-3, 210, age: 32
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 445 STL 440 STL 378 STL 588
pcmp 246 251 221 370
pyds ptds 2715 14 2720 11 2392 11 4301 24
int ryds rtds 14 34 0 13 41 0 15 13 0 8 44 0
FP FP Rank 181 29 173 26 150 21 307 3
The Bottom Line - Based on Marc Bulger’s previous accomplishments, he is worth considering as a low-end QB2 in 12-team fantasy leagues. But with so many unproven players he’ll have to rely on, playing in a new system that may take a while to jell; he is no better than a late-round flyer.
team patt PROJ 365 HOU 174 HOU 240 HOU 39
pcmp 219 116 154 27
pyds ptds 2427 15 1431 6 1684 15 265 3
int ryds rtds 12 70 0 10 37 0 12 51 1 1 5 0
FP FP Rank 176 30 89 35 143 24 25 53
The Bottom Line - Without question, the Vikings were in desperate need of an upgrade at QB. That said, only time will tell if Sage Rosenfels is the answer. He does have a swagger about him and has had some success in the past (15 touchdown passes in 2007). However, he throws too many interceptions and makes some questionable decisions on the field. Obviously, he’ll also need Brett Favre to stay retired.
28. Kerry Collins - TEN 6-5, 240, age: 37
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 410 TEN 415 TEN 82 TEN 90
pcmp 234 242 50 42
pyds ptds 2558 15 2676 12 531 0 549 1
int ryds rtds 10 37 0 7 49 0 0 -3 0 6 0 0
FP FP Rank 182 29 180 25 26 57 25 52
The Bottom Line - Kerry Collins enters this season as the unquestioned starter in Tennessee. He proved last year that he could run this offense effectively and may be asked to do more in 2009. However, the Titans are a run-first team so Collins’ production will be very limited by the system.
29. Brady Quinn - CLE 6-4, 225, age: 25
year 2009 2008 2007
team patt PROJ 295 CLE 89 CLE 8
pcmp 157 45 3
pyds ptds 1859 11 518 2 45 0
int ryds rtds 9 80 1 2 21 0 0 0 0
FP FP Rank 142 31 34 42 2 74
The Bottom Line - Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson will battle in training camp for the starting job. Even if Quinn wins the job, he’ll spend part of the season looking over his shoulder. This offense may be one of the NFL’s worst and lacks playmakers.
QUARTERBACKS
The Good - To illustrate Hill’s fantasy potential, if his 2008 stats were pro-rated over 16 games, he would have been a Top 6 fantasy QB. Adding hot shot rookie WR Michael Crabtree and FA Brandon Jones to an otherwise intact passing game, and Hill could be real value in fantasy drafts. The Bad - Shaun Hill will need to adapt to another new offense in 2009 as he’ll have his sixth different offensive coordinator in the last six years. Another concern is that Hill has finished the last two years as a starter on 49ers teams that were out of contention. How will he play in early season games that really matter? With the departure of Mike Martz,the passing game is also likely to be scaled down under the more conservative Jimmy Raye. The Bottom Line - At the conclusion of 2007, Shaun Hill demonstrated the ability to post solid fantasy stats. He was rewarded with an extended contract and the chance to win the starting job outright in 2008. He struggled however to adapt to the Martz playbook and it wasn’t until Mike Singletary took over the head coaching role that Hill was given an extended run to close out 2008. As for Hill’s fantasy prospects this year, with the arrival of Jimmy Raye expect the primary focus to be the running game. The drafting of Michael Crabtree gives him a big play weapon, but is Crabtree going to be a big contributor in his rookie season? There are a lot of questions marks surrounding Hill, but the promise of his upside is tantalizing.
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
30. Mark Sanchez - NYJ 6-2, 227, age: 23
year team patt 2009 PROJ 438
pcmp 267
pyds ptds 2738 15
int ryds rtds 14 68 1
FP FP Rank 196 25
The Bottom Line - Mark Sanchez will more than likely win the job in training camp. And just as likely, he will probably fail to wow many people in Year 1. There are precious few rookie quarterbacks who stepped into starting roles and produced. Barring injury, Sanchez will likely start the majority of the season and if all goes according to plan he will start showing signs of progress towards the latter stages of December.
31. Byron Leftwich - TB 6-5, 240, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 305 PIT 36 ATL 58 JAX 183
pcmp 173 21 32 108
pyds ptds 1983 9 303 2 279 1 1159 7
int ryds rtds 8 51 0 0 7 1 2 7 0 5 41 2
FP FP Rank 132 32 30 44 17 64 97 34
The Bottom Line - Despite a very impressive performance by rookie Josh Freeman in the preseason, the Bucs should FREE DAILY EMAIL: http://footballguys.com/email
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decide to hold off on the future and name Byron Leftwich the starting QB. The team’s best chance to compete in a very competitive NFC South is to go with a QB who has experience and the ability to captain the team - and that’s Leftwich. However, don’t be surprised to see Freeman get time during the year, especially if Tampa Bay struggles to win games.
32. Daunte Culpepper - DET 6-4, 240, age: 32
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 95 DET 115 OAK 186 MIA 134
pcmp 49 60 108 81
pyds ptds 580 4 786 4 1331 5 929 2
int ryds rtds 4 20 1 6 25 1 5 50 3 3 20 1
FP FP Rank 49 35 58 38 105 31 59 42
QUARTERBACKS
The Bottom Line - The Lions were a dreadful team last year and while you cannot pin the blame on Daunte Culpepper, he didn’t really provide a spark when called upon. In 2004, Culpepper threw for 4,717 yards and 39 touchdowns and was considered one of the greatest fantasy players in his era. The past four years have been embarrassingly bad, but he is just 32. There is a chance the light bulb flickers on and he regains his past moxie that made him so special. It isn’t likely in Detroit however as the Lions have nothing to lose by giving their rookie quarterback all the snaps in 2009.
33. Matthew Stafford - DET 6-2, 225, age: 21
year team patt 2009 PROJ 435
pcmp 240
pyds ptds 2667 16
int ryds rtds 19 50 1
FP FP Rank 189 30
The Bottom Line – With the immediate success enjoyed by last year’s rookies Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco, Detroit will likely be eager to see Matthew Stafford on the field. He doesn’t have the benefit of a quality offensive line (like Ryan and Flacco did last season), so the instant gratification will probably not be there. He will likely get hit early and often until he adjusts to the speed of the game.
34. Derek Anderson - CLE 6-6, 240, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 155 CLE 283 CLE 527 CLE 117
pcmp 79 142 298 66
pyds ptds 946 6 1615 9 3787 29 793 5
int ryds rtds 5 22 0 8 55 0 19 70 3 8 47 0
FP FP Rank 68 33 114 32 311 5 56 43
The Bottom Line - Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn will go into training camp battling each other for the starting job. Whoever wins will spend time looking over their shoulder, and each could see the field for several games this season.
35. Tarvaris Jackson - MIN 6-2, 225, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team patt PROJ 100 MIN 149 MIN 294 MIN 81
pcmp 57 88 171 47
pyds ptds 625 3 1056 9 1911 9 475 2
int ryds rtds 2 78 1 2 139 0 12 260 3 4 77 1
FP FP Rank 55 34 101 34 164 20 41 47
The Bottom Line - The 2009 season doesn’t look promising for Tarvaris Jackson. The club signed Sage Rosenfels and is flirting with Brett Favre. Either player would likely start over Jackson. However, if Favre stays retired and Rosenfels turns in a couple of stinkers, the Vikings would not hesitate to turn to Jackson.
Other QBs Charlie Batch, PIT Charlie Batch was lost for the season in 2008 but regains his job as the No. 2 QB in Pittsburgh because Byron Leftwich is now in Tampa Bay. Whenever he’s gotten into a game Batch has been an effective game manager but will likely never be a QB to put up more than average fantasy stats in the Pittsburgh system. If the Steelers don’t protect Ben Roethlisberger better in 2009, we could see Batch fill in for a game or two while the starter is ailing.
Kyle Boller, STL After five years of jumping between starting and riding the pine in Baltimore, Kyle Boller has found a pretty good spot in St. Louis. He is behind Marc Bulger, who has played only one 16-game season in his seven-year career. If Boller does get on the field, he will have a couple of nice targets in Donny Avery and Randy McMichael.
Kellen Clemens, NYJ Kellen Clemens had very little success as a starter two seasons ago, but if the Jets had been unable to move up and acquire Sanchez, they were at least willing to go into the season with Clemens as their guy. That’s not exactly the most ringing endorsement of all time, but it at least suggests they were comfortable enough with him to give it a shot. Should Sanchez hold out for an extended period or falter in the early portion of the season, recent history suggests the Jets would at least give Clemens a legitimate shot to play. He could also win the job out of training camp as the Jets attempt to ease Sanchez in.
Brett Favre, FA At press time, Brett Favre’s agent says the QB has no interest in playing this season. Of course, Favre has met with Vikings officials and world-renowned surgeons regarding his injured shoulder. There are conflicting reports on whether Favre is willing to undergo surgery, but most agree that he is trying to get healthy so he can sign with the Vikings in an effort to gain revenge on the Packers for releasing him last year.
Josh Freeman, TB Rookie HC Raheem Morris has shown in press conferences and interviews to be very forthcoming when it comes to media relations and team information. He mentioned that he’ll make his decision on who will start at QB after the third preseason game, so obviously, the preseason action will be the determining factor on when Josh Freeman’s playing time will begin. Will he be the rookie everyone is talking about in Week 5 or will he succumb to the overwhelming understanding that the QB position in the NFL is miles apart from the previous level?
Jeff Garcia, OAK JaMarcus Russell finished the 2008 season on a hot streak, and the Raiders expect him to continue his progress this season. Because of his draft status Russell may have a longer leash than other starting QBs, but if he were to go out with injury Jeff Garcia would step in and run the team effectively as a game manager.
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Jon Kitna, DAL
Troy Smith, BAL
Jon Kitna is one of the better NFL backups and someone all fantasy owners should keep an eye on. If Tony Romo got hurt, Kitna would be able to step in and put up decent numbers. Would he be a Top 10 fantasy QB? Not likely. But would he be someone worth starting particularly against bad defenses? Absolutely.
Troy Smith will be a solid backup to Joe Flacco, although his size and playing style couldn’t really be more different. He was very serviceable when pressed into action late in the 2007 season, but that was nearly two years and one coaching staff ago. His value for this season is tied directly to Flacco’s effectiveness and health – nothing more.
Kevin Kolb - PHI
Tyler Thigpen, KC
Kevin Kolb had his chance last year, as Andy Reid shocked the world by handing the ball over to him in the second half of the Ravens game. But he floundered and was promptly sent to the bench, reopening the door for McNabb, who put up heroic numbers and cemented his place as the unquestioned starter in 2009. Kolb remains in the team’s good graces, but he has a lot to prove to fans and analysts. Kolb isn’t a backup worthy of a roster spot in 12-team redraft leagues but rather someone to remember as an injury replacement if the time comes.
While the official team line says there is open competition for the starting QB spot, this is Matt Cassel’s job. Tyler Thigpen will be the backup to Cassel in 2009 and should only see the field if there is an injury to the Chiefs’ new franchise QB.
Matt Leinart, ARI
Josh McCown, CAR It is most likely that Josh McCown will not see the field for any significant action in 2009. Of course, there is always the standard chance of injury, but Jake Delhomme generally stays on the field (three 16-game seasons in the last five years). However, if Delhomme starts throwing five INTs with regularity, the Panthers will certainly be forced to turn to McCown. If McCown were to move under center, look for Carolina to lean even more heavily on their potent ground attack.
About two years ago, Michael Vick’s home was raided by federal agents and his life changed. He will soon be released to serve 60 days of home confinement and eventually wants to resume his football career. First he’ll have to be reinstated by the NFL. At that time, he will almost certainly be released by the Falcons as they have no desire to take a $9 million cap hit and have found zero trading partners for his services. Once a free agent, Vick will be able to sign with any team.
Seneca Wallace, SEA Seneca Wallace is certainly not your prototypical NFL quarterback. He’s only 5’11 and weighs in around 200 pounds. However, he has shown excellent ability to be a solid backup. He is perfectly capable of filling in for a few starts if needed, and he will continue in that role this season. In the last few years, Matt Hasselbeck’s body has allowed Wallace to see the field for 28 games (including 12 starts), so it’s reasonable to expect him to see action again in 2009.
Pat White, MIA
Luke McCown is in a four-way battle for the starting job in Tampa Bay. At the moment, it looks like he is on the second rung behind Byron Leftwich. However, McCown’s window of opportunity could be slammed shut soon. If he can not win the starting job this season, McCown will have little role with the Buccaneers with first round rookie Josh Freeman in town.
The Wildcat formation is here to stay in Miami and may be even better than ever this season with the addition of Pat White who has the perfect skill-set to master the formation. There is more to White than a ‘slash’ role as he has a live enough arm to make plays even within a conventional offense, but in 2009 his role will be to step into the ‘Wildcat’ role but under center and perhaps from the backfield to provide additional options to guard against.
Kevin O’Connell - NE
Vince Young, TEN
Luke McCown, TB
Yeah...well...a year ago, there wasn’t any real reason to write about Matt Cassel either. Also, a year ago, there was a little bit of talk that some thought Kevin O’Connell was better than Cassel. Of course, the Patriots stuck with Cassel, and now he’s a rich man while O’Connell is the guy all Tom Brady owners will consider with their last pick.
Chris Simms, DEN The starting QB battle in Denver may last all the way through training camp, and as of right now Kyle Orton appears to have the edge. Chris Simms looked good in practice for the Titans in 2008, and so far the reports have been very positive out of Broncos mini camp. If he can win the job, Simms could be a nice fantasy surprise.
QUARTERBACKS
Heading into his fifth year in the league, this is a make or break season for Matt Leinart. He needs to show enough in practice to warrant the team keeping him after Warner retires. This year, however, he is not likely to provide much fantasy value except in dynasty leagues or as Warner’s handcuff in leagues with exceptionally large rosters.
Michael Vick, ATL
Vince Young was injured in Week 1 of last year and never got his starting job back after Kerry Collins took over. In addition to dealing with his injury, Young also had to deal with some depression and emotional issues. He is currently saying all the right things as he hopes to show the team that he’s finally matured off the field. He first has to beat out Patrick Ramsey for the backup job in Tennessee and then will have to wait for his opportunity behind Collins. He wants to regain his starting job, but that will be hard to do unless Collins gets injured during the season.
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RUNNING BACKS Intro by Jason Wood
1. Adrian Peterson - MIN 6-0, 220, age: 24
year 2009 2008 2007
Maurice Jones-Drew
ICON SMI
RUNNING BACKS
T
he running back position is unforgiving and fantasy owners have to accept the inevitable changing of the guard. The owner of the first pick this year can’t simply call out LaDainian Tomlinson’s name and sit back waiting patiently for his next pick. Tomlinson, while finishing as a Top 10 RB again, suffered through injuries and had to redo his contract to stay in San Diego. The new top dog is Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson who led the league with 1,760 yards rushing and has a shot at 2,000 yards this season. There’s been a lot of discussion that the league is moving toward a running back-by-committee approach, but the numbers don’t really bear that out. Last season 16 RBs had at least 1,000 yards rushing - in line with the league average over the last decade. Also, 12 RBs rushed for 10 or more TDs, slightly higher than average. The Bottom Line is that stud, workhorse
RBs are still en vogue, and as a fantasy owner you need to roster as many as possible. Maurice Jones-Drew is the consensus #2 fantasy RB this year, as he will no longer have to share touches with Fred Taylor. Michael Turner, last year’s breakout star, joins veterans Tomlinson and Steven Jackson in the Top 5. A trio of secondyear stars, Matt Forte, Steve Slaton and Chris Johnson, are expected to deliver RB1 returns again. Curiously, DeAngelo Williams is being drafted more on the threat Jon Stewart poses to his carries than for his unbelievable productivity last season (20 TDs). This year’s rookie class is sure to have a number of impact players. Knowshon Moreno (DEN), Beanie Wells (ARI) and Donald Brown (IND) should all have important roles right from the start. Free agency doesn’t seem to have another Michael Turner for us this year, as Derrick Ward is the highest rated RB to change teams and he slots right outside the Top 30. The thing to remember this year is that RB depth gives you flexibility on draft day. You need not overweight RB at the expense of other positions. Realistically full-time NFL starters are going to fall into the sixth, seventh and eighth rounds. Do your homework, and consider handcuffing your projected starters to insulate yourself from inevitable injury. Visit our website: Footballguys.com where you can view customized rankings that are tailor-made for your league’s scoring system.
team PROJ MIN MIN
ratt 325 363 238
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1528 13 25 165 1 1760 10 39 21 125 0 1341 12 28 19 268 1
FP FP Rank 253 1 248 3 239 3
The Good - Now in his third season, Adrian Peterson is ready to erupt into fantasy stardom. In 2009, the offensive line returns to dominance after an average performance in 2008, new starting QB Sage Rosenfels plays well, forcing defenses to honor the pass and Peterson find huge holes to exploit. He stays healthy throughout the season, once again carrying the ball 350+ times but averages more than 5.5 yards per carry and doubles his touchdown output. He finishes with close to 2000 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns and is the fantasy MVP of 2009. The Bad - Barring injuries, the worst-case scenario for Peterson is a similar performance to the 2008 season with perhaps 30 fewer carries that go to rookie Percy Harvin and veteran Chester Taylor. The Bottom Line - Entering into his third season, Peterson is poised to become the elite running back that fantasy owners have been waiting for over the past two seasons. He has been on the verge over his first two seasons, finishing as the third-best fantasy back in each of those two seasons. However, with improved offensive line and quarterback play this season,
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Peterson has a real opportunity for a magical season.
2. Maurice Jones-Drew - JAX
offense has improved during the offseason with the addition of Tony Gonzalez, which will help Turner find more room to roam during 2009.
5-8, 205, age: 24
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ JAX JAX JAX
ratt 240 197 167 166
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1104 12 55 462 2 824 12 75 62 565 2 768 9 55 40 407 0 941 13 61 46 436 2
FP FP Rank 241 2 223 9 172 13 228 8
3. Michael Turner - ATL
5-10, 220, age: 30
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ SD SD SD
ratt 275 292 315 348
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1155 12 42 315 2 1110 11 77 52 426 1 1474 15 86 60 475 3 1815 28 80 56 508 3
FP FP Rank 232 4 226 7 308 1 427 1
The Good - LaDainian Tomlinson is no stranger to the top of the fantasy RB standings. In his eight years in the league, he has scored double-digit rushing touchdowns in every single season. While Tomlinson has a lot of mileage on him, he has generally avoided taking big hits throughout his career, and has maintained rigorous offseason and in-season conditioning programs with an eye toward increasing his longevity. If Tomlinson plays the 2009 season in full health, he has a chance to return to the top of his game. The Bad - The trend-line describing Tomlinson’s recent drop in fantasy points isn’t pretty. Tomlinson has struggled through nagging injuries over the past couple of years. He’s also seen his yards per carry drop steadily over the past two seasons and now has Darren Sproles waiting behind him for work. Tomlinson will turn 30 before the season starts, an age at which few running backs have bounced back to reverse previous declines in their production. The Bottom Line - Norv Turner said during the offseason that he intends to get Tomlinson more touches than he had last season. If that comes to fruition, another #7 finish is about the worst one can reasonably expect out of Tomlinson, which makes him a solid pick in the first half of round one - that is, if you don’t have concerns about his ability to stay healthy, in which case you may want to pass on him in the first round entirely.
5-10, 237, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ ATL SD SD
ratt 335 377 71 80
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1508 13 8 51 0 1699 17 9 6 41 0 316 1 7 4 16 0 502 2 3 3 47 0
FP FP Rank 234 3 276 2 39 73 67 51
The Good - Michael Turner could repeat his stellar 2008 campaign this year and be among the most valuable pure runners in the league. He’s 27 but has relatively low mileage. With the arrival of Tony Gonzalez and Matt Ryan’s continuing maturation as a passer, teams won’t be able to concentrate 7-8 men in the box very often. Turner should have a lot of seams to work with during 2009. The Bad – Those 377 carries were a lot of work, folks. If Turner hasn’t been able to rest and recuperate sufficiently during the offseason, he could turn in a less-than-magnificent season. One has to regard last year’s stellar performance as a ceiling – it’s hard to see him doing much more than he did during 2008. The Bottom Line - Michael Turner tore up the NFC in his first season as a starter, finishing #2 among all fantasy RBs last year. He posted an outstanding 4.5 yards per carry, rushed for over 200 yards twice and went over 100 yards rushing in eight out of 17 games. Turner is the type of fantasy back who can carry a team to victory on any given week. The Atlanta
5. Steven Jackson - STL
RUNNING BACKS
The Good - Maurice Jones-Drew has always made the most of his touches. His career 4.8 yards per carry is fifth best among active RBs. His career 34 rushing touchdowns already put him on the Top 20 list among active players - in just three years in the league. Jones-Drew has been a solid fantasy starter each of his three NFL seasons while having to share the backfield with Fred Taylor so far - until now. Taylor is in New England, so Jones-Drew could be in line for 250+ carries for the first time in his career, which could easily vault him into the top three among fantasy RBs. The Bad - Jones-Drew’s lowest fantasy finish was at #13 among RBs two years ago. He’s been a Top 10 RB in each of his other two years while sharing the backfield with Taylor. Just because Taylor is gone, however, does not mean that Jones-Drew will have the backfield to himself. Rookie Rashad Jennings has the talent to help the Jaguars immediately, and fullback Greg Jones could get additional carries as well. The Bottom Line - The Jaguars’ running game hit a road bump last season with all the injuries they suffered along the offensive line. While Jones-Drew still averaged a respectable 4.2 yards per carry that was nearly a full yard below his previous pace. With a rejuvenated offensive line, expect the Jaguars’ running game to bounce back; and with Taylor gone, expect Jones-Drew to play a bigger role and projects for a top 5 finish.
4. LaDainian Tomlinson - SD
6-2, 233, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ STL STL STL
ratt 280 254 237 346
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1162 9 48 413 3 1043 7 62 40 379 1 1002 5 52 38 271 1 1528 13 111 90 806 3
FP FP Rank 230 5 190 13 167 14 329 3
The Good - Steven Jackson is the focal point of the Rams’ offense. They will get him the ball often, both as a runner and as a receiver out of the backfield, and he has the individual talent to put up big numbers. For the Rams to be successful, they will have to rely heavily on their running game, and they play in a conference with a number of weak defenses. If the young talent around him develops some cohesion, Jackson has the potential to finish atop the fantasy RB standings. The Bad - Jackson has been a Top 10 fantasy RB only once in his five-year career. When he is healthy, he gets a huge workload - but that has limited his ability to stay healthy. The Rams’ offense is in a state of transition, and while the running game should be the strongest part of that offense, the Rams may find themselves behind early in games which may limit their ability to feed Jackson the ball on the ground and also limit his scoring chances. Jackson is still practically a lock to finish in the Top 20 at his position unless he suffers a major
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injury that causes him to miss a substantial number of games. The Bottom Line - Jackson carries a lot of uncertainty for a first round fantasy pick. If the Rams’ offense jells quickly, Jackson could be the best fantasy RB in the league. If the passing game and offensive line struggle, Jackson will be unable to propel himself into the Top 10 all by himself. Jackson needs help from his teammates to enjoy fantasy success, so your view of his fantasy prospects will depend somewhat on your view of how the Rams’ offense will fare as a unit.
6. Matt Forte - CHI 6-1, 217, age: 24
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 CHI
ratt 280 316
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1106 9 60 432 3 1238 8 77 63 477 4
FP FP Rank 226 6 244 4
See Forte’s full-page face-off on Page 111.
7. Brian Westbrook - PHI
RUNNING BACKS
5-8, 200, age: 30
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ PHI PHI PHI
ratt 215 233 278 240
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 935 7 57 450 4 936 9 73 54 402 5 1333 7 120 90 771 5 1217 7 109 77 699 4
FP FP Rank 204 11 218 10 282 2 258 6
The Good - Brian Westbrook has the ability be a 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver and certainly any discussion of his upside would start there. But at 29 years old, coming off a season that fell a bit short of expectations, a more realistic upside would be a return to Top 5 fantasy status. For that to happen, Westbrook must stay on the field for at least 14 games, the Eagles rebuilt offensive line must be effective from the start, and Westbrook has to recapture some of the explosiveness his balky knee robbed from him in 2008. The Bad - The biggest worry for Westbrook is the chronic swelling in his knee that kept him from practicing for most of the 2008 season and also limited his effectiveness. If the knee condition persists, or worsens, his days as an elite fantasy player could be over. Westbrook saw marked declines in his yards-per-rush and yards-per-catch last year. The Eagles drafted a complementary RB in LeSean McCoy, who will be chomping at the bit to step into a large role if Westbrook can’t stay on the field. The Bottom Line - Westbrook is one of the more interesting fantasy RBs this year. Many owners will project Westbrook to return to his 2007 form after having an offseason to rest his balky knee and get healthy. Others will avoid him at his likely ADP for fear that 2008 was a harbinger of further declines. The truth lies somewhere in between. In PPR leagues, Westbrook remains a safe first round option. In traditional redraft leagues, you have to be more careful because we may have seen the last of his 1,000-yard rushing days.
8. DeAngelo Williams - CAR 5-10, 217, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ CAR CAR CAR
ratt 260 274 144 121
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1300 12 23 138 1 1518 18 30 22 121 2 717 4 38 23 177 1 501 1 37 33 313 1
FP FP Rank 222 8 284 1 119 31 93 41
9. Frank Gore - SF 5-10, 220, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ SF SF SF
ratt 245 240 260 312
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1054 8 49 407 2 1036 6 66 43 373 2 1102 5 69 53 436 1 1695 8 86 61 485 1
FP FP Rank 206 10 189 14 190 9 272 4
The Good - Frank Gore should be at the peak of his career. He is an excellent receiver and goal line back and is an exquisite runner in general play. With the departure of Mike Martz, San Francisco is expected to be more balanced on offense. Gore presents himself as one of the more solid options towards the end of the first round in fantasy drafts, and its unlikely San Francisco will use a committee approach. The Bad - Gore got hit by the injury bug at a rotten time for fantasy owners in 2008, missing the Week 15 and Week 16 games. Any back can get a sprained ankle, but with his lengthy injury history prior to joining the NFL one has to wonder if this is the start of a pattern for Gore. Gore also has not had a 10-TD season despite getting almost 340 touches a year over the last three seasons. The Bottom Line - Frank Gore is one of the better options if you need a solid RB at the end of the first round of your draft. He’ll get receptions; he’ll get carries; and he’ll get touchdowns. Rookie Glen Coffee may steal some touches but not too many. Gore is unlikely to carry you to a title, but he should be a key contributor if you need consistency each week.
10. Clinton Portis - WAS 5-11, 205, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ WAS WAS WAS
ratt 315 342 325 127
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1339 10 34 258 1 1487 9 36 28 218 0 1262 11 60 47 389 0 523 7 26 17 170 0
FP FP Rank 226 7 224 8 236 4 111 36
The Good - Clinton Portis finished the 2008 season with 1,487 yards rushing and a whopping 342 carries. His 4.3 yards-per-carry average was his best in three seasons, and he had 11 games with either 100 yards from scrimmage or a touchdown. It’s hard to imagine critics once questioned whether Portis could shoulder a full workload. If the Redskins passing attack can take a step forward this year, Portis could have easier lanes and that could mean a Top 5 fantasy finish. The Bad - Portis hasn’t missed a game since 2006 but has logged more than 2,000 carries in his career. It’s hard to imagine that someone Portis’ size can continually handle 300+ carries without breaking down, and that’s always a risk because he’s not the kind of back who avoids contact. More importantly, the Redskins passing game made it hard for him to find running room late in the 2008 season, and it’s unclear whether the team improved in that area this offseason. The Bottom Line - Portis has been a Top 10 fantasy running back in five of seven seasons, including three as a Redskin. As long as he remains healthy, you can be sure he’ll be the centerpiece of the offense. With a willingness to pound the ball inside but the vision to make tacklers miss in the open field, few backs are as sure to perform against any level of competition as Portis. As usual, Portis is an elite fantasy back that you can probably draft a few picks later than his value.
See Williams’ full-page spotlight on Page 115. FREE 32 PAGE CAMP UPDATE: http://freeupdate.footballguys.com
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RB - Chicago
Matt Forte Face-off
In a Footballguys.com Face-off, two writers provide an in-depth look at a player by examining either his high side or his low side. Whose argument is stronger? That is left up to you. For dozens more Face-offs, visit Footballguys.com.
The High Side
The Low Side
by Jeff Haseley
by Jeff Pasquino
ast year, Matt Forte took the league by storm gaining 1715 total yards with 12 total TDs. He was the first rookie RB to eclipse 300 carries since LaDainian Tomlinson turned the trick in 2001. Forte finished seventh in rushing yards, despite the Bears as a team finishing 24th in the same category. That statistic emphasizes the fact that Forte was the featured back and it wasn’t even close. In fact, he had 282 more carries than the next closest Bears RB (Kevin Jones). Wrap your brain around that. There is no doubt who the feature back is in Chicago and from a fantasy standpoint, having a RB with that distinction is hard to find in the multi-back era. Will Matt Forte exceed expectations in 2009? Considering he exceeded nearly all expectations last year, he’s not sneaking up on anyone this time around. Forte will be drafted as a RB1 this year – that much we know. In order for him to be a success at that draft spot, he’ll have to at least match what he did last year. There are two factors to consider when looking ahead to the Bears 2009 season and how it affects Matt Forte’s chances of success. Both involve the trade acquisition of QB Jay Cutler from Denver. 1. Will the running game improve with Jay Cutler under center?
here is an old saying in fantasy football that you can’t win a fantasy draft in the first round, but you certainly can lose it. Is that a myth? Looking back at the past five years, less than 40 percent of all Top 12 running backs from the prior season repeat. Think about that – the odds are not just against Matt Forte, but every RB that was a Top 12 guy last year. So what in particular would make you shy away from taking him with your first pick? Forte was a workhorse for the Bears, logging 316 carries (fourth most of any RB) along with 63 catches (first amongst RBs). He was such a big part of the Bears’ offense last year that no other RB had over 109 yards rushing and Forte led all Bears in receptions. To put it in perspective, Forte was on the field for 850 out of a possible 1,012 offensive plays – or 84 percent of the time. No other Bear running back was over 7 percent. Talk about being a key part of a team’s offense – Forte WAS the Bears offense. The Bears’ coaches recognize this issue, and they are already saying that a second back will emerge and give Forte some much needed relief. Kevin Jones is looking healthy and he has been a starter in the NFL, so he is the best candidate to give Forte some plays off. There’s another big reason to think that Forte won’t be quite the offensive force that he was last year – and his name is Jay Cutler. The Bears invested heavily to improve their anemic passing attack with the trade to get Cutler, and then the front office went and drafted three wideouts in April. Chicago seems ready to commit harder toward a balanced offense, which should reduce Forte’s carries. Forte racked up over 1,200 yards last year, but he failed to reach the league average of 4.0 yards per carry and needed over 300 carries to get there. While an improved passing game is likely to open up more space for Forte to run, his number should be called fewer times in 2009 due to a bigger commitment to the passing game. Choosing your first fantasy RB is an important decision as it will heavily influence the strength of the entire team. Selecting someone with limited upside and good reasons to expect some downside is a risk I would advise against, so that is why I would let someone else in your league take Matt Forte.
L
ICON/SMI
Yards per carry average for all seven Denver RBs last year = 5.17 Yards per carry for Matt Forte last year = 3.9
Was Cutler’s presence the reason for Denver’s rushing success last year? He is a downfield passer and that means opposing defenses will have to honor and respect the deep ball, thus leaving less defenders in the box to stop the run. Advantage - running game. 2. Will Forte continue to see passes come his way with Jay Cutler at QB? Forte led the team with 63 receptions last year. Will Forte’s receiving numbers take a dip with Jay Cutler at QB? Probably so. The highest number of receptions by a Denver RB in the last two years combined is 38 by Selvin Young. How effective can Matt Forte be this year? It’s hard to imagine the offense won’t improve with Jay Cutler at QB. This means more sustained drives, more plays in the red zone, which leads to an increase in scoring opportunities. It is fairly safe to say that Forte will probably not come close to 63 receptions again, but his yards per carry average should increase from 3.9 YPC. I haven’t even mentioned the signing of Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Pace. His presence will help an offensive line that is evolving. The increase in expected scoring opportunities, combined with being in a one-back system, really emphasizes his potential for success in 2009.
T
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11. Chris Johnson - TEN 5-11, 197, age: 24
RUNNING BACKS
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 TEN
ratt 230 251
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1081 8 45 324 2 1228 9 62 43 260 1
FP FP Rank 200 12 209 11
The Good - Chris Johnson is super fast, and it didn’t take him long to get up to speed in the NFL. He took over the starting job from LenDale White and was much more productive with his carries. He has the speed and moves to score from anywhere on the field, and has set the bar very high for himself in 2009. Johnson is also a solid receiver out of the backfield, and he scored nine rushing TDs despite losing most goalline opportunities to LenDale White. This season Johnson should improve on his rushing numbers because the Titans want to get him the ball more. The Bad - The Titans aren’t sure that Johnson can be a full-time back. They use him in a RBBC with White, but they drafted Javon Ringer to perhaps spell Johnson when he needs a breather. If the rookie flashes some ability the Titans may decide that they need to get him more carries and thus take away more from Johnson. The Bottom Line - Johnson has lofty goals for 2009 - and they are goals that are well within his reach. He can be used on every down and may even be split out wide as a receiver. His speed makes him a threat to score every time he touches the ball so he should have good TD totals even though he loses goalline touches.
12. Steve Slaton - HOU 5-9, 197, age: 23
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 HOU
ratt 265 268
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1179 9 44 321 1 1282 9 59 50 377 1
FP FP Rank 210 9 226 6
The Good - Steve Slaton led all rookies with 1,282 rushing yards last season (good for sixth in the NFL). He finished as the No. 6 fantasy RB on the year and improved as the season went along. He enters 2009 as the clear-cut starter, as the Texans did not draft a running back to cut into his workload. Slaton should get plenty of touches again this season, and could find his way into the Top 5 if all goes well. The Bad - Slaton is a smaller back, and many worry about his ability to carry a full workload over the course of a full season. Although Slaton significantly outperformed expectations last year, He has a track record of only one year and it could prove to be an aberration. The Bottom Line - With his small stature and sparse track record in the NFL, most fantasy owners will hesitate to spend a first-round pick on Slaton this year, but he should go near the top of round two in most 12-team drafts. He has Top 5 upside and very little downside as long as he stays healthy, as he will be a huge focal point of the Texans’ offense. Consider him even money to finish the season as a fantasy RB1 in 12team leagues.
13. Brandon Jacobs - NYG 6-4, 260, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NYG NYG NYG
ratt 245 219 201 96
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1139 11 18 117 1 1089 15 12 6 36 0 1011 4 38 23 174 2 423 9 14 11 149 0
FP FP Rank 198 13 202 12 154 21 111 37
The Good - Brandon Jacobs proved last year that he’s an all-around powerhouse. He averaged an impressive 5.0 yards per carry for a second consecutive season and added 15 rushing TDs, turning him from a marginal fantasy back to an elite one. He still has upside considering he could be more involved in the receiving game. The Bad - What makes Jacobs valuable is also what makes him risky. He’s built like a defensive end and runs with reckless abandon. Without Derrick Ward to spell him, the Giants may turn to Jacobs even more this year, which would increase the beating his body would take. Jacobs missed three games last year and five games in 2007, so a heavier workload is not necessarily a good thing. The Bottom Line - As long as you’re comfortable using a high draft pick on someone who probably will miss a few games, Jacobs is an attractive option as your RB1 and would be a dream option as an RB2 should he fall into the early second round. It’s always tough to count on a runner replicating double-digit TDs, but Jacobs is a great short-yardage back and he should get more touches this year with Ward in Tampa Bay.
14. Marion Barber - DAL 5-11, 215, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ DAL DAL DAL
ratt 230 238 204 135
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 966 7 50 350 2 885 7 61 52 417 2 975 10 54 44 282 2 654 14 32 23 196 2
FP FP Rank 186 15 184 16 198 7 181 14
The Good – Marion Barber has the talent to put up Top 5 fantasy numbers, but in order for Barber to realize his potential, a lot of things need to fall into place. One, he has to stay healthy and handle more than 200 carries per season. Two, the Cowboys have to be willing to put Tashard Choice back on the bench and keep Felix Jones as a true backup. Three, the Cowboys passing attack has to remain potent in the absence of Terrell Owens. The Bad - Fantasy owners hope that 2008 was the worst case scenario. Despite a career-high 238 carries, Barber had his worst fantasy season since becoming a full-time contributor. He only averaged 3.7 yards per carry, missed time and only started 13 games. With both Choice and Jones looking good in limited playing time last year, the Cowboys could decide to use a three-headed committee which would really hurt Barber’s fantasy prospects. The Bottom Line - Barber may be a buy-low candidate this year because of his 17th place finish last season. While owners have to be mindful of the dual threat Jones and Tashard present, Barber has been too good and is being paid too much not to have the largest role in the backfield.
15. Ronnie Brown - MIA 6-1, 223, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ MIA MIA MIA
ratt 225 214 119 241
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 956 9 39 296 1 916 10 43 33 254 0 602 4 46 39 389 1 1008 5 38 33 276 0
FP FP Rank 186 14 183 17 129 27 158 25
The Good - Ronnie Brown, now more than a full year away from his knee injury, should run with more explosiveness and elusiveness than he showcased last year. If his body can hold up, he should become the 20-touch per game player the
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Dolphins wanted him to be coming out of college. The Bad - Ronnie Brown’s durability continues to be a concern for Miami. If the team thinks he can’t handle a full load, he won’t get enough touches to be an elite back. Also, the Dolphins have a first-place schedule this season. If they fall behind in games, they might be forced to the air more often. The Bottom Line - Brown should have a strong season in 2009. He surprised by returning from injury effectively last season and this year should have more explosiveness and confidence on the field. The club really limited his carries last season, but he is capable of 20+ carries per game when healthy and on his game.
16. Knowshon Moreno - DEN 5-11, 217, age: 22
year team 2009 PROJ
ratt 200
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 900 7 25 168 1
FP FP Rank 155 26
17. Ryan Grant - GB 6-1, 218, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ GB GB
ratt 280 312 188
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 1148 7 21 137 0 1203 4 22 18 116 1 956 8 37 30 147 0
FP FP Rank 170 20 162 22 158 17
The Good - In a perfect world, Ryan Grant puts behind his somewhat disappointing 2008 campaign and returns to the 2007 form that made him one of the more exciting running backs in the NFL. Last year he had 312 carries but only managed four rushing touchdowns. His lengthy offseason holdout probably had a negative impact on his season, so he should have a more focused 2009. The Bad - There is always a chance that the Grant we saw in 2007 was the anomaly. Without a Hall of Fame quarterback in the backfield, defenses were able to concentrate more on Grant and lessened his impact. The Bottom Line - The Packers offensive line is solid, the passing game is terrific and the rushing attack should be better than last year. There is no reason for Grant not to increase last season’s poor yard-per-carry average this season, and his
18. Reggie Bush - NO 6-0, 200, age: 24
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NO NO NO
ratt 145 106 157 155
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 595 5 75 608 5 404 2 73 52 440 4 581 4 98 73 417 2 565 6 121 88 742 2
FP FP Rank 180 18 120 35 136 24 178 17
The Good - After seven weeks in 2008, Reggie Bush was a Top 8 fantasy RB. Unfortunately due to injury, it did not last. This year, providing Bush comes back healthy, he could be undervalued for perhaps the first time ever as a fantasy option. Before his injury he was on target for over 100 receptions, so his value in PPR leagues is extremely high. With the Saints passing on a RB in the draft or not signing one in free agency, the Saints obviously believe that Bush and Pierre Thomas can share the workload this season. The Bad - Microfracture surgery on a knee usually is a terrible thing to hear for a running back. After four injuries to his knee, resulting in him missing half of the Saints last 20 games, one has to wonder whether Bush will ever be able to handle even a reasonable workload in the NFL. It is also clear that he is never going to be a force between the tackles. The Bottom Line - Bush finds himself at a bit of a career crossroads this year. Of vital importance will be injury news and his rehab. A full recovery and Bush could finally put together that season he’s teased us with - meaning obvious fantasy stardom. If he cannot handle a full workload and only plays sparingly then his value will once again be limited, and he could be relegated to a complementary role.
19. Kevin Smith - DET 6-1, 217, age: 23
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 DET
ratt 235 238
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 975 8 40 280 1 976 8 54 39 286 0
FP FP Rank 180 19 174 18
The Good - Smith had a very strong second half of the season last year with the Lions - especially considering just how terrible they were. He rushed for 708 yards in the months of November and December and averaged almost 22 carries per game. The best-case scenario for Smith in 2009 is similar production to his final eight games of a year ago. The Bad - The Lions offense could improve this season but still struggle for consistency behind rookie QB Matthew Stafford. The offensive line is a weak point and will likely fail to consistently open holes to run through. New Lion, veteran Maurice Morris from Seattle, could take some of the carries away from Smith. The Bottom Line - With a rookie signal-caller under center, expect the Lions to steal a page from the Falcons book from last season and establish a strong rushing attack to take pressure away from Stafford. Smith showcased last season that he is capable of 20+ carries per game, and he will likely receive a heavy workload even if he does lose some touches to Morris.
RUNNING BACKS
The Good - Knowshon Moreno is hyper-competitive and wants the ball in his hands during crunch time. He doesn’t have ideal bulk for an every-down RB, but Moreno is a gamebreaker and doesn’t require a ton of carries to make big plays. HC Josh McDaniels stated that he especially loved Moreno’s pass protection. Even though the Broncos have brought in four RBs through free agency, this is Moreno’s job to lose, and the team is expecting him to carry the full-time load in 2009. The Bad - The Broncos signed Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington, LaMont Jordan, and Darius Walker to free agent deals, so they expect to use multiple backs. Moreno would be the lead back in the committee but could be replaced on short yardage and goalline situations by LaMont Jordan. He could also be taken out of the game on certain passing downs for Arrington. The Bottom Line - Many expect the Broncos to run a New England-style offense and that certainly is a possibility. However, they didn’t draft Moreno that high for him to simply be a committee back. They anticipate that he will be involved on every down as a runner and receiver. Moreno is a special back - the likes that Denver hasn’t seen since the days of Clinton Portis.
offense should afford him numerous scoring chances.
20. Larry Johnson - KC 6-1, 228, age: 30
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ KC KC
ratt 215 193 158
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 914 9 16 110 0 874 5 17 12 74 0 559 3 42 30 186 1
FP FP Rank 156 25 129 29 98 40
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2006 KC
416
1789
17
66
41
410
2
334
2
RUNNING BACKS
The Good - Larry Johnson finished the 2008 season as the 29th best fantasy football RB. His season was one to forget outside of a couple of games (specifically his 198-yard performance against Denver). Despite rumors, the Chiefs did not send him away in a trade and now are set to make him the feature back once again. We may never see 1,700 yard seasons from LJ again, but a 275 carry - 1,200 yard rushing season is not out of the question. The Bad - Johnson wasn’t used much as a receiver in 2008, and that trend should continue this year. He may also lose out on some goalline opportunities as the Chiefs try to take advantage of Jamaal Charles’ quickness and agility in space. Once again in 2009, the Chiefs could be playing from behind a lot, thus relegating LJ to the bench as the team must enter passhappy mode. The Bottom Line - Johnson should get plenty of carries this year for the Chiefs, and he likely will be the primary option when they get inside the 5-yard line. They probably won’t throw to him more than a couple of times per game, so don’t expect a lot of receiving yards from the big back. That lack of receiving (and operating in a poor offense) puts a lid on Johnson’s potential.
21. Marshawn Lynch - BUF 5-10, 223, age: 23
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ BUF BUF
ratt 220 250 280
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 924 7 41 291 1 1036 8 67 47 300 1 1115 7 26 18 184 0
FP FP Rank 170 21 188 15 176 12
The Good - Although Marshawn Lynch has been suspended for three games to start the season, there still remains a chance it could be reduced. Also in his favor, the addition of Terrell Owens at WR should take a lot of defensive attention away from him and give him more room to run. If the Bills rebuilt offensive line can run block better than they did a year ago and Lynch stays healthy, he should be a borderline Top 10 RB. The Bad - The commissioner has suspended Lynch for the first three games of the season so he’ll get a late start compared to everyone else. Despite playing in two extra games in 2008 (compared to 2007), Lynch saw his total number of carries drop by 30 last year. With the added depth at RB thanks to the signing of Dominic Rhodes and return of Fred Jackson, there’s a good chance the Bills will again use more of a committee approach this year and limit Lynch’s touches. The Bottom Line - The suspension will certainly hurt Lynch’s overall production, but he has a chance to put up better numbers in fewer games than he did a year ago if the Owens signing has a positive impact on the Bills offense. The trade of LT Jason Peters figures to hurt the offensive line, but he was an average run blocker anyway. The RBBC approach the Bills used last year should be in place again but Lynch is too talented to not be the lead back whenever he’s available. After his suspension, he should make a relatively safe option as RB2 who could certainly perform like a RB1 down the stretch.
22. Thomas Jones - NYJ 5-10, 216, age: 31
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NYJ NYJ CHI
ratt 220 290 310 296
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 968 8 28 179 0 1312 13 42 36 207 2 1119 1 34 28 217 1 1210 6 47 36 154 0
FP FP Rank 163 22 242 5 146 22 172 21
The Good - Thomas Jones has an excellent 2007 campaign as he shattered his personal TD record with 15 scores. The best 2009 scenario would be for the Jets to continue using him as the lead hammer in their RBBC. If rookie Shonn Greene eats into Leon Washington’s touches, Jones could once again produce like a RB1. The Bad – Washington looked like one of the most dynamic players in the league a year ago. The Jets could be looking for more of a breakaway threat more often this year from their running game since the passing game lost both Brett Favre and Laveranues Coles. The big plays will likely have to come on the ground, and there’s no one better equipped to do that than Washington. The Bottom Line - Jones will still score, but his touchdown total will probably fall in between the two he had in 2007 and the 15 of a season ago. Greene is expected to fill the goal line role, which takes away a large portion of Jones’ scores since he’s not really a breakaway threat. He also faltered a bit late in the season last year, so the Jets could look to limit his touches while at the same time getting their other dynamic runners on the field.
23. Darren McFadden - OAK 6-1, 211, age: 22
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 OAK
ratt 225 113
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 990 7 40 320 2 499 4 39 29 285 0
FP FP Rank 185 16 102 44
The Good – Darren McFadden flashed his playmaking ability several times throughout his rookie season. This year the Raiders are expecting even more out of him, and he’s expecting more from himself. He is very dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands, and the Raiders will use him as their primary receiver out of the backfield as well. The Bad - Darren McFadden is not an effective inside runner, so the Raiders will have to use him on plays where they can get him the ball in space. Defenses will be keyed to stop the ground game, and they’ll be daring JaMarcus Russell to beat them. McFadden will not only have to produce against teams geared to stop him, he will also have to prove that he can stay injury free. The Bottom Line - McFadden could see his carries double from his rookie season as long as he can stay healthy. The Raiders added weapons to their passing game so opposing defenses should not be able to just stack the line of scrimmage to shut down the run. McFadden can rack up yardage in several different ways and doesn’t need a ton of touches to have fantasy-worthy production. Like Reggie Bush, McFadden is not a traditional back, but a team that is willing to use him in the right way will be rewarded with very good production.
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Player Spotlight:
RB DeAngelo Williams ICON SMI
Carolina Panthers by Jason Wood – Senior Writer, Footballguys.com
W
hen DeAngelo Williams was drafted in the first round of the 2006 draft, fantasy owners were excited at the prospects. The Panthers wanted to get back to running the ball with authority and Williams needed only to outplay DeShaun Foster in training camp. Yet, things didn’t go according to plan as Foster had almost 2x the carries while Williams was relegated to backup duties. In 2007, it was more of the same as Foster had 247 carries to Williams’ 144. Fast forward to the 2008 NFL draft and the Panthers selection of Jonathan Stewart with the 13th overall pick. Between the coach’s insistence on giving DeShaun Foster more work for two years and then using a high first round pick on another RB last year, it’s understandable that fantasy owners doubted whether Williams was ever going to emerge. Well, what a difference a year makes. Williams not only proved his doubters wrong, but smashed through all reasonable expectations. He ran for 1,515 yards on just 273 carries, averaging an impressive 5.5 yards per rush. He led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns and added another two receiving scores. When the dust settled, DeAngelo Williams was THE best fantasy RB in 2008. You would think a first-place finish last year would have fantasy owners lining up to draft Williams this year; and yet his ADP indicates quite a few people are skeptical. The critics seem to worry about two things: 1) Williams’ numbers are impossible to repeat, and 2) Jonathan Stewart will force a true time share. Williams doesn’t have to duplicate last year’s stats to be a fantasy stud. His 2008 totals were elite, even by historical standards.
• Only 11 RBs have rushed for 1,500 yards and scored 20+ TDs in a season • Only eight RBs have averaged 5.5 yards per rush on 200+ carries in a season • Only three RBs have averaged 5.5 YPR on 200+ carries and scored 15+ TDs
at the other RBs that have averaged 5.5+ yards per rush on 200+ carries in a season: • James Brooks • Clinton Portis • Jim Brown (2x) • Barry Sanders (2x) • Eric Dickerson • O.J. Simpson (2x) • Adrian Peterson
We’re looking at four Hall of Famers, the best young RB in the game today and two other multiple Pro Bowl runners. The important point to remember is that EVERY ONE of these backs was a fantasy star for much of their career. So yes, while DeAngelo Williams may never again match last year’s feats, history suggests he’s got quite a few Top 10 fantasy seasons left in him. The Jonathan Stewart Factor Jonathan Stewart is an imposing figure. At 5’11, 235 pounds with plenty of speed, Stewart has all the tools necessary to be a 300-carry franchise back. And his rookie numbers hint at great things in the future. He averaged 4.5 yards per rush and scored 10 rushing touchdowns, managing to finish as the 24th best fantasy RB. So why shouldn’t you worry about Stewart eating into Williams’ touches? 1. Williams’ role steadily increased as the season wore on – In the first four weeks of the season, both Williams and Stewart averaged 50 rushing yards per game, but Stewart scored three TDs to Williams’ zero. In the final month of the season, Williams was averaging 140 yards and 1.8 TDs while Stewart averaged 63 yards and 1.0 TD. 2. The Panthers have consistently given
Positives • A formidable OL returns intact • Williams became more dominant as the season progressed • Every RB to do what he did has had an elite career
Negatives • Jonathan Stewart is too good to keep off the field • The Panthers have a very difficult schedule • Stewart’s 2008 numbers will be next to impossible to repeat
By way of illustration, take a look
their top runner 60 percent or more of the carries – When you’re coming off a 12-4 season and you’ve had the success John Fox has over seven seasons as head coach, you don’t fix something that’s not broken. Why We’ve Probably Seen the Peak Williams stands an excellent chance of enjoying many more Top 10 fantasy seasons, but he’s not a strong bet to repeat his #1 ranking for a number of reasons. 1) His YPR is likely to regress – Only Jim Brown, Barry Sanders and O.J. Simpson has more than one season with 5.5+ YPC and 200+ carries 2) His TDs are likely to regress – Only five RBs have had more than one 20+ TD season 3) Carolina has an extremely difficult schedule – Many know that Carolina plays a first-place schedule this year, but in fact the Panthers have the second hardest schedule based on last year’s win percentages Final Thoughts DeAngelo Williams was the top fantasy RB last year, yet somehow people seem ill at ease with drafting him as their RB1 this year. Don’t make the same mistake. Sure, history tells us that the kind of season Williams had is nearly unrepeatable. But that doesn’t mean he can’t or won’t be a fantasy star. The least accomplished runner to do what Williams did last year was James Brooks, and he had FIVE Top 10 fantasy seasons. Four others are in the Hall of Fame. The simple fact is seasons like Williams aren’t flukes, and he is an elite talent. The coaches aren’t going to reduce his touches simply because there’s a talented backup on the roster. Jon Stewart is going to get touches, but not at the expense of Williams, who is the closest thing to a lock for Top 10 numbers as any RB. If you’d like access to more than 120 other detailed Player Spotlights, be sure to visit Footballguys.com and become a subscriber.
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24. Pierre Thomas - NO 5-10, 205, age: 25
RUNNING BACKS
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ NO NO
ratt 200 129 50
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 910 10 35 277 1 625 9 41 31 284 3 251 1 23 19 152 1
FP FP Rank 185 17 163 21 52 61
The Good - Pierre Thomas grabbed his opportunity with both hands in 2008, once Reggie Bush went down in Week 10. In six games, Thomas racked up enough fantasy points to finish the season ranked 22nd. Thomas features in all facets of the game - running, receiving and the goal line. With the troublesome knee of Bush and the retirement of Deuce McAllister this six-week spell could easily be reproduced for a whole season, meaning Thomas would be among the fantasy elite. The Bad - There are two Pierre Thomases: One with Reggie Bush and one without. The one that exists when Bush is fit averaged a full yard less per carry and barely registered on fantasy radars in 2008. The Bottom Line - Pierre Thomas must have been one happy camper when the Saints didn’t draft a running back or add one in free agency. Even sharing time with Bush, Thomas has significant value for fantasy owners and given the injury history of his counterpart, Thomas could be one of the most underrated running backs this season.
25. Jonathan Stewart - CAR 5-10, 235, age: 22
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 CAR
ratt 165 183
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 759 8 10 60 0 833 10 17 8 47 0
FP FP Rank 130 31 148 24
The Good - Jonathan Stewart now has a year of experience in the NFL and has shown he can thrive in a by-committee situation. If he continues to improve, Stewart could eat into DeAngelo Williams’ touches and add on a few more rushing TDs. If Williams misses time for any reason, Stewart would become an instant RB1 in fantasy leagues. The Bad - Stewart and the Panthers scored a lot of rushing TDs last year - if he sheds just a few TDs, his numbers would be less impressive to fantasy owners. If the offensive line suffers some setbacks in training camp, the big holes that Stewart exploited to walk into the end zone last year might suddenly be narrower. The Bottom Line - Jonathan Stewart is a great complement to Williams. Stewart was still a marginal fantasy starter despite playing second fiddle in Carolina – in basic touchdown leagues Stewart was a gem to have. Given the run-first focus of the Panthers’ offense, it seems likely that Stewart will easily be able to post similar numbers during 2009. Remember that the Panthers rushed the ball 504 times last year. That’s more than enough work to keep two running backs happy.
26. Chris Wells - ARI 6-1, 235, age: 21
year team 2009 PROJ
ratt 220
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 869 8 5 33 0
FP FP Rank 138 27
The Good - A good analogy for Chris Wells’ skill set is somewhere between Jerome Bettis and Ron Dayne. While those backs were shorter and heavier, they were college big backs with burst through the line. If the stars line up, Wells will be the team’s starter with an improved offensive line and a passing game that prevents eight in the box. Bettis’ first year
was a 1,400-yard, seven-TD campaign for the Rams. Similar numbers would be the best case scenario for Wells. The Bad - The flip side is that Wells could have a first year like Ron Dayne’s. Wells might not ever start in 2009. The offensive line might not improve over last year. Wells might struggle in a split time situation with Tim Hightower. In Dayne’s rookie year, he had less than 900 total yards and five TDs on around 225 carries. Statistics that low, or lower, are Wells’ downside. The Bottom Line - Realistically, Wells will split time with Hightower between the 20s, but will not see much goal line work. His load might increase over the season, but he is not likely to score double-digit TDs with Hightower there, or pass 1,000 rush yards in a spread offense. Keep an eye on training camp reports. If he is an early-season starter, Wells would be a borderline RB2.
27. Willie Parker - PIT 5-10, 209, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ PIT PIT PIT
ratt 215 210 321 337
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 871 5 16 112 0 791 5 11 3 13 0 1316 2 31 23 164 0 1494 13 41 31 222 3
FP FP Rank 128 33 110 40 160 16 268 5
The Good - Even though they are defending Super Bowl champions the Steelers’ schedule shouldn’t be as brutal in 2009, and Willie Parker would be in for a better year for that reason alone. Improved play from their offensive line will only help Parker and the ground game. The Steelers also cut Gary Russell, so some of the goalline work may go back to Parker this season. The Bad - Rashard Mendenhall was lost for the season, but is expected to be the primary backup to Parker in 2009. We could see a decline in Parker’s stats because it may evolve into a three- or four-headed RBBC in Pittsburgh. Mewelde Moore was a more dangerous RB for the team in 2008 and is a much better receiver. Parker has struggled to stay healthy the last two seasons and the Steelers are set to move on without him if he gets hurt again this year. The Bottom Line - The Steelers want to see if Rashard Mendenhall can be the feature back and will give him every opportunity to succeed in 2009. Parker’s carries will be reduced if Mendenhall can stay healthy, and Mewelde Moore should retain his role as the third-down / change-of-pace RB. That’s a lot of competition for touches.
28. Joseph Addai - IND 6-0, 205, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ IND IND IND
ratt 190 155 261 226
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 732 6 27 211 1 544 5 39 25 206 2 1072 12 49 41 364 3 1081 7 50 40 325 1
FP FP Rank 136 28 117 39 234 5 189 11
The Good - Addai finished as the #5 fantasy RB in 2007 when he got about 63% of the touches from the Colts’ RB position. Last year he missed time with injuries, but if he can return to his 2007 level of production, a Top 10 season is well within reason. The obvious obstacle is that he may not get 63% of the touches again now that first-round pick Donald Brown is in the mix. But if the Colts decide to work Brown into the rotation slowly, and if Addai performs well enough to
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make it hard to take him out of games, he could return to fantasy prominence. The Bad - While most casual observers believe that Addai will get a larger share of the workload than rookie Donald Brown, that view is not unanimous among well-informed analysts. Brown has a better size-speed combo than Addai, and if he outperforms Addai early, Brown could take over the lead role as early as midseason. The Bottom Line - Addai and Brown will most likely share the workload during the regular season, keeping each other fresh for the playoffs. While the Colts offense is expected to put up, once again, way more than its fair share of yards and points, it will need to be consistently solid to make Addai anything more than a fantasy backup.
29. Cedric Benson - CIN 6-0, 225, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ CIN CHI CHI
ratt 240 214 197 157
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 900 8 23 173 1 747 2 26 20 185 0 678 4 27 17 123 0 647 6 10 8 54 0
FP FP Rank 161 23 105 42 104 36 106 38
30. Donald Brown - IND 5-11, 210, age: 22
year team ratt 2009 PROJ 160
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 640 6 23 168 1
FP FP Rank 123 35
The Good - Rookie running backs tend to adapt faster to NFL life than players at other positions. Joseph Addai will still have a role in the offense, but Donald Brown could get the majority of the workload right off the bat, in which case he’ll have Top 15 potential. (Note that Addai was the 11th best fantasy RB as a rookie when he took the lead in a shared workload with Dominic Rhodes.) The Bad - While Brown could get the majority of the Colts’ RB touches as a rookie, it’s at just as likely that he’ll fill a complementary role. Addai is a fairly accomplished NFL running back, and a player like that generally sees more time on
31. Derrick Ward - TB 5-11, 233, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NYG NYG NYG
ratt 200 182 125 0
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 890 5 42 328 1 1025 2 54 41 384 0 602 3 40 26 179 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
FP FP Rank 158 24 153 23 102 37 0 170
The Good - The Buccaneers are hoping that Derrick Ward’s part-time success with the Giants will translate to even greater success as the primary ball carrier in Tampa Bay. If Ward maintains his 5.1 career rushing average, look out as a huge season would certainly be possible. The Bad - The Buccaneers may have selected Ward as their first free agent acquisition in the offseason, but it could mean that he’s just another body in the their backfield. Earnest Graham is one year removed from a 10-touchdown season, so he is more than capable of providing a legitimate one-two punch in what could be a potent backfield. The Bottom Line - The Buccaneers signed Ward to be a key participant in their 2009 running game. The question is, just how often will the team turn to him? Keen observation in camp will be a must in this situation – if he takes to his new surroundings, Ward could be a surprisingly effective fantasy player this year.
32. Jamal Lewis - CLE 6-0, 240, age: 30
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ CLE CLE BAL
ratt 220 279 298 314
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 814 7 12 78 0 1002 4 32 23 178 0 1304 9 39 30 248 2 1132 9 26 18 115 0
RUNNING BACKS
The Good - With a big new offensive tackle to run behind and Chris Perry out of the way, Cedric Benson is finally in a position to redeem himself after several years of being considered a bust. As the full-time starter, Benson comes into the season ready to run wild. With Palmer back under center, defenses can’t stack eight men in the box, so Benson has a chance to exploit the holes that the offensive line opens for him. The Bad - Benson is a classic under achiever, never playing a full 16 game season or touching the ball more than 240 times in a season and has a 3.7 career yards-per-carry average. Benson alternately performs just well enough to make you want him on your roster, and just poorly enough to make you wish he were on somebody else’s. The Bottom Line - Opportunities abound for the Bengal offensive players, and Benson is no exception. After setting career bests in touches and yards, Benson seems poised to finally shake off the label of fantasy bust. All he has to do is perform. Yet he has squandered such opportunities in the past and could very easily do it this season as well. For 2009, expect Benson to push the envelope that is his career best, but don’t be surprised if that isn’t good enough to crack your starting line up either.
the field than on the bench. The Bottom Line - Brown will be expected to contribute right away in the high-powered Colts’ offense. The question is whether he’ll (a) take over the lead role by midseason, as some people expect, (b) split the workload with Addai in an even rotation, or (c) play a complementary role as a rookie while Addai gets 65 percent to 70 percent of the work. With all three scenarios in play, opinion on Brown may not reach a general consensus, and you can expect to see his draft position vary quite a bit from league to league.
FP FP Rank 131 30 142 25 221 6 179 16
The Good - Jamal Lewis is getting a little long in the tooth, but he still has a few carries left in him. The Browns obviously believe in him this season as they added no one of significance to the backfield. Jerome Harrison will get some looks, but this is still Lewis’ team. He will be their primary back. The Bad - Lewis’ rushing average is pretty abysmal for a lead back - he has been over 3.6 YPC only once in the last five years. While he generally plays hurt, Lewis does experience a variety of nicks and bruises. These minor ailments add up and reduce his overall effectiveness. The Bottom Line - The 2007 season looks like a blip on the radar now, and it appears that Lewis has fallen into that RB3 range where he’ll be good enough to have on your roster, but not productive enough to start every week. A new offensive line helps, but with 2600 touches under his belt already, his best years are obviously in the past.
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33. LenDale White - TEN 6-2, 235, age: 25
RUNNING BACKS
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ TEN TEN TEN
ratt 165 200 304 61
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 693 10 8 50 0 773 15 10 5 16 0 1108 7 31 20 114 0 244 0 20 14 60 0
FP FP Rank 134 29 169 19 164 15 30 71
The Good - LenDale White lost his job as the feature back for the Titans to Chris Johnson in 2008 and will not get it back unless there is an injury situation. White still produced enough to be the #19 fantasy RB because he was a goalline vulture for Johnson. He will again be asked to plunge the ball into the endzone whenever the Titans get close so his fantasy production should be similar to his 2008 numbers. The Bad - White is not much of a receiver out of the backfield and turns into a non-factor when the Titans have to play from behind. The Bottom Line - While it’s popular to poke at White’s girth, but he reportedly has shed 23 pounds since last October. Before you get carried away, he still weighs 238, which of course means he tipped the scales at 261 pounds in 2008. This change comes at a good time for White as the team seems prepared to move on from him after this season if he does not become more productive.
34. Felix Jones - DAL 5-10, 207, age: 22
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 DAL
ratt 100 30
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 490 4 18 133 1 266 3 2 2 10 0
FP FP Rank 92 49 46 73
The Good - Felix Jones needs only to pick up where he left off as a rookie as he was explosive as a tailback, averaging a mind-boggling 8.9 yards per rush, and also was a dynamic kick returner. Unfortunately, Jones’ rookie season lasted just six games, and he succumbed to a toe injury that required surgery. Ideally, Jones will step back into the same role in 2009 and split carries with Barber. If he can do that, and maintain his explosiveness, Jones could have a Maurice Jones-Drew type of season and be a surprisingly strong fantasy play. The Bad – Jones’ injury opened the door for another rookie, Tashard Choice, to make an impact. Choice showed that he too is capable of playing a major role, and it would be foolish for the Cowboys to relegate him to the bench. Jones could end up part of a three-man RB rotation in which case all three will struggle to have consistent fantasy value. The Bottom Line - Jones should back up Marion Barber and get more touches than most RB2s around the league. His ability to hit the home run makes him someone worth drafting. You can never predict when he’ll break a big run or catch, but if you have to play three RBs in most weeks, Jones could be a daunting option as your RB3 or flex. And obviously if Barber gets hurt, Jones would be a stud-in-the-making.
35. LeRon McClain - BAL 6-0, 260, age: 25
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ BAL BAL
ratt 115 232 8
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 437 8 15 98 0 902 10 30 19 123 1 18 0 13 9 55 1
FP FP Rank 102 43 168 20 13 103
The Good - Since Le’Ron McClain burst onto the scene unexpectedly a season ago, it’s tough to expect a repeat per-
formance. Things broke right for him a year ago, though it wouldn’t be a total shock to see him approach double-digit scores once again. With Willis McGahee almost constantly banged up and Ray Rice a bit undersized, McClain could get just about all of the goal line and short-yardage work. The Bad - McClain’s role might become a bit more specialized this year. He did a fantastic job in short yardage situations last season, but with the passing game expected to open it up a bit more and McGahee seemingly healthy from day one, McClain could find himself as ONLY the short yardage/goal line back. If that’s the case, he’d make for a nice spot starter but nowhere near a reliable fantasy contributor. The Bottom Line - McClain was an afterthought coming into the season but ended it with over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and eleven total touchdowns, en route to a Top 20 fantasy finish. Considering that just about everything went right for him last year and you can’t expect McGahee and Rice’s roles to be so limited again. The team has a lot invested in Rice in particular, so he’ll likely get a few more touches to see what he can do with them this season. What’s more, McClain isn’t sneaking up on anybody this time around.
36. Willis McGahee - BAL 6-0, 228, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ BAL BAL BUF
ratt 135 170 294 259
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 527 4 20 140 1 671 7 32 24 173 0 1207 7 49 43 231 1 990 6 28 18 156 0
FP FP Rank 97 45 126 32 192 8 151 26
The Good – Willis McGahee is arguably the most talented runner on the Ravens but has slipped a bit in the minds of fantasy owners recently. He had a decent season a year ago when given the opportunity, but didn’t even lead the team in carries. McGahee was the go-to guy at crunch time in the postseason. If that suggests the Ravens trust him above everyone else, then there is no reason to think he can’t return close to 2007 level type of production this season. The Bad - McGahee was passed up on the depth chart by unheralded fullback Le’Ron McClain a year ago. If he can get beaten out for carries by an almost unknown, then certainly second-year man Ray Rice is a threat to his job. The two players together could relegate McGahee to an afterthought in most fantasy circles. The Bottom Line - McGahee enters the season as the “starter”, but what that means is really anybody’s guess. As evidenced by our staff rankings, just about everyone is split on how the team plans to use their running backs this year.
37. Ray Rice - BAL 5-8, 199, age: 22
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 BAL
ratt 160 107
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 656 3 35 273 1 454 0 43 33 273 0
FP FP Rank 117 38 73 55
The Good - Willis McGahee’s knee gave him a lot of trouble last season in the early going. And for all of his production, Le’Ron McClain still averaged fewer than four yards per carry. Ray Rice, meanwhile, was drafted in the second round, produced when the team needed him to, and led the three backs in yards per carry. He has excellent skills and should have earned himself a greater piece of the rushing pie in 2009. The Bad - McClain is still likely going to handle the major-
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ity of the goal line work, and McGahee is still the de facto starter, so Rice’s role could be a bit unclear week-to-week. While he is the future of the team at the running back spot, for 2009 he might be nothing more than a change of pace back. If McGahee is working between the 20s and McClain is working at the goal line, Rice will have nothing more than scraps to pick up along the way. The Bottom Line - Rice is probably going to increase his total number of touches this season. Rice certainly doesn’t have ideal size to be a feature back and despite being the future at the position, he needs a qualifier. He probably isn’t going to be an every-down back even when McGahee is gone, so the team would do well to find out just how much of a role he can handle.
38. Julius Jones - SEA 5-10, 205, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ SEA DAL DAL
ratt 205 158 165 267
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 882 4 24 161 0 698 2 25 14 66 0 585 2 26 23 203 0 1084 4 15 9 142 0
FP FP Rank 128 32 88 49 91 44 147 27
39. Earnest Graham - TB 5-9, 215, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ TB TB TB
ratt 150 132 222 11
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 623 4 23 170 0 563 4 33 23 174 0 898 10 70 49 324 0 59 0 4 1 4 0
FP FP Rank 103 41 102 45 182 11 6 120
The Good - Earnest Graham was slowed by an ankle ligament injury last year, but all signs point to him being fully healed. Graham is only one year removed from being the 11th ranked fantasy RB and could find himself as a major contributor in the Buccaneers running game, teaming with Derrick Ward to give the Bucs a solid one-two punch. The Bad - Graham fell flat in his attempt to assure that his 10-touchdown season in 2007 was not a fluke. Last year, it was Warrick Dunn who took over the rushing duties for Tampa Bay, and this year it could be Derrick Ward filling that role. It’s very possible that Graham could once again see his role
40. Fred Taylor - NE 6-1, 229, age: 33
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ JAX JAX JAX
ratt 150 143 223 231
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 645 6 14 98 0 556 1 22 16 98 0 1202 5 14 9 58 0 1146 5 28 23 242 1
FP FP Rank 110 39 71 56 156 18 175 18
The Good - Fred Taylor seemed to drink from the fountain of youth in 2006 and 2007, averaging over five yards a carry each year in a job-share situation with Maurice Jones-Drew. Taylor should take over as the primary back for New England this season. He won’t be a workhorse, but he could still see 10-15 carries and maybe more if he got it going in any given game. The Bad - Last year, Taylor’s production took a hit with some nagging injuries and he looked his age and a step slower. He also suffered from a banged up Jaguars’ offensive line, but overall his 2008 campaign was not very noteworthy. The Bottom Line - Taylor landed in a good spot after being shown the door in Jacksonville. The Patriots will likely use a rotation of backs or substitute players based on game situations and field position. Taylor probably won’t see more than 10 or 12 carries a game (and not near the goal line) unless the other backs can’t go for some reason. He should play a role, but he probably won’t be a centerpiece any longer.
41. Rashard Mendenhall - PIT 5-10, 225, age: 22
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 PIT
ratt 125 19
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 494 6 12 83 0 58 0 3 2 17 0
FP FP Rank 94 48 8 118
RUNNING BACKS
The Good - Julius Jones was part of a committee last season, but with Maurice Morris headed to Detroit, Jones should see a greater number of carries in 2009. The Seahawks will move to a zone blocking scheme this season, which suits Jones’ one-cut style of running. If Matt Hasselbeck can stay healthy and T.J. Houshmandzadeh proves to be an effective threat on the outside, Jones could see running lanes open up for him along with more scoring opportunities. If everything goes right, Jones could creep into the Top 24 at his position. The Bad - Jones was the Seahawks’ most effective running back last season, but he was generally erratic from week to week. The Seahawks could still sign a free agent RB like Edgerrin James or Warrick Dunn, who could come in and steal carries from Jones. With T.J. Duckett likely to get most of the goal-line work, Jones relies on yardage for his fantasy production. The Bottom Line - Jones had a much more productive first half of the season (70 fantasy points) in 2008 than second half (19). While he should see 200+ carries this season, his lack of opportunities on the goal line substantially deflates his fantasy potential.
diminished due to a quicker, more agile RB. The Bottom Line - On paper, the 2009 Buccaneers running game looks to be a RBBC approach. Both Graham and Ward are capable of being heavily involved in the passing game, but Ward appears to have more of an edge due to his 1000-yard rushing performance last year. Expect Graham to occupy a complementary role in the offense this year, but his presence could still garner significant touches.
The Steelers are hoping that Rashard Mendenhall can take over for Willie Parker in 2010. This season he should be the primary backup to the injury-prone RB and is a must handcuff for Parker owners. With Gary Russell gone the Steelers could try Mendenhall out as the goalline back even though that’s an area he struggled with in his rookie season.
42. Leon Washington - NYJ 5-9, 199, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NYJ NYJ NYJ
ratt 120 76 71 151
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 588 3 51 383 2 448 6 60 47 355 2 353 3 51 36 213 0 650 4 31 25 270 0
FP FP Rank 127 34 128 30 76 48 116 35
Leon Washington will be an excellent option should something happen to Thomas Jones. But assuming Jones keeps plugging along as he has been, Washington’s role isn’t likely to increase very much in 2009 as the team also added rookie Shonn Greene. Washington will still be an adept receiver out of the backfield and will still fill a role on third downs in passing situations. About the only significant increase in playing
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time could be if the team opts to split him out wide and utilize his receiving skills more. They have a lot of inexperience at the wide receiver spot and could use all of the help they can get there.
43. Jerious Norwood - ATL
league. However, Adrian Peterson is poised to be dynamite this season, and the addition of rookie WR Percy Harvin could cut into Taylor’s production. Harvin has amazing quickness and will have a number of plays called for him throughout the season. Those include a few runs and hitch passes every game. Taylor could finish with fewer touches than last season.
6-0, 204, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ ATL ATL ATL
ratt 90 94 102 99
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 473 3 32 262 1 489 4 54 36 338 2 615 1 39 28 277 0 633 2 16 12 102 0
FP FP Rank 98 44 119 37 95 43 86 43
Jerious Norwood is a fine pass-catching RB who is a perfect complement to Michael Turner. He was the 37th-best fantasy RB in the land last year, making Norwood a viable fill-in player in weeks when the matchup was particularly good, and he’s a spectacular insurance policy for Turner. Norwood is a threat to take the football to the house on any given play - he has killer speed. If the need arises, he could step into the starting/featured role in Atlanta - his career average rushing the ball is 5.8 yards per carry, and he has averaged 9.4 yards per reception during his time in the NFL thus far.
RUNNING BACKS
5-7, 180, age: 26
team PROJ SD SD
ratt 115 61 37
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 552 3 37 329 2 330 1 34 29 342 5 164 2 12 10 31 0
FP FP Rank 118 36 103 43 32 78
Darren Sproles is a classic boom-or-bust fantasy player. He has potential to be the Chargers’ lead back if LaDainian Tomlinson is injured, and the Chargers’ lead back is typically a fantasy stud. On the other hand, if Tomlinson stays healthy, Sproles will have too many unproductive games (from a fantasy standpoint) to be a worthwhile cog in your lineup. His greatest value will be as a handcuff for Tomlinson owners.
45. Fred Jackson - BUF 6-1, 215, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ BUF BUF
ratt 125 130 58
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 525 3 33 251 1 571 3 45 37 317 0 300 0 29 22 190 0
FP FP Rank 102 42 107 41 49 65
At 28 years old, Jackson is much older than most players entering their third year in the league. He took an unusual route to the NFL but has clearly proved that he belongs. The suspension for Marshawn Lynch is good news for Jackson early on, but the signing of Rhodes probably means an overall drop in his playing time. Look for both backups to split carries for most of the season. If either gets injured, then bump up the value of the other considerably.
46. Chester Taylor - MIN 5-11, 213, age: 30
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ MIN MIN MIN
ratt 110 101 157 303
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 462 4 45 356 2 399 4 55 45 399 2 844 7 43 29 281 0 1216 6 51 42 288 0
5-10, 228, age: 32
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ MIA MIA
FP FP Rank 118 37 120 36 154 20 186 12
Chester Taylor is a very good back in his own right. In fact, he could likely start for a number of NFL teams around the
ratt 130 160 6
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 527 4 34 238 1 659 4 38 29 219 1 15 0 0 0 0 0
FP FP Rank 106 40 118 38 2 142
Expect more of the same from Ricky Williams this year. The limited carries are helping to extend his career, and he has become a respected veteran in the locker room. He may finish with fewer carries this season if Ronnie Brown can handle a bigger workload, but Williams could also get a couple of starts should Brown get nicked up.
48. Tim Hightower - ARI 6-0, 226, age: 23
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 ARI
44. Darren Sproles - SD year 2009 2008 2007
47. Ricky Williams - MIA
ratt 110 143
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 402 4 15 95 0 399 10 49 34 237 0
FP FP Rank 74 52 124 33
A possible scenario for Tim Hightower, given his talent at blocking, catching, and running near the goal line, is that he is named the starting RB for the Cardinals and sees extensive time in the red zone. However, he is also likely to lose a significant number of plays between the 20s to Wells. That means Hightower is in a committee situation this year.
49. Justin Fargas - OAK 6-1, 220, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ OAK OAK OAK
ratt 115 219 222 178
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 454 2 12 78 0 855 1 15 10 52 0 1009 4 32 23 188 0 659 1 21 13 91 0
FP FP Rank 65 58 97 46 144 23 81 44
Justin Fargas has to stay injury free, and if he does he will be the change of pace back to the explosive Darren McFadden. The Raiders should give him a good number of carries on the season, but Fargas won’t be used much as a receiver.
50. Ahmad Bradshaw - NYG 5-10, 195, age: 23
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ NYG NYG
ratt 115 67 23
ryds rtds targets rec cyds ctds 546 4 11 76 1 355 1 6 5 42 1 190 1 5 2 12 0
FP FP Rank 92 50 52 64 26 85
Last year, the enthusiasm for Ahman Bradshaw was overdone, as Derrick Ward was far too talented and established to give up touches. But this year Bradshaw should see 2-3 times as many touches, and if he can maintain his per carry averages with the increased workload, Bradshaw is a compelling fantasy sleeper in the event Brandon Jacobs gets hurt.
Others: Ladell Betts, WAS Ladell Betts should be counted on as Portis’ handcuff and
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is someone you have to target in the event of a major injury to Portis. Absent an injury opportunity, Betts is only worth a roster spot in deeper redraft leagues.
Andre Brown, NYG Andre Brown is a talented but oft-injured runner. He will likely start the season as the Giants’ third rushing option behind Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. However, if the versatile Brown can remain healthy (he has had two surgeries on his left foot), his hard-nosed style could possibly push Bradshaw for the RB2 spot.
Correll Buckhalter, DEN Correll Buckhalter is good at everything but not great at any one thing. He should spend 2009 as the primary backup to Knowshon Moreno and will see some time on third downs. His fantasy value shouldn’t be too high if Moreno lives up to the hype, but Buckhalter will be a valuable handcuff for all Moreno owners.
Michael Bush, OAK
Jamaal Charles, KC HC Todd Haley knows that he can’t go to Larry Johnson in passing situations, and this could be a year where the Chiefs are forced to throw the ball a lot while they play catch up. It’s not crazy to project Charles to get a significant number of touches this season.
Tashard Choice, DAL Tashard Choice is one of those backups fantasy owners need to have an itchy trigger finger over. He’s not worth drafting in 10-team redraft leagues, but he’s someone that could actually be a starting-caliber RB if his role was redefined due to injury or in a year or two when he gets to test free agency.
T.J. Duckett, SEA T.J. Duckett showed a great nose for the endzone last season and scored eight TDs on only 62 carries. If the offense can get back on track, he could approach double-digit scores.
Shonn Greene, NYJ Barring injury to Thomas Jones and Leon Washington, Shonn Greene isn’t going to be a feature back in 2009. He probably wouldn’t even be a feature back if one of the two got hurt - it would be more of a timeshare situation than anything. Thus, his upside is fairly limited for 2009 in terms of being a consistent fantasy contributor. He should, however, be fun to watch.
Brandon Jackson, GB Brandon Jackson has good size and quickness but did not seize his opportunity for an increased role last year. As such, Jackson remains the third-down / change-of-pace back while
Kevin Jones, CHI Kevin Jones turns just 27 years of age this year, and he still has the talent to surprise football fans if he stays healthy. Forte is without question the starter for the Bears going forward. However, the opportunity is there for Jones to turn heads in the preseason and emerge as a viable second option for the Bears throughout the season. He is the player to take if you want to handcuff the backup to your first round pick Forte.
Laurence Maroney, NE Laurence Maroney recently announced that he had a broken bone in his shoulder last season. That likely impacted his effectiveness in 2008, but it remains to be seen whether HC Bill Belichick will give Maroney another run at starting. For his part, Maroney has averaged a shade over 12 carries a game but his role has been limited to first and second downs. While he’s been very effective after the catch, Maroney has generally been an afterthought in the passing game. The most likely outcome in New England will be another year of multiple backs filling specialized roles and no true workhorse.
LeSean McCoy, PHI LeSean McCoy should find a role as the RB2 and see several touches per game, which would make him worthy of a roster spot. Should Brian Westbrook get hurt, McCoy would be an immediate starter in most fantasy leagues and an absolute no brainer in PPR leagues.
Mewelde Moore, PIT There is a good chance that Mewelde Moore could once again lead the Steelers RBs in fantasy points scored. He is a dynamic receiver, an effective runner, and instantly makes an impact when he comes into the game. However, Moore is a player that may be best used in a limited role and the Steelers could have a three- or four-headed RBBC in 2009.
RUNNING BACKS
Many were wondering how Michael Bush would bounce back after missing essentially two years on the field because of his broken leg. He proved the doubters wrong with his last game of the season, and the Raiders will be forced to find him carries in a crowded backfield. Still, he’s the third option right now in Oakland.
Ryan Grant will once again handle the majority of the work.
Maurice Morris, DET Maurice Morris is a dependable veteran running back. However he doesn’t have much upside and is on the down slope of his career. He is still capable of stepping into an offense for a few games and carrying the ball 20+ times, but he has only nine career TDs. He’ll be a nice second option to Kevin Smith this season.
Sammy Morris, NE Sammy Morris may end up the best value of the NE RBs and the last one drafted. He could produce as a borderline Top 25 running back (if he plays each week) but may be had as the 50th back off the draft board. If he stays healthy, he could see 10 touchdowns this season. That said, this is a very crowded backfield.
Dominic Rhodes, BUF There are some rumors that Fred Jackson is unhappy with his contract situation so he could be a holdout risk if that doesn’t get settled. That, along with the Marshawn Lynch suspension could give Rhodes an opening. Most likely scenario is that he’ll split time with Jackson while Lynch sits out.
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WIDE RECEIVERS Intro by Jason Wood
L
WIDE RECEIVERS
ast season the WR position came back to Earth a bit after a monstrous 2007. Only three receivers caught 100+ passes after six accomplished the feat in 2007. Two receivers had back-to-back, 100+ catch seasons, Wes Welker and Brandon Marshall, but neither are considered can’t-miss fantasy prospects this year. Marshall faces possible disciplinary action, a new coaching staff and a new quarterback while Welker only ranked 21st last season as his TD and yardage totals didn’t keep pace with his prodigious reception total.
Larry Fitzgerald is the consensus top option and it can be argued he’s the most dominant offensive player at any position right now. Fitzgerald is joined by Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss and Andre Johnson atop the rankings. Reggie Wayne, Dwayne Bowe and Greg Jennings transitioned smoothly to their roles as their respective teams’ top targets. Anquan Boldin deserves a mention here, but his contractual issues make him a bit riskier. Steve Smith, Marques Colston and the mercurial Terrell Owens round out the Top 12. Target at least two wide receivers in the first five rounds of your draft, and try your best to roster three of the Top 20-22 receivers. Over the last five years, that’s been the average cutoff for 1,000-yard receivers (20.4 per season), 70-catches (22.2 per season) and six touchdowns (27.6 per season). A number of notable receivers changed teams this offseason, including Owens to Buffalo; T.J. Houshmandzadeh to Seattle; Laveranues Coles replacing Housh in Cincinnati; Torry Holt to Jacksonville; and veteran Bobby Engram to Kansas City. As usual, rookies will have a chance to make their mark, with Michael Crabtree, Hakeem Nicks and Jeremy Maclin all expected to play immediately. Remember, the WR position, more than any other, must be tailored to your league’s scoring system. A possession receiver like Derrick Mason may not be a Top 20 option in conventional leagues, but in PPR leagues he’s a reliable starter. Visit our website – Footballguys.com where you can view customized rankings that are tailor-made for your league’s scoring system.
1. Larry Fitzgerald - ARI 6-3, 223, age: 26
Larry Fitzgerald
ICON SMI
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ ARI ARI ARI
ratt 1 0 0 0
ryds 5 0 0 0
rtds targets rec 0 94 0 154 96 0 167 100 0 108 69
cyds ctds 1250 12 1431 12 1409 10 946 6
FP FP Rank 198 1 215 1 201 5 131 24
The Good - Currently, Larry Fitzgerald is drafted as a Top 10 fantasy pick and the first WR off the board. To be the No. 1 fantasy WR, Fitzgerald will need Kurt Warner healthy. Any possible loss of Anquan Boldin would not affect Fitzgerald’s potential success. He has sufficient help from the other receivers on the team, he plays in a spread offense, he is in his athletic prime, he is the team’s best weapon, and he is productive even when double- and triple-teamed. The Bad - The simple answer to Fitzgerald’s downside involves losing Warner. While Fitzgerald was productive with Leinart, he blossomed when Warner was behind center. Still, we could get a Footballguys.com staffer behind center in Arizona, and Fitzgerald would still be worth starting every week. The Bottom Line - Fitzgerald performed as a top-flight receiver with or without running game support, with or without Anquan Boldin, and with or without good quarterback play. If Fitzgerald plays 16 games with Kurt Warner, he is a virtual lock to be among the fantasy elite.
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2007 DET
2. Randy Moss - NE 6-4, 210, age: 32
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NE NE OAK
ratt 2 2 0 0
ryds 10 0 0 0
rtds targets 0 0 126 0 159 0 97
rec 79 69 98 42
cyds ctds 1122 13 1008 11 1493 23 553 3
FP FP Rank 191 3 167 10 287 1 73 59
3. Andre Johnson - HOU 6-2, 221, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ HOU HOU HOU
ratt 2 0 0 3
ryds 10 0 0 14
rtds targets rec cyds ctds 0 98 1372 9 0 170 115 1575 8 0 86 60 851 8 0 165 103 1147 5
FP FP Rank 192 2 206 2 133 22 146 18
The Good - Much like Torry Holt, Andre Johnson had multiple thousand-yard seasons early in his career without even sniffing double-digit touchdowns. In 2008, he went over 100 yards in eight of his 16 games, yet scored multiple TDs only once. He was the No. 2 fantasy WR, but was tied for eighth in touchdowns. If Johnson can find the end zone at a frequency more commensurate with his overall talent, he could be the top fantasy WR in the game. The Bad - Along with Larry Fitzgerald and Randy Moss, Andre Johnson has almost no downside risk as long as both he and his quarterback stay healthy. Johnson has been a huge part of the offense since Matt Schaub joined the team two years ago and has averaged a shade fewer than 100 yards a game over the last two seasons. He is a nearly lock to get 150+ targets as long as he stays healthy. The Bottom Line - Johnson will be one of the first five WRs selected in just about every fantasy draft this season. If he can break the double-digit touchdown barrier, he would be a difference-maker who could carry some fantasy squads by himself.
4. Calvin Johnson - DET 6-5, 235, age: 24
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 DET
ratt 3 3
ryds 17 -1
rtds targets 0 0 151
rec cyds ctds 88 1294 10 78 1331 12
FP FP Rank 191 4 205 3
52
1
95
48
756
4
111
35
5. Reggie Wayne - IND 6-0, 195, age: 31
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ IND IND IND
ratt 0 0 1 0
ryds 0 0 4 0
rtds targets rec cyds ctds 0 90 1260 10 0 131 82 1145 6 0 156 104 1510 10 0 137 86 1310 9
FP FP Rank 186 5 150 14 211 4 185 3
The Good - After joining the team as Marvin Harrison’s sidekick in 2001, Wayne showed steady improvement over most of his career until he had back-to-back Top 5 fantasy seasons in 2006 and 2007, passing Harrison as the team’s clear WR1 by 2007. The Colts offense had a bit of a down season in 2008, and Wayne’s stats suffered as well. Most people expected another Top 5 finish at the WR position from Wayne last season, and most of the elements that led to those expectations are still in place this season. The Bad - Some of Wayne’s struggles last season were likely due to Peyton Manning’s early troubles with his knee. But another factor was that the team’s running game was largely ineffective, so opposing defenses were able to devote a lot of attention to stopping the passing game. The Bottom Line - We expect Wayne to bounce back from his disappointing 2008 performance. The Colts are dedicated to improving their running game (as shown by the first-round selection of Donald Brown), which should open up the passing game and allow Wayne to face single coverage more often, as he did in 2006 and 2007. Wayne is probably more likely to finish inside the Top 5 than he is to finish outside the Top 10.
WIDE RECEIVERS
The Good - We saw what Randy Moss could do in a Patriots uniform with a healthy Tom Brady in 2007, and if everything clicks again Moss could approach top-tier numbers. With Joey Galloway added to the mix and an upgraded running game, opponents will continue to take a pick-your-poison approach with who to cover. If Brady has time to throw downfield and his reconstructed knee is sound, Moss will return to being an elite fantasy receiver as long as he’s motivated. The Bad - Moss is now in his early 30s and some have alleged that he has lost a step. As always, there is still a spread-the-wealth mentality in New England, and teams could continue to overplay Moss. It started happening at the end of the 2007 season and could return this year. The Bottom Line - Given that Moss is still chasing a ring and the Patriots have a strong chance at getting one, it’s likely that he will stay motivated throughout the season. He developed a great rapport and chemistry working with Brady, and if that magic is still there, he should again be a Top 3 receiver. Even without Brady, Moss ended up as the No. 10 fantasy WR last year - that would be his floor.
4
The Good – Hopefully, Calvin Johnson and rookie Matthew Stafford can immediately develop chemistry on the field and become a deadly duo. Even last season with average quarterback play, Johnson finished as the third best fantasy receiver, so his downside is around that same level. Johnson has the potential to be the top WR in the game. The Bad – If Stafford struggles to adapt to the professional game, Johnson’s statistics could take a drop. However, as shown last season, Stafford would have to flop like Ryan Leaf for Johnson to falter. The Bottom Line - When you look at what Calvin Johnson did last year on a horrible team with mediocre quarterback play, it is mind-numbing to think what he may do if Stafford roars out of the gate like Matt Ryan did last year. Johnson is unstoppable in single-coverage and has the size and ability to shred most double-teams. At just 23, Johnson is still improving his craft and he has a chance to be considered one of the finest at his position of all time if he continues to improve on the field.
6. Steve Smith - CAR 5-9, 179, age: 30
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ CAR CAR CAR
ratt 5 5 9 8
ryds 35 40 66 61
rtds targets 0 0 128 0 148 1 140
rec 87 78 87 83
cyds ctds 1279 9 1421 6 1002 7 1166 8
FP FP Rank 185 6 182 5 149 16 177 8
The Good - Steve Smith did well last season but lost game time due to an off-the-field incident, leading to lower total receptions than usual. If he can play a full 16 games, he might get back to the 100+ receptions we saw from him a few years ago. He is an elite NFL receiver with a high motor and a huge
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desire to excel. The Bad - Smith has anger management issues and has tested the patience of the Panthers and the league in the past. If he has another blow-up in 2009, he could sit for a long while due to suspension. He’s also past the big 3-0 this year and has been in the league for eight seasons – Smith has reached the stage in his career where a player’s recuperative powers start to wane. The Bottom Line - Steve Smith is a fantasy favorite, with an astonishing 18.2 yards-per-reception average last season in route to a Top 5 fantasy finish. He went over 100 yards receiving during eight games last year and just missed in two other weeks (96 yards and a TD in Week 5 and 96 yards receiving in Week 6).
7. Greg Jennings - GB 5-11, 192, age: 26
team PROJ GB GB GB
ratt 0 0 0 0
ryds 0 0 0 0
rtds targets 0 0 140 0 84 0 105
rec cyds ctds 78 1186 9 80 1292 9 53 920 12 45 632 3
FP FP Rank 173 8 183 4 164 12 81 54
The Good - Greg Jennings finished as the fourth-best fantasy receiver last year. He has developed nice chemistry with starting QB Aaron Rodgers and set career highs in receptions and yardage in 2009. He is the first option in the Packers strong passing attack and the best-case scenario is another fantastic season. The Bad - Jennings is a very good player, and the Packers have a very strong passing attack. However, if Ryan Grant regains his 2007 form, Green Bay could possibly ease up a little in the air. OK, you caught us, this is a reach - the Packers are going to sling the ball around all year. The Bottom Line - There is no reason to anticipate a drop in his statistics in 2009. Jennings is young and entering the prime of his career. If the Packers rushing attack thrives this season, he could see a slight drop but he should still finish as a Top 10 receiver in 2009 with a ceiling that soars into the Top 5.
8. Roddy White - ATL team PROJ ATL ATL ATL
ratt 2 2 1 0
ryds 10 4 -2 0
rtds targets 0 0 148 0 137 0 64
rec 84 88 83 30
Roddy White
in the land last year, far exceeding most peoples’ expectations. Now that Matt Ryan has a year of experience under his belt as an NFL starter, White should be in a position to at least maintain his 2008 numbers. He will turn 28 in November, so he’s still got a young man’s legs (and recuperative powers).
9. Anquan Boldin - ARI
6-1, 201, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
ICON SMI
WIDE RECEIVERS
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
cyds ctds 1252 8 1382 7 1202 6 506 0
FP FP Rank 174 7 181 6 156 14 51 80
The Good - There is a good chance that Roddy White could be at 100+ receptions when the season ends, which would land him in the elite tier of receivers in PPR leagues. The addition of Tony Gonzalez to the team should reduce the amount of coverage that White receives from opposing DBs, allowing him to find more soft spots in opposing defenses. The Bad - Gonzalez is usually at 90+ receptions every year, so his presence on the field could eat into the number of footballs thrown to the wide receivers, leading to a dip in production for White. Also, the sophomore slump sometimes afflicts NFL quarterbacks. If Ryan falters in his second season in the league, White might drop back towards the pack at his position rather than improve his numbers. The Bottom Line - White built upon his fine 2007 campaign with a stellar 2008 – he was the sixth-best fantasy WR
6-1, 216, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ ARI ARI ARI
ratt 8 9 1 5
ryds 48 67 14 28
rtds targets 0 0 126 0 99 0 152
rec 86 89 71 83
cyds ctds 1015 9 1038 11 853 9 1203 4
FP FP Rank 160 11 176 7 141 19 147 17
The Good - The best case for Anquan Boldin is easy to imagine: The Cardinals pay him what he is asking. Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald stay healthy and productive all year. Boldin does not get injured following one those big shots he takes on the field. If those things happen, it is easy to imagine Boldin continuing his incredible career per game averages of 81 receiving yards and 0.5 TDs per game. The Bad - The worst thing that could happen to Boldin is that he sits out a good chunk of the season due to a contract holdout - while that is currently a possibility, it seems unlikely. The second worst thing would be the loss of Kurt Warner to injury. The Bottom Line - Currently, it is most likely that Boldin and the Cardinals will agree to an extension and the offseason
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squabbles will finally end. Barring a collapse of the Arizona offense, Boldin should consistently produce as a Top 10 WR.
10. Marques Colston - NO 6-4, 223, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NO NO NO
ratt 0 0 0 0
ryds 0 0 0 0
rtds targets 0 0 88 0 143 0 115
rec 80 47 98 70
cyds ctds 1120 10 760 5 1202 11 1038 8
FP FP Rank 172 9 106 35 186 8 152 14
11. Dwayne Bowe - KC 6-2, 220, age: 25
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ KC KC
ratt 0 0 0
ryds 0 0 0
rtds targets 0 0 157 0 117
rec cyds ctds 90 1143 8 86 1022 7 70 995 5
FP FP Rank 162 10 144 16 130 24
The Good - The Chiefs shipped Tony Gonzalez off to the Falcons which should lead to more receptions and production for the big WR. This team should also be playing from behind and passing a lot in 2009. Because of Bowe’s large frame, he makes for a great target in the red zone and may approach double digit receiving TDs in 2009. Bowe will play the part that Randy Moss did for Cassel in 2008, and he’ll be the new Larry Fitzgerald for Todd Haley. The Bad - Without Gonzalez attracting the attention of the defense it means more double and perhaps triple coverage for Bowe. Even if the Chiefs have to shift into all-out passing mode, a defense could take Bowe almost completely out of the game with good coverage and help over the top. The Bottom Line - Bowe will be heavily relied on by his new QB Matt Cassel. Bowe is the type of player that will work his tail off for his team, and Cassel should quickly build a bond and a trust with the talented, young receiver.
12. Terrell Owens - BUF 6-2, 213, age: 36
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ DAL DAL DAL
ratt 2 7 1 0
ryds 10 33 5 0
rtds targets 0 0 140 0 141 0 151
rec 72 69 81 85
cyds ctds 1015 9 1052 10 1355 15 1180 13
FP FP Rank 156 12 168 9 226 2 196 2
13. Brandon Marshall - DEN 6-4, 230, age: 25
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ DEN DEN DEN
ratt 2 2 5 2
ryds 10 -4 57 12
rtds targets rec cyds ctds 0 83 1046 8 0 181 104 1265 6 0 170 102 1325 7 0 38 20 309 2
FP FP Rank 154 13 162 11 180 9 44 89
The Good - Many expected Brandon Marshall’s stats to jump into the stratosphere after an 18/166/1 game against San Diego, but it never came to fruition. Jay Cutler often locked onto Marshall during games and defenses recognized that when the QB was in trouble he was going to heave it towards #15. Even though he was targeted 181 times he only came away with six receiving TDs because the Broncos frequently stalled in the red zone. His numbers could go down - but he should still be a Top 15 fantasy WR with an increase in TD catches. The Bad - Marshall had offseason hip surgery and another off-the-field incident. He’s already received a break from commissioner Roger Goodell, but this time - even though the charges were dropped - he could face up to a four-game suspension. Also, as the Broncos go to a more run-heavy offense he may see his opportunities cut in the red zone. There is a real chance that the QB play could be far below average in Denver, and if that’s the case, Marshall and the other receivers will struggle. The Bottom Line - If Marshall can stay healthy and out of trouble, he should continue to be among the Top 15 fantasy receivers. He is still a premier WR, and the opportunity is there for him to be a dominant fantasy force once again. However, there are enough obstacles for that outcome that one must be cautious where they select Marshall in their fantasy drafts.
WIDE RECEIVERS
The Good - When an offense can generate over 5000 passing yards and more than 30 passing TDs, then the No. 1 guy should benefit. Despite effectively only playing half a season, Marques Colston still registered 47 catches for 760 yards. Included were four games of 99 yards or more, a multiple touchdown game and at least six catches in five games. He is tough, tenacious and has great hands. The Bad - The danger in drafting Colston is that even when he missed half a season the offense was still able to post excellent numbers. The thumb injury to Colston enabled Brees to establish a rapport with the other Saints receivers. In other words, Brees won’t only have eyes for Colston and there will be frequent games where other receivers get their fill. The Bottom Line - Colston is one of the safer options when considering top notch receivers for your fantasy draft. He is a key component of the top passing offense in the league and won’t cost you as high a draft pick as most of the other elite WRs. While Colston probably won’t have as many explosive games as other top guys, he will be consistent, catch lots of passes and be a reliable threat to reach the end zone.
The Good - In a shocking turn of events this offseason, the Cowboys released Owens and he quickly signed a one-year deal with the Bills. Although he ultimately left Philadelphia and Dallas on bad terms, his first years with both teams were huge successes. Because Owens only signed a single-season agreement, there is reason for optimism that he will keep the drama to a minimum and have a very successful season in order to get one more big payday from a contender next year. The Bad - At 35, Owens is reaching an age when the skills of a WR can diminish very quickly. Although he managed to play in all 16 games last season and was surrounded by plenty of talent, his production was sometimes underwhelming. If that persists and his production continues to decline, there is a chance that things could get ugly. The Bottom Line - When healthy and motivated, there are few receivers in the league who are better than Owens. Despite the problems he has had in recent years, he has still managed to pull in 38 TDs over the past three seasons. Owens is extremely well conditioned and known more for his strength and run after the catch ability than his pure speed. It would be a surprise if a player of his ability did not manage to produce like a WR1.
14. T.J. Houshmandzadeh - SEA 6-1, 197, age: 32
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 CIN
ratt 1 1
ryds 9 9
rtds targets 0 0 137
rec cyds ctds 82 959 8 92 904 4
FP FP Rank 145 17 115 31
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WIDE RECEIVERS
2007 CIN 2006 CIN
5 3
14 6
0 0
169 112 1143 133 90 1081
12 9
188 163
7 11
The Good - Former Bengal T.J. Houshmandzadeh has had over 90 receptions in each of the last three seasons, and he will be the clear WR1 for the Seahawks. Early reports out of Seattle indicate that Matt Hasselbeck and Houshmandzadeh have already gotten on the same page (anticipating cuts, timing of routes, etc). If he can make a smooth transition into Jim Mora’s offense in Seattle, a Top 10 season is within reach for Houshmandzadeh. The Bad - Houshmandzadeh will have to learn a new offense and develop cohesion with a new set of teammates. Moreover, he will lack a big play threat lining up across from him to occupy the defense’s attention. In addition, an injury to Hasselbeck (who is not known for his durability) would dampen Houshmandzadeh’s prospects this season. Nonetheless, even the worst case scenario should make Houshmandzadeh an adequate WR2 or solid WR3 in twelve-team leagues. The Bottom Line - While Houshmandzadeh’s team situation in Cincinnati deteriorated last year, he himself has been a steady performer in each of the last four seasons. Houshmandzadeh should be viewed as a strong WR2 in twelve-team leagues, and while he lacks the upside potential of more explosive, big-play receivers, he also presents little risk for his expected draft position.
15. Wes Welker - NE team PROJ NE NE MIA
ratt 2 3 4 0
ryds 10 26 34 0
rtds targets rec cyds ctds 0 93 1014 7 0 150 111 1165 3 0 145 112 1175 8 0 100 67 687 1
FP FP Rank 144 18 137 21 169 11 75 57
The Good - As possession receivers go, there aren’t many better than Welker. He’s one of three players to have back-toback seasons with 110 receptions (along with Cris Carter and Jerry Rice). He has also perfected the art of racking up yards after the catch, taking four-yard patterns another eight or nine yards. Welker accumulated a total of 295 targets the past two years, catching an amazing 75 percent of the passes thrown his way. Another 100-reception season seems almost like a like given with good health. The Bad - While Welker catches a lot of passes, he doesn’t get into the end zone very frequently. Even with 111 receptions last year, Welker could not crack the Top 20 fantasy receivers in non-PPR leagues. With 10-20 fewer catches, Welker could fall out of the Top 30 receivers altogether. The Bottom Line - Welker has settled into a nice niche in New England. While things change quickly in the NFL, Welker is a good bet to stay the course and post similar totals for 2009. His upside is limited in standard-scoring leagues, but his value increases in PPR leagues.
16. Braylon Edwards - CLE 6-3, 206, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ CLE CLE CLE
ratt 0 0 0 3
ryds 0 0 0 7
rtds targets 0 0 138 0 153 0 123
rec cyds ctds 70 1022 8 55 877 3 80 1289 16 61 884 6
17. Chad Ochocinco - CIN 6-1, 190, age: 31
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ CIN CIN CIN
ratt 0 0 6 6
ryds 0 0 47 24
rtds targets 0 0 97 0 160 0 154
rec 80 53 93 87
cyds ctds 1064 7 540 4 1440 8 1369 7
FP FP Rank 148 15 78 50 197 6 181 4
See Ochocinco’s full-page face-off on Page 128.
5-9, 190, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Cleveland isn’t going to trade their most consistent offensive player this season. Braylon Edwards then remains as the clear No. 1 WR on a team that is going to be playing catch-up often. If the QB battle gets settled early, Edwards will have several weeks to mesh with the new QB and possible lay the groundwork to return to the Top 10. The Bad - Of course there is the chance that the QB controversy impacts everyone, and the Browns passing game returns to last season’s form where almost half of the passes thrown result in an incomplete. In that situation, Edwards could flame out again and finish in the Top 30 rather than the Top 10. The Bottom Line - Once the QB controversy is settled and the crazy decision to shop Edwards in a trade falls out of memory, the Browns can head into camp focused on getting the job done right. Edwards only benefits from this as a consistent QB helps him return to his top form from 2007. Edwards will reward anyone who takes a shot on him this season.
FP FP Rank 150 14 106 36 225 3 125 26
The Good - Let’s assume that the rumors are false and that
18. Antonio Bryant - TB 6-1, 192, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2006
team PROJ TB SF
ratt 3 2 0
ryds 27 22 0
rtds targets 0 0 137 0 91
rec cyds ctds 72 1037 6 83 1248 7 40 733 3
FP FP Rank 142 20 169 8 91 44
The Good - Antonio Bryant really came into his own last year with the Buccaneers. From Week 10 through the end of 2008, Bryant was fourth in receiving yards and first in WR fantasy points. He had six, 100-yard receiving games, including three in his last four outings. The presence of Kellen Winslow Jr. should keep defenders guessing. Expect both players to feed off each other and be the two primary down-field threats this year. The Bad - The worst case for Bryant, outside of injury of course, would be for the Buccaneers offense to fall flat with all of the new faces in town. It’s hard to foresee the offense sputtering though, simply because they have plenty of weapons. They have two RBs in Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham, who are excellent pass-catching backs, a definite star TE in Kellen Winslow and Bryant, who is doing his own part to turn heads. The Bottom Line - The Bucs 2009 passing game looks to be very thin on paper. Their depth chart consists of Bryant, Winslow and not much else. It’s reminiscent of the Bengals former receiving corps that included Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and virtually no one else.
19. Eddie Royal - DEN 5-9, 184, age: 23
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 DEN
ratt 7 11
ryds 56 109
rtds targets 0 0 129
rec cyds ctds 77 916 6 91 980 5
FP FP Rank 133 25 139 20
The Good - Eddie Royal burst onto the scene in the Week
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1 matchup against the Raiders when he made DeAngelo Hall look silly on every play. Even when Brandon Marshall came back from his suspension, Royal maintained his fantasy value for the season and finished as the No. 20 fantasy WR. This season the Broncos could look much different on the field, but if they are truly New England West then Eddie Royal = Wes Welker. The Bad - The Broncos could be moving to more of a runheavy offense than people expect and thus the entire Broncos WR corps could struggle to match their numbers from 2008. Even with more passing (perhaps because the defense puts them in bad situations) can the Broncos QB - whether it’s Kyle Orton or Chris Simms - perform adequately enough to move the ball through the air consistently? The Bottom Line - Eddie Royal is a very important piece to the Broncos’ offensive puzzle and should finish as a Top 25 fantasy WR in 2009. He’s the perfect security blanket for a new QB learning a new system. With his run after the catch ability and soft hands he can rack up yardage - and fantasy points – in a hurry.
now gone, leaving Cotchery as the No. 1 guy. Cotchery should see his passing targets increase by a large number, and his red zone looks should increase as well. He might be able to put up Top 15 stats even if he doesn’t actually play better simply because of the volume of passes that will be headed his way. The Bad - Cotchery is something of an enigma for New York. Last year was supposed to be his breakthrough year, but instead he regressed to 71 catches and 858 yards. Now that he doesn’t have Laveranues Coles around to take some defensive focus off of him, the pressure will be on to be “the guy.” Add in the probability of a rookie quarterback playing with him, and he could be in for a tough year. The Bottom Line - Cotchery already has a 1,100-yard season and two 82-catch campaigns to his credit. His touchdown total rebounded from two to five a year ago, and that could see another slight uptick this year with Coles gone. Cotchery is very talented and adept after the catch and is no slouch in the deep passing game.
22. Roy Williams - DAL 6-2, 212, age: 28
20. Santonio Holmes - PIT 5-11, 190, age: 25
team PROJ PIT PIT PIT
ratt 2 2 5 1
ryds 10 9 17 13
rtds targets 0 0 114 0 85 0 86
rec cyds ctds 65 943 7 55 821 5 52 942 8 49 824 2
FP FP Rank 137 22 113 32 144 18 96 41
The Good - Santonio Holmes and Ben Roethlisberger showed a great on-field rapport in the postseason that was capped by Holmes winning the Super Bowl XLIII MVP. This trend should continue in 2009 even if Hines Ward is healthy. He knows how to come back to his QB when the play breaks down and can take short passes long distances with his run after the catch ability. Holmes should continue to improve his production in 2009. The Bad - There just isn’t that much opportunity for a receiver to be more than an average fantasy option in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have a suffocating defense that they rely on to set up the ground game that can grind out the clock. Roethlisberger only threw for 17 TD passes in 2008, and he should throw for around the same number this season. If Hines Ward can stay healthy it could mean that Holmes is still the No. 2 WR on a run first team with limited upside. The Bottom Line - Holmes had a fantastic postseason and looks to continue that hot streak into 2009. Holmes even proved to be a better receiver in the red zone than many had given him credit for. He’ll be a top target when Roethlisberger is scrambling around looking for positive yards on a broken play. Holmes shouldn’t be a Top 10 fantasy WR in 2009 but should be a consistent WR2 for his fantasy owners.
21. Jerricho Cotchery - NYJ 6-0, 207, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NYJ NYJ NYJ
ratt 2 2 5 5
ryds 10 8 38 25
rtds targets 0 0 111 0 127 0 125
rec cyds ctds 81 964 7 71 858 5 82 1130 2 82 961 6
FP FP Rank 139 21 117 30 129 25 135 23
The Good - Jerricho Cotchery has been on the cusp of a breakout season for the last two years. Laveranues Coles is
team PROJ DET DAL DET DET
ratt 1 0 1 2 2
ryds 6 0 13 1 2
rtds targets 0 0 39 0 42 0 104 0 153
rec cyds ctds 64 870 7 17 232 1 19 198 1 63 836 5 82 1310 7
FP FP Rank 130 27 29 71 27 71 114 33 173 10
The Good - The best case for Roy Williams is that he and his teammates and the coaches and the Dallas fans all forget about 2008. The Cowboys paid a king’s ransom for Williams (first-, third-, and sixth-round picks) and then to Williams (five years for $45 million). This year, Williams is the unquestioned WR1 because Terrell Owens was released. Tony Romo is the best QB Williams has ever played with, so it’s not impossible to think his 82-catch, 1,310 yard season from 2006 is within reach. The Bad - A repeat of last year would be disastrous. Williams wasn’t just disappointing after coming to Dallas, he was downright awful. If he gets off to a rough start, the pressure will mount and he may never recover. The Bottom Line - Williams is an elite athlete who has the strength and hands to be a true No. 1 for the Cowboys. The tricky part is that at least one fantasy owner in every league is probably willing to draft Williams with his 2006 season in mind, but that’s far too high a price to pay. He has that Top 10 potential, but he’s absolutely not worth paying Top 10 value for on draft day.
WIDE RECEIVERS
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
year 2009 2008 2008 2007 2006
23. Santana Moss - WAS 5-9, 185, age: 30
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ WAS WAS WAS
ratt 2 1 3 7
ryds 10 27 13 82
rtds targets 0 0 138 0 115 0 101
rec cyds ctds 76 996 6 79 1044 6 61 808 3 55 790 6
FP FP Rank 137 23 143 17 100 40 123 27
The Good - Is there a harder receiver in the league to forecast? After a 1,483-yard season in 2005, Santana Moss’ numbers fell across the board in 2006 and 2007, making him a risky proposition heading into 2008. But just as fantasy owners began to discount him, Moss puts together a Top 20 fantasy season. As long as Jason Campbell evolves in his second year
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WR - Cincinnati Bengals
Chad Ochocinco Face-off In a Footballguys.com Face-off, two writers provide an in-depth look at a player by examining either his high side or his low side. Whose argument is stronger? That is left up to you. For dozens more Face-offs, visit Footballguys.com.
The High Side
The Low Side
by Colin Dowling
by Mark Wimer
’m positively elated about Chad Ochocinco this season. Why? Because for all of Chad Ochocinco’s drama, it is simply unfathomable that he’s being selected as the 23rd wide receiver off the board right now. Drafters have declared that Ochocinco is barely a WR2 for this season. HUH? Between 2002 and 2007 Ochocinco averaged 88 receptions, 1340 yards, eight touchdowns. He had four Top 6 fantasy seasons. The downside on him this year is pretty easy to identify: He’s a malcontent, he was limited in 2008 by injury, he may not try hard anymore for the Bengals. But what no one seems to be talking about is that two of the biggest factors in his awful 2008 season are easily remedied. First, his injuries do not appear to be lingering. Second, and most important, is best answered with a rhetorical question: did you see who was playing quarterback for the Bengals last season? It wasn’t Carson Palmer, who just happens to be returning to full health in his own right. So for all the negatives – and there are some – the two biggest reasons Chad Ochocinco was awful in 2008 no longer apply. He’s healthy and his Pro Bowl caliber quarterback is healthy as well. And just to make Ochocinco more attractive, consider that T.J. Houshmandzadeh is now no longer a Bengal. The one guy who was stealing targets from Ochocinco is now in Seattle. In Ochocinco we have a former Top 6 receiver who is now healthy, playing with a great quarterback who is now healthy, and who has almost no competition for receptions at the receiver position. Yes, his personal drama may be a distraction. But if there is one thing to know about Chad Ochocinco it is this: Chad is about Chad. And Chad is about money. Under no circumstances is a player with an ego the size of Ochocinco’s ego going to take the field and laze through the season just to spite his team. His ego won’t allow it. And for that reason alone he’s worth a pick after more then 20 other receivers have been selected. To sum things up, I’ll leave you with another rhetorical question: of all the receivers being drafted around Ochocinco – DeSean Jackson, Eddie Royal, Hines Ward, Lee Evans – which one do you think is in the best situation to be a Top 10 receiver in 2009? The one with Terrell Owens or Brandon Marshall or Santonio Holmes lining up across from him? The one with Donovan McNabb spreading the ball around to a dozen different pass catchers? Or the one that’s been there before, catching the ball from an All Pro quarterback, with no other viable options in the receiving game to steal his targets? Sort of answers itself, don’t you think?
ust two short years ago, Chad Ochocinco was a dominant wide receiver. He averaged 15.5 yards per catch, and posted 93/1440/8 during 2007. But last year, Carson Palmer’s elbow injury sidelined the star QB for most of the year, and the offense fell apart. As a result, Ochocinco’s attitude crashed and burned. “In order to get back to being the Chad [Ochocinco] that everybody feared, he was a guy who worked very, very hard at his craft. And if you don’t do that, it falls away very quickly and people forget about you,” Head Coach Marvin Lewis said about Ochocinco’s 2009 prospects on April 13th. This is the crux of the question about Ochocinco during 2009 – will he care enough to apply himself once again? He was very ordinary when he didn’t care to (53/540/4 receiving last year during 13 games – he did not have a single 100+ yard receiving game, and only got above 60 yards receiving once). Granted, Ochocinco had a cast of less-than-impressive quarterbacks to work with – mainly Ryan Fitzpatrick (221/372 for 1905 yards, eight TDs and nine interceptions), and a few cameos by Jordan Palmer (7/12 for 41 yards, 0 TDs and 0 interceptions) – but Ochocinco didn’t impress anybody, either. There are warning signs that Ochocinco isn’t with Lewis’ program. Last season, he was deactivated Week 12 after showing up to a team meeting groggy and then walking out of the session early (and having a confrontation with Lewis). He’s already lost $250,000 in workout bonuses this year for not participating in the late March/early April offseason conditioning program. Carson Palmer sounded annoyed with his absence, stating “I’m not worried about him; I’m worried about the guys we have here. The guys that want to be here and want to work now are the guys who are in the locker room right now and are here today.” This isn’t exactly a picture of a motivated, #1 wide receiver, is it? Another reason to be concerned about Ochocinco is that he has crossed the “big 3-0” – he turned 31 on Jan. 9, and after eight NFL seasons is at the stage of his career when many veteran’s production drops off seemingly overnight. The departure of T.J. Houshmandzadeh changes the mix at receiver. Aging veteran Laveranues Coles has arrived from the Jets to fill the hole, but it remains to be seen if he can help shake Ochocinco loose. We’re still not sure that Carson Palmer’s elbow is back to 100 percent – there are a lot of question marks around Ochocinco’s prospects entering 2009. I’m staying far away from Ochocinco this year.
ICON/SMI
I
J
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running Jim Zorn’s offense, Moss could easily match or top last year’s solid showing. The Bad - Moss finished as the 27th- and 40th-best receiver in the 2006 and 2007 seasons, respectively. That’s what you’re facing this year if he regresses, which could happen for a number of reasons. The QB situation is tenuous as the Redskins don’t see Jason Campbell as their franchise cornerstone. Two, the Redskins have to expect last year’s rookie WRs to contribute this year, which means fewer targets for Moss. The Bottom Line - In eight seasons, Moss has finished as high as third but outside the Top 25 in five seasons. The only things keeping Moss from approximating last year’s numbers would be an injury or major steps forward from either Devin Thomas or Malcolm Kelly. Expect Top 25 numbers, but don’t overpay, while wanting much more.
With Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson coming into the season healthy, the Chargers’ WR1 may once again be the third option in the offense. Vincent Jackson got his second DUI arrest this offseason (the first was in 2006), but so far there’s been no word of an impending suspension. The Bottom Line - It appears that Jackson has established himself as the Chargers’ top WR, but he is probably a slight underdog to break the 1,000-yard mark again. He should roughly match his seven TDs from last season, and be a WR2 (or very strong WR3) in 12-team fantasy leagues.
24. Hines Ward - PIT
The Good - DeSean Jackson burst onto the scene with consecutive 100-yard receiving games to start his NFL career. His solid rookie campaign sets him up for much more given the natural progression expected of receivers in the West Coast offense. Ideally, Jackson will add consistency and red zone productivity to his vast arsenal and, in that case, he could easily finish as a Top 15 fantasy receiver. The Bad - Despite a stellar rookie season, Jackson showed lapses in judgment that some perceived as immaturity. With Jeremy Maclin aboard and Kevin Curtis established, Jackson isn’t guaranteed the top spot; he’ll have to earn it. Since he’s small in stature, Jackson can be outmuscled by physical defensive backs. The Bottom Line - History suggests that receivers who put up the kind of numbers Jackson did as a rookie are likely to enjoy very productive careers. There’s no reason Jackson can’t deliver on a 1,000-yard campaign and once again lead the team statistically. Consider Jackson a Top 25 WR with considerably higher upside.
5-11, 190, age: 33
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ PIT PIT PIT
ratt 0 1 3 2
ryds 0 4 11 30
rtds targets 0 0 126 0 113 0 126
rec cyds ctds 72 900 7 81 1043 7 71 732 7 74 975 6
FP FP Rank 132 26 147 15 116 31 136 22
25. Vincent Jackson - SD 6-6, 235, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ SD SD SD
ratt 4 4 0 3
ryds 28 69 0 16
rtds targets 0 0 101 0 80 0 56
rec cyds ctds 60 900 7 59 1098 7 41 623 3 27 453 6
FP FP Rank 135 24 159 12 80 53 83 53
The Good - Vincent Jackson had a breakout season in 2008. After finishing outside the Top 50 in each of his first three seasons in the league, he broke into fantasy WR1 territory last season, finishing No. 12 at his position. Jackson’s size-speed combo makes him a threat to score both on the deep ball and in the red zone. If last year wasn’t a fluke, Jackson could equal his 2008 production. The Bad - Philip Rivers led the NFL in touchdown passes last season while a banged up Antonio Gates had a career low (excluding his rookie season) in touchdown receptions. Such favorable conditions may not repeat themselves in 2009.
5-9, 169, age: 23
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 PHI
ratt 10 17
ryds 60 96
rtds targets 0 1 121
rec cyds ctds 74 1051 6 62 912 2
FP FP Rank 147 16 118 29
27. Laveranues Coles - CIN 5-11, 192, age: 32
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NYJ NYJ NYJ
ratt 2 2 0 2
ryds 10 9 0 14
rtds targets 0 0 116 0 89 0 151
rec cyds ctds 75 908 6 70 850 7 55 646 6 91 1098 6
FP FP Rank 128 29 128 24 101 39 147 16
WIDE RECEIVERS
The Good - Hines Ward’s fantasy production has been up and down his entire career and his best case scenario is reliant on his durability. If healthy he should once again be Ben Roethlisberger’s most trusted target and should easily surpass 100 targets. It’s not out of the question to expect Ward to compile over 1,000 receiving yards and a handful of TDs. This would make him a fantasy starter, but not a WR1 in most fantasy leagues. The Bad - Ward is getting up there in age and may find it difficult to stay injury-free in 2009. He never backs down from anyone, and this style of play leads to more punishment and more injuries for the veteran. Santonio Holmes could pass him as the main target for Roethlisberger in 2009 as Holmes seemed to find his groove in the postseason when Ward was dinged up. The Bottom Line - Ward is a solid fantasy player when healthy and will continue to be a reliable target for the Steelers passing game. Pittsburgh wants to give Big Ben more time to throw the football with improved line play, and that could translate into more targets for Ward.
26. DeSean Jackson - PHI
The Good - In his new home in Cincinnati, Laveranues Coles assumes the role of WR2 opposite Chad Ochocinco, but his role is equally important as he’ll be counted on almost as much. T.J. Houshmandzadeh had 92 receptions last season, and while Coles won’t be expected to replace him one-for-one, the expectation is that he’ll be far more productive than ‘typical’ WR2s. A Top 20 campaign would not be out of the question. The Bad – This is the Bengals we’re talking about. There’s always the chance that Ochocinco burns out early again, and Coles is left holding the bag on a team with plenty of offensive question marks. If the revamped offensive line can’t get on the same page or Carson Palmer and Coles can’t find a way to connect, it is going to be a long season for the veteran WR. The Bottom Line - With a renewed running game, taking advantage of a retooled offensive line, it’s possible that Coles hit the jackpot by coming to Cincinnati. Expect another Top 30 performance from Coles, as he benefits from Chad Ochocinco taking all of the coverage to his side of the field.
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28. Bernard Berrian - MIN 6-1, 185, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ MIN CHI CHI
ratt 4 4 1 2
ryds 26 26 3 5
rtds targets 0 0 95 0 127 0 101
rec cyds ctds 55 825 6 48 964 7 70 948 5 51 775 6
FP FP Rank 121 34 141 18 125 26 114 32
WIDE RECEIVERS
The Good - Despite subpar QB play in 2008, Bernard Berrian had some very good moments and finished as the 18th-best fantasy receiver. He failed to surpass the 50-catch mark, but Berrian averaged 20 yards per reception and scored seven times. Sage Rosenfels appears to be an upgrade at quarterback and Berrian could erupt with a monster campaign that would propel him into the Top 15 of his position. The Bad - If Berrian continues to catch only a handful of passes per game and his yards per reception take a significant tumble from the lofty average he put up in 2008, he will disappoint many fantasy owners. The Bottom Line - The Vikings rushing attack is powerful, and Berrian will often see single-coverage which he can exploit down the field with speed. There is also the possibility that Brett Favre will show up.
29. Anthony Gonzalez - IND 6-0, 195, age: 25
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ IND IND
ratt 0 0 0
ryds 0 0 0
rtds targets 0 0 79 0 51
rec cyds ctds 71 930 6 57 664 4 37 576 3
FP FP Rank 129 28 90 44 76 61
The Good - Anthony Gonzalez steps into a starting role in one of the NFL’s most prolific passing offenses. After recovering from a thumb injury, Gonzalez had a four-game stretch in 2007 where he caught 20 passes for 347 yards and three TDs. As a full-time starter in 2009, a Top 20 fantasy season at his position is well within his reach. The Bad - After such an impressive rookie year, Gonzalez was relatively quiet in 2008 after giving back the starting flanker position to Marvin Harrison. Gonzalez worked out of the slot, but he failed to score five or more fantasy points in 11 of 16 games. If he doesn’t show improvement this season, he could finish with about the same stats he did last year, which would mean another season in the No. 45 range as a fantasy WR. The Bottom Line - While Gonzalez has Top 20 potential at his position, he is more likely to finish as a WR3 in terms of his fantasy prospects. Reggie Wayne is still the main receiver in Indy, and Gonzalez will play a complimentary role in an offense that, while still formidable, is not as high-flying as it was five years ago.
30. Lance Moore - NO 5-11, 184, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NO NO NO
ratt 0 0 2 0
ryds 0 0 7 0
rtds targets 0 0 119 1 50 0 3
rec cyds ctds 58 737 6 79 928 10 32 302 2 1 10 0
FP FP Rank 110 39 152 13 49 83 1 164
The Good - Heading onto 2008 Moore was the forgotten man of the Saints offense. Due to the inconsistency of the other WRs when Marques Colston suffered a thumb injury, New Orleans decided to give Moore his chance and he record-
ed almost 80 receptions and 10 touchdowns. As he’ll be on the field for most plays this year, Moore will get a chance to demonstrate that 2008 was not a fluke. The Bad - The biggest concern regarding Lance Moore is his torn labrum and dislocated shoulder while working out in the offseason. His status is iffy for training camp and despite his success in 2008, he will not walk into a prominent role should his return be delayed. The Bottom Line - Despite the fantastic unexpected success of Lance Moore in 2008, it is hard to imagine a continuation in 2009. The Saints offense posted absurd numbers, and Moore was the prime beneficiary of injuries to key receivers such as Bush, Colston and Shockey. Because of his offseason shoulder injury, it will also be necessary to follow Moore’s progress throughout July & August to determine if he’ll be fully fit or faces a delayed return.
31. Lee Evans - BUF 5-10, 197, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ BUF BUF BUF
ratt 2 1 0 0
ryds 12 22 0 0
rtds targets 0 0 102 0 113 0 137
rec cyds ctds 60 870 6 63 1017 3 55 849 5 82 1292 8
FP FP Rank 124 32 122 27 115 32 177 7
The Good - Evans produced like an elite fantasy WR in 2006, but his numbers dropped off considerably the past two years. The QB play was very inconsistent, the coaches were conservative, and the other WRs were poor. This year, those limitations could be gone. Trent Edwards will be entering his third year as a starter and the signing of Terrell Owens should give the offense a lot more confidence. The Bad - In an offense that doesn’t pass very often to begin with, adding a receiver like Owens to the mix may not leave enough targets for Evans to even match his production from the past two years. The Bottom Line - The Bills now appear to have most of the pieces in place for a productive passing attack, minus trading away LT Jason Peters. Although Owens will command plenty of targets, he should also draw much of the coverage to his side of the field and Evans is a nightmare for most CBs in man coverage. Evans could improve on last year’s numbers and provide a solid WR2 option for your fantasy team.
32. Donnie Avery - STL 5-11, 192, age: 25
year team 2009 PROJ 2008 STL
ratt 7 10
ryds 56 69
rtds targets 0 1 104
rec cyds ctds 77 1009 6 53 674 3
FP FP Rank 142 19 98 39
The Good - With Torry Holt departed for Jacksonville, the torch has been passed to Donnie Avery, who now becomes the Rams’ top WR. Avery is a sure bet to lead the team in targets, and he has the YAC ability to thrive in a West Coast-style offense. With steady play from the Rams offensive line and quarterback, Avery has the potential for a Top 20 fantasy season. The Bad - Avery has a one-year track record, and even that was wildly erratic. He has big-play talent, but the Rams’ offense is in a state of transition, and the whole unit could go through a difficult learning curve along with Avery. The Bottom Line - Avery is a high-upside, high-risk player. He has the speed and ability to make big plays, and is a threat to score from anywhere on the field, but he is young and incon-
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sistent, and in an offense that may struggle to find its bearings. Avery should not be counted on as a starter, but after WR30, his upside potential makes him an attractive fantasy prospect.
33. Donald Driver - GB 6-0, 177, age: 34
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ GB GB GB
ratt 2 2 2 7
ryds 6 4 4 16
rtds targets 0 0 115 0 122 0 171
rec 67 74 82 92
cyds ctds 878 6 1012 5 1048 2 1295 8
FP FP Rank 124 31 132 23 117 30 179 5
34. Torry Holt - JAX year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ STL STL STL
ratt 0 0 0 0
ryds 0 0 0 0
rtds targets 0 0 119 0 149 0 178
rec cyds ctds 70 847 7 64 796 3 93 1189 7 93 1188 10
FP FP Rank 127 30 98 40 161 13 179 6
The Good - While Torry Holt had his worst fantasy season in 2008, he had finished as a borderline WR1 the previous year, and at 33 years old, he should still have a few strong seasons left. As the clear WR1 for the Jaguars this season, Holt has a very realistic chance to finish somewhere around the No. 20 fantasy WR. The Bad - Changing teams always means some additional risk for a fantasy WR. While Holt had a down year in 2008, he was still targeted 119 times. The last Jacksonville WR to be targeted that many times in a season was Jimmy Smith. The Bottom Line - Holt’s days of fantasy stardom are likely over, but he’s probably the most reliable WR the Jaguars have had since Jimmy Smith. Holt should become a frequent target for Garrard while the Jaguars’ younger WRs are brought along slowly. Holt can probably be considered a fantasy starter in leagues that start three WRs.
ICON SMI
6-1, 193, age: 33
Michael Crabtree
imagine him being unsuccessful in the pros. The Bad - Several teams shied away from Michael Crabtree during the draft with unofficial reasons being that they think he’s a diva in training or were wary of his entourage. Another key factor in Crabtree’s drop to the 10th pick was foot surgery for a stress fracture that was found after the combine. Also of concern to those thinking of taking Crabtree is the lack of a proven quarterback on the 49ers roster. The Bottom Line - Crabtree is simply a touchdown machine who works hard, has fantastic hands and is the best blocking WR in the class of 2009. For this year in redraft leagues he will probably be overvalued, so caution needs to be exercised when considering him for your roster. Even the best receivers generally take a year or two to become accustomed to the speed of the NFL.
WIDE RECEIVERS
The Good - Donald Driver has had five consecutive seasons with 74+ receptions. He has been the model of consistency throughout that span, and the only concern is that he is now 34 years old. The Bad - Father Time will eventually catch up to Driver, and the young players behind him on the depth charts (Jordy Nelson and James Jones) are chomping to emerge from his shadow. The Bottom Line - Driver will likely remain the secondbest option at the receiver position in Green Bay, but don’t rule out Jordy Nelson passing him in the depth charts with a great preseason. Driver’s numbers may take a small hit if the Packers pass a little less this season, but he will at least remain a viable fantasy WR3.
36. Derrick Mason - BAL 5-11, 193, age: 35
35. Michael Crabtree - SF 6-2, 215, age: 22
year team ratt 2009 PROJ 786 7
ryds rtds targets 2 12 122 33
rec cyds ctds 0
FP FP Rank 60
The Good - After a few teams unbelievably passed on him, Michael Crabtree fell into the delighted laps of the San Francisco 49ers. Crabtree won’t just be given a starting role, but if he signs quickly and learns at a reasonable pace he should be starting in Week 1. His dynamic playmaking ability at the college level resulted in huge numbers, and it’s hard to
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ BAL BAL BAL
ratt 0 1 0 1
ryds 0 3 0 -4
rtds targets rec cyds ctds 0 73 905 5 0 121 80 1037 5 0 164 103 1087 5 0 112 68 750 2
FP FP Rank 120 35 134 22 139 20 87 49
The Good - Mason has probably hit his ceiling in each of the past two seasons. A realistic upside for Mason would be for him to just crack the Top 20. That would involve staying healthy again all season, remaining at the same talent level as he was a year ago, maintaining the same activity within the offense, and perhaps grabbing a touchdown or two that he oth-
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erwise doesn’t usually get. The Bad - It wouldn’t take a colossal drop-off for Mason to disappear from fantasy relevance. He’s now at the age where we might finally start seeing some signs of a decline. If Mark Clayton plays up to his potential, he could steal more than a few touches that ordinarily would’ve gone Mason’s way. The Bottom Line - Most likely, Mason is going to catch 70-75 balls for around 1,000 yards and five touchdowns or so. Just draft him where you typically would, probably for excellent value, plug him in, and watch him boringly cement his WR3 status on your fantasy roster.
37. Devin Hester - CHI 5-11, 185, age: 27
WIDE RECEIVERS
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ CHI CHI
ratt 5 6 7
ryds 40 61 -10
rtds targets 0 0 92 0 38
rec cyds ctds 57 804 6 51 665 3 20 299 2
FP FP Rank 120 36 91 43 41 90
The Good - In a perfect world, Devin Hester continues to grow and improve as a starting receiver, and his quickness and speed help him to create separation down the field. He could develop some nice chemistry with new Jay Cutler. The Bad - There is a chance that the Devin Hester receiver experiment reaches its limit, and he simply does not improve at all from what he was able to accomplish over the past couple of seasons. The Bottom Line - Having Cutler as quarterback will give Hester no room for excuses. He finally has a top-tier passer, so now he just has to get open. Cutler should be able to find Hester on deep patterns, but the WR will need to develop more as a route-runner if he is to be a viable fantasy starter.
38. Kevin Walter - HOU 6-3, 221, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ HOU HOU HOU
ratt 3 3 5 1
ryds 15 23 30 3
rtds targets 0 0 95 0 106 0 21
rec cyds ctds 59 779 5 60 899 8 65 800 4 17 160 0
FP FP Rank 109 40 140 19 107 36 16 116
The Good - Walter is a big target who makes his presence felt in the red zone. The Texans’ offense is loaded with other weapons (Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton, and Owen Daniels), so Walter will nearly always face single-coverage. It’s hard to imagine him improving on last year’s numbers, which probably represent his best-case scenario for 2009. The Bad - Walter is clearly the No. 4 option in this offense. While that is good enough for decent numbers, there isn’t a lot of room for error. If Matt Schaub were to miss time with an injury, the overall numbers of the offense would certainly suffer and Walter’s looks would likely be among the first to decline. The Bottom Line - Walter is unlikely to duplicate his TD total from 2008, and he is therefore unlikely to repeat as a Top 20 fantasy WR. While he has a chance to finish as a WR2 again this season, he will more likely be a weak WR3 or strong WR4.
39. Ted Ginn - MIA 5-11, 185, age: 24
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ MIA MIA
ratt 5 5 4
ryds 40 73 3
rtds targets 0 2 93 0 71
rec cyds ctds 59 814 5 56 790 2 34 420 2
FP FP Rank 115 37 110 33 54 76
The Good - If the Dolphins coaching staff could have their way, we’d watch as Ted Ginn improves his route running and consistency and becomes a favorite target of Chad Pennington this season. While he was a reach at his NFL Draft position, Ginn seems talented enough to be Miami’s WR1. He simply has to find the intangibles and become a complete receiver. The Bad - To fulfill his potential, Ginn need to even out his performances. Sure, he’ll display the odd flash of brilliance, but he also has too many games with three or fewer receptions. The Bottom Line - At his currently level of development, Ginn would be better served in a complimentary role within an offense. That said however, he does have the quickness to give defenses nightmares if he learns to run crisp routes and make plays once the ball is in his hands.
40. Steve Breaston - ARI 6-1, 195, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ ARI ARI
ratt 2 2 2
ryds 10 8 8
rtds targets 0 0 113 0 14
rec cyds ctds 67 824 5 77 1006 3 8 92 0
FP FP Rank 113 38 119 28 10 137
The Good - Far and away, the best thing that could happen to Steve Breaston’s 2009 fantasy outlook would be the departure of Anquan Boldin. Since that is unlikely to happen (and gets less likely with each passing day), Breaston’s ceiling is his 2008 campaign. The Bad - The worst situation for Breaston would be the loss of Kurt Warner at QB. Also, if the team finds its running game, the three-wide set might be utilized a little less often, which means Breaston’s targets would decrease. The Bottom Line - Breaston’s 2008 performance was impressive. He caught nearly 70% of his targets for over 1,000 yards. With Larry Fitzgerald and Boldin around, Breaston is an extremely long-shot to surpass those numbers. He remains an excellent NFL backup WR and would be a nice fantasy option if either of the starting WRs were out.
41. Chris Chambers - SD 5-11, 210, age: 31
year 2009 2008 2007 2007 2006
team PROJ SD SD MIA MIA
ratt 1 1 2 1 8
ryds 6 1 17 -5 95
rtds targets 0 0 64 0 63 0 66 0 154
rec cyds ctds 53 737 5 33 462 5 35 555 4 31 415 0 59 677 4
FP FP Rank 104 42 76 52 81 29 41 29 101 37
If Chris Chambers can stay healthy, regaining the touchdowna-game pace he set in the first five games of 2008 is not impossible. If veterans Antonio Gates and Tomlinson, and impending free agent Malcom Floyd avoid the nagging injuries that plagued them last year, Chambers will be no higher than 4A in the pecking order. Chambers is a solid bye week/injury WR in non-PPR leagues, but his production will be inconsistent as long as the Chargers maintain their full compliment of weapons on offense and get more from their running game this year.
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42. Mark Clayton - BAL
46. Domenik Hixon - NYG
5-11, 187, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ BAL BAL BAL
ratt 6 6 0 7
6-2, 192, age: 25
ryds 39 81 0 -30
rtds targets 0 1 82 0 88 0 114
rec cyds ctds 49 706 4 41 695 3 48 531 0 67 939 5
FP FP Rank 98 45 107 34 53 77 121 28
Mark Clayton will probably improve upon last year’s numbers, but it’s getting awfully difficult to trust him to do much more than that. He should be able to hold off the challenges from those lower on the depth chart, so his starting spot should be secure. His fantasy stock will be directly proportional to how often and effectively the Ravens throw the ball in 2009.
43. Kevin Curtis - PHI team PROJ PHI PHI STL
ratt 0 0 0 4
ryds 0 0 0 4
rtds targets 0 0 63 0 135 0 56
rec cyds ctds 44 546 4 33 390 2 77 1110 6 40 479 4
FP FP Rank 79 56 51 78 147 17 72 60
44. Deion Branch - SEA ratt 0 0 0 4
ryds 0 0 0 30
rtds targets 0 0 59 0 85 0 101
ryds 12 26 -8 0
rtds targets 0 0 72 0 1 0 0
rec cyds ctds 50 660 4 43 596 2 1 5 0 0 0 0
rec cyds ctds 42 517 4 30 412 4 49 661 4 53 725 4
FP FP Rank 76 57 65 63 90 48 100 39
If Deion Branch is fully recovered from the knee injury that set him back in each of the last two years, he could play a prominent role in the Seahawks offense and be a strong fantasy WR3, if not better. But he carries a lot of risk since he faces serious competition for playing time from Nate Burleson and Deon Butler. Once 40+ receivers have gone off the board, Branch becomes an attractive pick based on his upside potential.
It shouldn’t surprise you if Domenik Hixon starts all 16 games and leads the Giants in receptions. But it also shouldn’t surprise you if he’s displaced as a starter by midseason. He’ll almost certainly be a starter early in the year but won’t put up big numbers consistently. The Giants are going to spread the ball around, and Hixon is suitable mainly as a fantasy backup with upside if the younger players flounder.
6-4, 217, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ TEN TEN CHI
ratt 0 0 0 0
ryds 0 0 0 0
rtds targets 0 0 74 0 85 0 8
rec cyds ctds 50 695 4 34 651 6 55 750 2 4 68 0
6-2, 217, age: 36
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ CAR CHI CHI
ratt 0 0 0 0
ryds 0 0 0 0
rtds targets 0 0 108 0 81 0 117
rec cyds ctds 55 743 5 65 923 5 40 570 3 60 863 5
49. Hakeem Nicks - NYG 6-3, 212, age: 21
ratt 0 0 0
ryds 0 0 0
rtds targets 0 0 82 0 14
rec cyds ctds 63 737 5 57 574 1 8 63 0
FP FP Rank 104 44 63 65 6 150
Steve Smith is the odds on favorite to win a starting spot opposite Domenik Hixon, but for how long? The Giants would like nothing more than to see Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden command major roles as rookies, so Smith needs to bring his “A” game and keep the intensity all season long. Realistically, expect another 50-catch season from Smith with a few touchdown receptions for good measure.
FP FP Rank 104 43 122 26 75 63 116 30
Muhsin Muhammad proved critics wrong last year and re-joined the ranks of fantasy-worthy starters as he almost finished as starter among fantasy wide receivers. This year, he will again be the complement to Steve Smith. Muhammad will never repeat his dynamic 2004 campaign, but he’ll be a solid reserve fantasy wide out if nothing goes wrong for him health-wise.
6-0, 195, age: 24
team PROJ NYG NYG
FP FP Rank 94 47 101 37 87 50 7 133
Justin Gage should end the season as the Titans leading receiver, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be much of a fantasy factor. If healthy he could break into the Top 32 fantasy WRs but predicting which week to start him in could be an exercise in futility. Gage is good for depth in fantasy leagues but should be considered as nothing more than a bye week/injury fill in receiver.
45. Steve Smith - NYG year 2009 2008 2007
FP FP Rank 91 49 74 53 -0 197 0 197
48. Muhsin Muhammad - CAR
5-9, 193, age: 30
team PROJ SEA SEA SEA
ratt 2 2 1 0
year team 2009 PROJ
ratt ryds 1 5
rtds targets 0
rec cyds ctds 58 742 5
WIDE RECEIVERS
Kevin Curtis should begin the season as a starter and put up fantasy worthy numbers as a WR3 or utility option, particularly in PPR leagues. Fantasy owners will need to monitor the progress of Jeremy Maclin, who is the future at the position but probably needs some seasoning, meaning Curtis could be a solid buy low candidate. Of course, this assumes Curtis is healthy after another medical procedure in May.
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NYG NYG DEN
47. Justin Gage - TEN
5-11, 186, age: 31
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
year 2009 2008 2007 2007
FP FP Rank 105 41
Hakeem Nicks most likely starts the season as the WR3 behind Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon, but he could move into a starting role at any point. If and when he becomes a starter, he’s certainly worth having on your fantasy roster. His sure hands and precise route-running make him one of the more compelling rookie WRs to target in redrafts.
50. Patrick Crayton - DAL 6-0, 200, age: 30
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ DAL DAL
ratt 1 1 0
ryds 6 11 0
rtds targets 0 0 70 0 81
rec cyds ctds 34 442 3 39 550 4 50 697 7
FP FP Rank 63 65 80 49 112 34
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2006 DAL
0
0
0
48
36
516
4
76
56
WIDE RECEIVERS
Patrick Crayton doesn’t do anything particularly well. He’s neither sure-handed nor a precise route runner, and it’s fair to say the Cowboys coaches would rather someone else emerge opposite Roy Williams so Crayton can move back to his natural role in the slot. In five seasons, Crayton has yet to put up Top 30 fantasy numbers. Don’t bet on that changing in his sixth season.
consideration.
Nate Burleson, SEA
Others:
Nate Burleson was on his way to being a productive starter and punt returner in Seattle before he suffered a torn ACL in Week 1. Burleson has looked healthy in OTAs, but he probably won’t truly test the knee until training camp. Now he is in a dogfight with oft-injured Deion Branch and rookie third-round pick Deon Butler to start at split end opposite marquee free agent pickup T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
Miles Austin, DAL
Plaxico Burress, FA
Miles Austin has to beat Patrick Crayton out for a starting role, but the truth is they bring decidedly different skill sets. Austin averaged 21.4 yards per reception last year and will be the Cowboys main deep threat this season, regardless of how many snaps he plays. The key for Austin’s fantasy value is whether he is named a starter in camp. If so, he’s worth a late round draft pick because he has the physical talent to emerge from obscurity and will be catching balls from an elite QB.
Plaxico Burress is currently a free agent, and we get almost daily reports on teams’ interest. If his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is speaking, “there are several teams interested” in Burress. However, if someone close to a team is speaking, that team is generally “not interested” in the wide receiver. The truth is that almost every team would be interested if they knew how Burress’ situation would be resolved both in the courts and at NFL Headquarters.
Earl Bennett, CHI
Keenan Burton, STL
The Bears passing attack is going to improve this season. A decent bet to improve may be 2008 third-round draft choice Earl Bennett, who was Jay Cutler’s go-to guy at Vanderbilt. He will definitely earn some playing time this year, and he could finish with a relatively high ceiling if everything falls into place.
Keenan Burton entered the early camps as the team’s second starter opposite Donnie Avery. His only real competition will come from newly-signed Laurent Robinson. However, the starting nod may be more nominal than significant as both players should get a similar number of looks unless one of them really excels.
Davone Bess, MIA
Greg Camarillo, MIA
Davone Bess was a great story last year, and he has the confidence of Chad Pennington to pick up third downs and move the chains. His career beginning seems remarkable similar to Wes Welker’s start and this time, the Dolphins likely will not be trading this commodity away. Expect him to post statistics similar to 2008. However, he will be pushed for playing time by rookies Turner and Hartline so keep an eye on this situation during training camp and preseason.
Greg Camarillo greatly exceeded expectations last season. He does not have the talent of some of the other players on the roster, but his hard work and determination may be tough to dislodge him. In all likelihood, Camarillo will still earn plenty of playing time but may struggle to catch more than 40 passes this season.
Mark Bradley, KC Mark Bradley has seemingly gotten his career back on track, but nothing stays the same in the NFL. If healthy Bradley could be a nice compliment to Dwayne Bowe, but even though he’s the No. 2 on the depth chart, his numbers could be smaller than slot receiver Bobby Engram.
Kenny Britt, TEN Kenny Britt is a very physical receiver. He plays big in big games and carried Rutgers in the second half of the 2008 season. Britt is more of a possession receiver than he is a gamebreaker, but he possesses many attributes that will make him a fine complimentary receiver in the near future.
Isaac Bruce, SF At one stage during the offseason it looked like Isaac Bruce would retire, but he was coaxed back for another year. This year however he’ll have a group of younger guys looking for more opportunities and the drafting of Michael Crabtree in particular is ominous for a guy who will be 37 this year. With free agent signings, a first-round draft pick and developing youngsters it is hard to see Bruce being much of a fantasy
Michael Clayton, TB We expect Michael Clayton to finish at or slightly above last year’s production. Clayton will be the third if not fourth option in the passing game if you include about 60-70 catches by the RB combo of Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham. There is always that thought that he will once again regain the form he had in 2004, but there are lots of thoughts that never happen.
David Clowney, NYJ David Clowney will get to compete with Chansi Stuckey and Brad Smith for a starting spot. Don’t get too excited about his potential because Jerricho Cotchery is a durable go-to guy, Dustin Keller is the de facto No. 2 target in the passing game, and the Jets will likely be starting rookie QB Mark Sanchez. Still, Clowney might have value in non-PPR league as the best deep threat on the Jets roster.
Bobby Engram, KC Bobby Engram will provide Matt Cassel with a reliable target and give the team a solid possession receiver that can move the chains. Expect him to catch 40-50 passes in 2009, for around 500 yards with a few TD catches. If Mark Bradley is hurt of ineffective we could see Engram’s production rise - provided that he himself stays healthy.
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Chris Henry, CIN
Malcom Floyd, SD Malcom Floyd has had great chemistry with Philip Rivers ever since he caught Rivers’ first NFL TD pass way back in 2004. He has had trouble staying healthy during his career, but his production in half a season last year is reason to take notice of how he starts out his 2009 campaign, especially if he gets to start due to a possible Vincent Jackson suspension. Floyd is a terrific jump-ball WR and his skill set is similar to Marques Colston.
Jabar Gaffney, DEN Brandon Stokley vs. Jabar Gaffney. This will be a battle to watch during training camp to see who emerges as the slot receiver. The Broncos could be a more run-heavy offense in 2009, but they should still run plenty of three-WR sets. Gaffney may have a slight edge in this competition because of his familiarity with the offense, but the opportunity for production might not be good enough for Gaffney to earn a roster spot on your fantasy team.
Joey Galloway, NE
James Hardy, BUF Given that his torn ACL occurred so late in the 2008 season and the one-year signing of Owens, this is looking like it will probably be a developmental year for James Hardy. He could see some time in situational packages near the goalline, but his best strategy is probably to get healthy and then compete for a starting spot in 2010.
Marvin Harrison, FA The Colts released Marvin Harrison after the 2008 season, and he has clearly lost a step or two. He has received little interest from the other 31 teams and could soon retire.
Percy Harvin, MIN The Vikings made a great choice this year by drating Percy Harvin. Defenses are not going to be able to key on him, and he is so fast out of the blocks that he should be able to get past most defenders. He is going to be a hybrid of sorts for the Vikings, likely lining up both in the backfield and in the slot, and he should finish the season with at least 80 total touches.
Devery Henderson, NO Devery Henderson is a wonderful late-round pick for those who play in survivor leagues, but in week to week matchups his use needs to be carefully considered. His best value is perhaps as a bye week replacement. Some owners with considerable strength at other positions could consider playing Henderson regularly in the hope that he hits a home run, but more often than not he’ll be a weak play, particularly in points per reception leagues.
Darrius Heyward-Bey, OAK The fastest receiver in the 2009 NFL Draft class is expected to be a premier deep threat for the Raiders from day one. Darrius Heyward-Bey can make amazing catches that not many receivers can grab, and the Raiders love his size/speed combo. He should end the season as the Raiders leading receiver, even though his reception total may only be around 40.
Dwayne Jarrett, CAR Barring a change in status, Dwayne Jarrett is, as we said last year, essentially an untouchable in fantasy terms. He has scored zero TDs over two NFL seasons, and has accumulated just 192 yards receiving during that time. He will need an injury to Steve Smith or Muhsin Muhammad to be viable.
Michael Jenkins, ATL Michael Jenkins was a lot more productive during 2008 than he was in 2007, going from 10 yards per reception to 15.5 per grab - his best mark over the past four years. He posted just one ‘goose-egg’ all year (Week 2, vs. TB), and was usually in the 50-70 yards receiving neighborhood during the other games in which he played. Jenkins isn’t a starting-caliber fantasy wideout entering 2009, but he should be a useful guy to have on your bench for bye-weeks or in case of injury among your Top 3 players at the position.
Bryant Johnson, DET Bryant Johnson has been incredibly consistent throughout the years, and there is no reason to believe his numbers will drop this season. He will definitely be second-fiddle to Calvin Johnson in the passing game, but he should help defenses stay honest and not completely roll coverage over on Johnson.
WIDE RECEIVERS
While Joey Galloway landed in a good spot, he’s still on his last legs as an NFL player. There are reasons why only a few receivers have played at age 38, and Galloway will certainly have to swim against the tide if he expects to have a solid season. He may come up with some big plays now and again and may have a decent game or two, but the chances of him being a regular fantasy contributor are not great.
The Cincinnati offense should have a solid turn around this season. The passing lates should open up for all of the WRs on the Bengals, including Chris Henry. Coles is a quality guy, but he isn’t going to steal a bunch of targets like T.J. Houshmandzadeh. That should give Henry plenty of chances to redeem himself after two years of subpar performance.
James Jones, GB James Jones is a talented receiver, but it is unlikely he will move past the fourth spot in the depth charts. With three capable receivers in front of him, it is unlikely he can surpass the 30-reception, 400-yard mark in 2009.
Jeremy Maclin, PHI The Eagles didn’t use a first round pick on Jeremy Maclin to sit him. Provided he can show the coaching staff enough during training camp, he’ll see the field. The question is whether it will be as a full-time starter or as a WR3 in the slot. Either way, Maclin will make big plays when he gets the ball and has room to run. He is also an explosive returner for those leagues that reward individual return stats.
Josh Morgan, SF Josh Morgan started the 2008 season as one of the more hyped rookies. Not bad for a sixth rounder who wasn’t expected to contribute much when he was drafted. Morgan was
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starting to develop nicely when an injury in Week 10 put him out for the next five weeks. Despite performing well in the final two games of the season, it remains to be seen whether Morgan will improve and establish himself as a complement to the expected stardom of Michael Crabtree.
Jordy Nelson, GB Jordy Nelson is close to earning a more prominent role within the Packers passing game. He is a very talented, big and athletic player and only needs the opportunity to demonstrate his skills. However, that may not happen this year as Driver is still a capable receiver at 34. Nelson may become a starting receiver by 2010 but barring injury this season, he is unlikely to catch more than 40 passes for 560 yards and three or four scores on the season.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Dennis Northcutt, JAC Dennis Northcutt found the fountain of youth late last season with two 100+ yard/one touchdown games in Weeks 15 and 16. He is a shifty slot receiver/punt returner by trade, but he was a decent bet to start until the Jags signed Torry Holt. If Mike Walker gets hurt again, Northcutt could start. Don’t hesitate to use your waiver priority to get him if he picks up where he left off last year.
Antwaan Randle El, WAS Every year it seems some fantasy owner will draft Randle El believing that this is the year he puts it all together. But after eight seasons of middling performance, the odds of his becoming a consistent fantasy threat are meager at best. He’s a good guy and a good teammate, but that doesn’t make him a good player.
Josh Reed, BUF Josh Reed was an important piece of the Bills offense the past few years and Edwards clearly feels comfortable looking for him whenever a play breaks down. Unless the Bills completely change their offensive philosophy from a running team to a passing team, however, he should see a reduction in his already limited fantasy value this year.
Sidney Rice, MIN Sidney Rice is a tall, athletic receiver with the ability to be a great player in the NFL. With the dependable veteran Bobby Wade and rookie Percy Harvin pushing him for playing time, Rice will have to have a good training camp and start to the season to earn the trust of the Vikings organization. A realistic projection of his 2009 potential would be 50 receptions for 700 yards and five touchdowns. Anymore than that would be a bonus and he is just as likely to finish with 15 receptions again if he doesn’t improve this season. He is a player to watch closely in training camp.
respectable totals.
Chaz Schilens, OAK Chaz Schilens made an impact when he started mid-season and again at the end of the season after he got over his ankle injury. He has the size, speed, and athleticism to emerge as the Raiders’ No. 1 WR while Darrius Heyward-Bey learns the ropes and Johnnie Lee Higgins plays the slot. Schilens has been impressing thus far in minicamp, and we could see Schilens become a key target for JaMarcus Russell.
Chansi Stuckey, NYJ For now, we can only speculate on what the Jets might do at WR2. That situation alone could help dictate how to proceed with Chansi Stuckey for 2009. If there is anyone else around for competition, he doesn’t exactly have much of a track record to support his case for playing time. If the only competition he has is those in camp, his odds for significant playing time increase exponentially.
Limas Sweed, PIT Limas Sweed was last seen dropping a sure TD and faking an injury in the AFC championship game. Early reports indicate that he’s been developing well this offseason, and the Steelers will count on him to replace Nate Washington in three-wide sets. Veteran Shaun McDonald will push him, but Sweed could have surprising value if Hines Ward misses time or Santonio Holmes gets in trouble again.
Devin Thomas, WAS Santana Moss and Chris Cooley will be the top targets in Washington, but either Thomas or Malcolm Kelly should displace Antwaan Randle El as a starter. If Thomas wins that battle, he could be a serviceable end of the roster option.
Javon Walker, OAK Javon Walker has been a bust for the Raiders since coming over as a free agent from the Denver Broncos. Walker had more surgery on his knee that he neglected to tell the Raiders until the start of mini camp. He may miss the entire preseason because of this latest surgery and may find himself on the PUP to start the season - or he could just end up getting cut.
Mike Walker, JAC Mike Walker lost all of 2007 to lingering issues with his reconstructed left knee. He lost the middle of 2008 to a sprained MCL in his “good knee” (as he put it). The injury came right on the heels of a breakout performance of six receptions for 107 yards vs. Pittsburgh. With the departure of Matt Jones and Reggie Williams, there is a starting spot open opposite free agent addition Torry Holt. Walker could seize it and be solid end of the bench fantasy option.
Brian Robiskie, CLE
Nate Washington, TEN
By taking Brian Robiskie in the second round, the Browns have proven that they are committed to making improvements on their passing attack from last season. The QB controversy will be solved by training camp, and Robiskie will have a golden opportunity to start opposite one of the premier WR talents in the NFL this year. He won’t put up Rookie of the Year-type numbers, but it’s not unrealistic for him to put up
Signing Nate Washington was a priority for the Titans, and he will get every opportunity to earn his new contract. Tennessee needs help at the WR position and they’ll look to Washington more than the Steelers would. Washington’s current ADP is WR53, and there is a chance he could outproduce that number.
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TIGHT ENDS Intro by Jason Wood
TIGHT ENDS
T
he days of tight end being a fantasy afterthought are long gone. Waiting until the late rounds to draft your starter is no longer smart; it’s a recipe for failure. The tight end position has become an integral component of many team’s passing attacks. In 2008, 15 tight ends had 500 receiving yards and nine caught 5 or more touchdowns. If you’re not drafting someone with that as their baseline, you’ll be behind the curve. Jason Witten is the clear class of this group due to his health, stability and potential to lead his team in targets. Some others face question marks, as Tony Gonzalez and Kellen Winslow moved to the NFC this offseason, and Antonio Gates continues to rehab from injuries. Despite these questions, all three should be off the board within the first five or six rounds if they’re healthy. Dallas Clark rounds out the Top 5 as he’s Peyton Manning’s most reliable red zone option. If you miss out on this quintet, don’t despair. Proven veterans like Chris Cooley and Owen Daniels and a number of young TEs, including Zach Miller, John Carlson, Dustin Keller and Greg Olsen could put up monster numbers. Target having
a starter rostered by the ninth or tenth rounds, but take your time in drafting a backup. The second tier is littered with guys who should catch 40+ balls, 400+ yards and some scores. One last word of advice, remember that rookie tight ends rarely help fantasy teams. Even Tony Gonzalez (33 catches, two TD) and Jason Witten (347 yards, one TD) struggled as rookies, so let someone else target Brandon Pettigrew on draft day. Visit our website: Footballguys.com where you can view customized rankings that are tailored to your league’s scoring system.
1. Jason Witten - DAL 6-5, 257, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ DAL DAL DAL
targets 121 141 93
rec 80 81 96 64
cyds 936 952 1145 754
ctds 6 4 7 1
FP 130 121 156 81
FP Rank 2 2 1 12
The Good - How many tight ends are guaranteed to lead their team in targets? How many are devastating blockers? Jason Witten fits the bill and he’s expected to be an elite fantasy tight end again in 2009. His best case is that Roy Williams stretches the defense so Witten can work the middle of the field. If that happens, Witten could match his monstrous 2007 numbers (96 catches, 1,145 yards and seven TDs) which would make him the top fantasy TE again. The Bad - The 2006 season marked a nadir in Witten’s career. His catches and yardage totals were top notch, but scoring one touchdown ruined his shot at a Top 10 fantasy season. The only way Witten would struggle like that again is if the Cowboys are inept offensively and rarely get into the red zone. The Bottom Line - Witten should be the first or second TE drafted in any league format. He’s Tony Romo’s favorite target and is guaranteed to be among the top pass catchers at his position. Witten is light years better than any other receiver on the roster. He should be off the board by the third or fourth rounds in all leagues.
2. Antonio Gates - SD 6-4, 260, age: 29
Jason Witten
ICON SMI
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ SD SD SD
targets 92 117 119
rec 68 60 75 71
cyds 836 704 984 924
ctds 8 8 9 9
FP 132 118 152 146
FP Rank 1 4 2 1
The Good - Before playing his way through multiple injuries in 2008, Antonio Gates had been the No. 1 or No. 2 fantasy TE the previous four seasons. Even hobbled some games, he finished fourth at his position last year. If Gates is healthy, he’s the most talented pass-catching TE in the league. He has the quickness to beat double-teams, makes tough catches in traffic and can come down with jump balls. Gates has been a force around the goal line and led the Chargers in receiving touchdowns the past five seasons. If healthy, Gates has as good a chance as anyone to finish as the top fantasy TE this season.
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The Bad - Gates played through toe, hip, and ankle injuries last year. The wear and tear may have taken its toll and the toe remains a concern. Originally injured in 2007, it’s limited his ability to cut and may be a chronic injury. While Gates can be expected to play through dings, if he’s not 100 percent the Chargers may turn to other weapons on offense. Worst case, Gates could drop out of the Top 5 at his position for the first time since his rookie season. The Bottom Line - Gates is coming off a season marred by injury from beginning to end, but still managed to finish as the #4 fantasy tight end. It’s impossible not to consider him a Top 3 TE if he’s healthy. His toe is worth keeping tabs on throughout training camp, but he’s expected to be at full speed by the start of camp.
3. Tony Gonzalez - ATL 6-4, 244, age: 33
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ KC KC KC
targets 154 154 103
rec 73 96 99 73
cyds 810 1058 1172 900
ctds 7 10 5 5
FP 123 166 147 120
FP Rank 3 1 3 3
4. Dallas Clark - IND 6-3, 257, age: 30
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ IND IND IND
targets 107 101 58
rec 72 77 58 30
cyds 785 848 616 367
ctds 6 6 11 4
FP 114 121 130 61
FP Rank 4 3 5 15
The Good – Dallas Clark has been a top TE the last two seasons, and last year was his best fantasy season. The Colts struggled some offensively last year and did not run the ball well, so Peyton Manning had to rely on Clark more than ever before. His upside this year is to repeat 2008’s production with a few more TDs, solidly establishing him as an upper echelon fantasy TE. The Bad - Manning spreads the ball to whoever is open, and he may not target Clark 100+ times like he did past two seasons. The common denominator in those two seasons is that the Colts did not have a second serious threat at WR to line up opposite Reggie Wayne. If Anthony Gonzalez fills that role this season, Clark’s targets could fall by 30%, and he could
5. Kellen Winslow - TB 6-4, 250, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ CLE CLE CLE
targets 82 148 119
rec 66 43 82 89
cyds 792 428 1106 875
ctds 5 3 5 3
FP 109 61 141 106
FP Rank 5 21 4 6
The Good - The Buccaneers acquired Kellen Winslow, Jr. from Cleveland, their biggest move in a busy offseason. Winslow is a home run threat and will see many passes thrown his way. The Buccaneers don’t have many other receiving options beyond Winslow and Antonio Bryant, so expect each to have several targets every week. The Bad - Winslow is coming off a down year with Cleveland that caused him to miss five games due to injuries. Perhaps Cleveland saw the writing on the wall with Winslow and decided that his injury history impacted his play. If he doesn’t have an immediate impact in Tampa, it’s not a stretch to think that maybe his best games are behind him. The Bottom Line - The Bucs are counting on Winslow to be 100 percent healthy and there is no reason to think otherwise. The Bucs offense will feature plenty of Winslow and Bryant, a tandem similar to Dwayne Bowe and Tony Gonzalez last year for the Chiefs. If Winslow can stay healthy he should reach 65-70 catches or even 80+. Winslow automatically upgrades a poor red zone offense and should often have TDscoring opportunities.
6. Owen Daniels - HOU 6-3, 250, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ HOU HOU HOU
targets 100 94 51
rec 66 70 63 34
cyds 759 862 768 352
ctds 4 2 3 5
FP 100 98 95 65
TIGHT ENDS
The Good - If Tony Gonzalez brings his ‘A’ game, he could have 90+ receptions and another Pro Bowl selection. Matt Ryan will benefit from the reps he got last season. Assuming Gonzalez and Ryan are simpatico from the start, the Falcons offense could explode early on and keep rolling throughout the season. The Bad - Gonzalez could see fewer targets transitioning to his new surroundings. If so, his fantasy production could drop below the Top 3 TE. As we saw last year with Jeremy Shockey, moving to a new team isn’t always an easy thing to do. Gonzalez is 33 and at the point where performance could suddenly drop off with nagging injuries. The Bottom Line - Gonzalez snagged 90+ catches the last two years with Tyler Thigpen, Damon Huard, and Brodie Croyle. He’s been a Top 3 TE in nine of the past 10 seasons. Now he is playing with Matt Ryan on a stacked offense. Gonzalez could be poised for another double-digit TD season in Atlanta this year.
find himself back in the 10-15 range among fantasy tight ends. The Bottom Line - Clark may not improve on the career year he had in 2008, but he should remain a key part of the offense. He should remain a Top 5 fantasy TE if he can remain healthy for 16 games.
FP Rank 6 6 8 14
The Good – Owens Daniels has improved his targets, receptions, and yards each season in the NFL, but his TD total has dropped each year. He finished as the No. 6 fantasy TE while scoring only two touchdowns last year. If he can maintain his yardage total while getting back to five scores, Daniels could finish as a Top 3 fantasy TE. The Bad - Daniels is overshadowed by Andre Johnson and Steve Slaton, and has generally been targeted during Johnson’s off games. Johnson had fewer than five receptions six times last season and Daniels averaged 6 receptions for 80 yards. In 10 games when Johnson caught 5+ passes, Daniels averaged 3.4 receptions for 38 yards. If Johnson remains the go to guy, Daniels’ production could be capped. The Bottom Line - Daniels will likely finish in the Top 510 TEs and has the potential to finish higher with more goal line looks. He shouldn’t be ranked ahead of Witten, Gates, Gonzalez, Winslow, or Clark. Daniels makes a nice handcuff for Andre Johnson owners, since Daniels tends to have better games when Johnson is less of a factor.
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7. Chris Cooley - WAS 6-3, 265, age: 27
TIGHT ENDS
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ WAS WAS WAS
targets 111 110 95
rec 65 83 66 57
cyds 663 849 786 734
ctds 5 1 8 6
FP 96 91 127 109
FP Rank 8 8 6 5
The Good - Chris Cooley has been a Top 8 fantasy TE for four consecutive seasons, and could be the No. 1 TE under ideal circumstances. He’s an offensive dynamo and a reliable, sure handed weapon. He’s coming off career highs of 83 receptions and 849 yards but only scored one TD. If Jason Campbell can put it all together, Cooley could match last year’s reception totals but with 6-8 TDs as he had done in the prior three seasons. That would make him an elite fantasy option to say the least. The Bad - A redux of last year’s low TD total would be the worst case scenario for someone who should see 100+ targets. If someone other than Jasom Campbell were to start, the Redskins passing attack could turn anemic and turn Cooley into a quality fantasy TE2. The Bottom Line - Even if WRs Devin Thomas or Malcolm Kelly emerge, no one will replace Cooley as the over-the-middle weapon. He’s the player Campbell counts on for tough first downs and is in his prime. Expect Top 10 production; hope for Top 5.
8. Greg Olsen - CHI 6-5, 255, age: 24
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ CHI CHI
targets 82 66
rec 60 54 39
cyds 666 574 391
ctds 5 5 2
FP 97 87 51
FP Rank 7 10 23
The Good - Greg Olsen became a legitimate top-ten fantasy tight end in 2008 and is still getting better. He has the ability to outrun linebackers and run over defensive backs. Someday he’ll be a Top 5 TE. His best-case scenario is if he develops a rapport with Jay Cutler, becoming a favorite target like Jason Witten is for Tony Romo. With the questionable receiving corps in Chicago, Olsen could finish with 80+ receptions for 900+ yards if everything falls into place. The Bad - Cutler spreads the ball to 5-6 different targets and Olsen’s numbers stay similar to last year’s. Unless injuries strike, he is unlikely to finish with fewer than 50 receptions, 600 yards and 4-5 touchdowns. The Bottom Line - Olsen will elevate from “good” to “great” in 2009. He has the tools to be an elite player. With a capable QB, Olsen should set career highs in receptions, yardage and touchdowns. He’ll share some time with Desmond Clark but expect Olsen to see most of the targets as he begins to reach his potential.
9. Zach Miller - OAK 6-5, 255, age: 24
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ OAK OAK
targets 86 69
rec 55 56 44
cyds 644 778 444
ctds 4 1 3
FP 88 84 62
FP Rank 9 11 16
The Good - Some people expected Zach Miller to finish as a Top 10 fantasy TE in 2008 and despite a slow start he nearly made it. After a Week 3 game against Buffalo where he fin-
ished with 0 catches the light finally came on for Miller and QB JaMarcus Russell. His numbers would have been much better if he had more than one TD grab - a number he should easily surpass in 2009. The Raiders added more weapons to the WR corps, but Miller should remain the No. 1 or No. 2 target in the passing game. With Darrius Heyward-Bey running deep routes it should open up coverage over the middle for Miller to exploit. The Bad - Miller only caught one TD pass in 2008, and with all the new additions to the passing game, the opportunities will be spread thin. If Heyward-Bey is an impact rookie, it could end up impacting the number of targets Miller gets this season. The Bottom Line - Miller is Russell’s go to guy and things should be no different in 2009. After scoring 62, and 84 fantasy points in his first two seasons, Miller’s could reach 100 points this season. He should finally break into the Top 10 where he belongs.
10. John Carlson - SEA 6-4, 255, age: 25
year 2009 2008
team PROJ SEA
targets 80
rec 52 55
cyds 572 627
ctds 5 5
FP 87 93
FP Rank 10 7
The Good - John Carlson led Seattle in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns as a rookie last year. He’s a lock to start this season and will play a large role in the passing game. Carlson has the speed to run seam routes and is a threat to make a big play down the field. With T.J. Houshmandzadeh occupying the secondary’s attention, Carlson may have more space in the middle of the field and could surpass last year’s No. 2 fantasy ranking. The Bad - With healthier WRs in town this year, Carlson may see many fewer targets. Ten different WRs had catches last season, none of whom played a full 16 games. With Houshmandzadeh, Carlson may be a decoy more often and a primary target less frequently. If his targets drop from 80 to 60, he would be just a fantasy backup. The Bottom Line - A second-year player carries more risk than a veteran, but Carlson’s skills make him a near lock to finish in the top half of starting NFL tight ends. He may have a smaller role this season and is unlikely to repeat his #7 fantasy finish, but he should be a worthwhile fantasy starter again.
11. Dustin Keller - NYJ 6-2, 242, age: 25
year 2009 2008
team PROJ NYJ
targets 78
rec 54 48
cyds 621 535
ctds 4 3
FP 86 72
FP Rank 11 14
The Good - The Jets should have a lot of receiving targets available with the departure of Laveranues Coles and Chris Baker, and Dustin Keller could be a prime beneficiary. That’s without factoring in any improvement from the second year tight end, who was already a fantasy factor as a rookie. Keller has excellent ball skills and is more of a Dallas Clark-type than a Bubba Franks-type. In other words, he’s a receiver first and a blocker second. The Bad - With only Jerricho Cotchery having significant experience, defenses may focus more coverage on Keller. He won’t sneak up on anyone like he did last year. The Jets passing game could take a step backwards. Brett Favre has retired,
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and if Mark Sanchez or Kellen Clemens struggles, Keller’s numbers could decrease across the board. The Bottom Line - Keller should improve on his rookie numbers and could be a Top 10 fantasy TE this year. While he’ll likely see more coverage with Coles gone, he’ll also see more targets. His athleticism should create mismatches with many defenders, so a significant uptick in productivity isn’t out of the question.
12. Jeremy Shockey - NO 6-5, 252, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NO NYG NYG
targets 72 93 115
rec 46 50 57 66
cyds 529 483 619 623
ctds 4 0 3 7
FP 77 48 80 104
FP Rank 12 27 11 7
13. Visanthe Shiancoe - MIN 6-4, 251, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ MIN MIN NYG
targets 59 43 14
rec 45 42 27 12
cyds 513 596 323 81
ctds 4 7 1 0
FP 75 102 38 8
FP Rank 13 5 32 67
The Good - Shiancoe could easily match his numbers from a year ago. If defenses key on Adrian Peterson, Bernard Berrian and newcomer Percy Harvin, that would allow Shiancoe plenty of room to get open in the secondary. The Bad - The Vikings have increased options on offense this season, and Shiancoe’s production could take a hit as a result. With such a powerful running attack, there are only so many passes available to catch. The Bottom Line - Shiancoe set career bests in receptions, yards and touchdowns, but some of that success stemmed from mediocre play at the receiver position. The WR corps should improve this season, and that should keep Shiancoe from matching last year’s Top 10 finish.
6-5, 255, age: 27
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ PIT PIT PIT
targets 65 61 55
rec 45 48 47 34
cyds 482 514 566 393
ctds 4 3 7 5
FP 72 69 99 69
FP Rank 15 15 7 13
The Good - Heath Miller set career bests in targets and receptions in 2008 but still finished as the No. 15 fantasy TE thanks to only three TD receptions. His production could improve with the loss of WR Nate Washington, particularly if WR Limas Sweed struggles. A stronger start to the season could push Miller back into the Top 10 this year. The Bad - The Steelers run/pass ratio limits the upside receiving opportunities for anyone on the roster, including Miller. Further, he may be asked protect his QB more this season as the offensive line can be downright dreadful at times. Miller could lose red zone targets to Matt Spaeth and Limas Sweed, making his ceiling three or four TDs. The Bottom Line - Miller is one of the best TEs in the NFL today. So why doesn’t he produce more like a premier fantasy TE? Simply put - the Steelers don’t throw enough. He could end the season near the Top 10, but will be hard pressed to crack it.
15. Bo Scaife - TEN 6-3, 250, age: 28
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ TEN TEN TEN
targets 84 78 56
rec 50 58 46 29
cyds 505 561 421 370
ctds 4 2 1 2
FP 74 68 48 56
FP Rank 14 16 25 16
The Good - Kerry Collins looked to Bo Scaife often last year. Scaife used his athletic ability to pile up positive yards after the catch and should again be a reliable target. Tennessee may pass more this year because the defense might be weaker with the loss of Albert Haynesworth. The Bad - The Titans have three quality TEs on the roster with Scaife, Alge Crumpler, and rookie Jared Cook. Crumpler’s best days are behind him but he could be used in certain situations. Cook is a playmaker that’s more of a super sized WR than TE. Scaife will also lose targets to new WRs Nate Washington and Kenny Britt. The Bottom Line - Scaife may not match his numbers from last season if the passing game focuses on wide receivers. He should again finish as a Top 20 TE, but he’s a fantasy backup with limited upside.
TIGHT ENDS
The Good - A four-time Pro-Bowler, Jeremy Shockey racked up 50 receptions in an injury-filled first season with the Saints. He could again be an elite fantasy TE, as he has the size, speed, and hands to outmatch opponents and could be undervalued in fantasy drafts this year, but he’ll have to stay on the field. The Bad - Injuries have had a big impact on Shockey’s last few seasons. It would be a surprise for him to return to the upper echelons of fantasy TEs. Many have declined at age 30, and Shockey will be 29. The Saints offense thrived with Billy Miller. It is possible New Orleans may utilize both this season, negating the value of both. The Bottom Line - Can Shockey still be a top fantasy TE? He should be a major part of a productive offense, but beware of taking him based on his reputation. He averaged less than 10 yards per catch and didn’t score a touchdown last year. Add in his injury history, and you must exercise caution before taking him too early. If he freefalls on draft day, be ready to pounce.
14. Heath Miller - PIT
16. Tony Scheffler - DEN 6-6, 260, age: 26
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ DEN DEN DEN
targets 60 65 37
rec 38 40 49 18
cyds 464 645 549 286
ctds 4 3 5 4
FP 70 82 85 53
FP Rank 16 12 10 20
The Good - Tony Scheffler remains in Denver, but his quarterback Jay Cutler has moved on to Chicago. So what do the Broncos and Scheffler do now? They’ll apparently find a way to utilize Scheffler to his fullest capability. He creates matchup problems and can do damage in the middle of the field. The Bad - The Patriots’ system didn’t feature a pass-catchFREE DAILY EMAIL: http://footballguys.com/email
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ing TE while Josh McDaniels was the OC. New England’s tight ends only received 64 targets last year. Also, the Broncos want to feature Knowshon Moreno, meaning more time for blocking TEs like Daniel Graham and Richard Quinn. Scheffler could really miss Cutler. The Bottom Line - Scheffler needs to stay healthy to endear himself to the new regime in Denver. The system may limit his production, and if so, Scheffler owners could be in for a long season. All things considered, it is difficult to imagine him matching last year’s numbers.
17. Anthony Fasano - MIA 6-5, 255, age: 25
TIGHT ENDS
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ MIA DAL DAL
targets 53 21 24
rec 38 34 14 14
cyds 460 454 143 126
ctds 4 7 1 0
FP 70 87 20 13
FP Rank 17 9 49 59
The Good - It’s conceivable that Anthony Fasano elevates his play to such a level that he becomes the favorite target of Chad Pennington. Then, much like Tony Romo and Jason Witten in Dallas, Fasano becomes the first player in the quarterback’s progression and sets career highs, finishing as a Top 5 tight end. The Bad – Last season was a surprising success for Fasano and the Dolphins. However, Fasano’s high finish among TEs was based mostly upon his seven TDs. If he regresses to three or four, he becomes just another mediocre backup. The Bottom Line - Fasano is likely to post similar numbers but could become a go-to guy in the passing attack. With questions surrounding the receiving corps, the Dolphins best option may be Fasano, who displayed last season he can run crisp routes and get open.
18. Kevin Boss - NYG 6-7, 250, age: 25
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ NYG NYG
targets 55 14
rec 36 33 9
cyds 364 384 118
ctds 4 6 2
FP 60 74 24
FP Rank 19 13 43
The Good - Kevin Boss caught six touchdowns last year despite only catching 33 passes. That should be considered his upside. He’s a reliable red zone target and should remain in the mix near the goal line. The Bad - Boss may have replaced Jeremy Shockey, but he didn’t replace his productivity. Boss isn’t a special athlete, but he found ways to get first downs and touchdowns. If the cadre of receivers develops as planned, Boss could see his TDs cut in half, while still catching 30 receptions. The Bottom Line - Boss is entrenched as the starter, and he’ll catch at least 30 passes and 3 TDs. Coming off a TE13 fantasy ranking, Boss is worth having on a roster as a backup.
very good fantasy TE. The departure of Mike Martz should result in Davis being used in more passing situations. The new offensive scheme emulates Kansas City’s, and if Davis can be half as good as Tony Gonzalez, then fantasy owners may get a pleasant surprise. Davis is adequate as both a receiver and blocker and should play the majority of snaps. The Bad - Mike Singletary means business and will not tolerate any of Davis’ antics. He may have the body of an elite TE, but he doesn’t appear to have the head for it. He had either zero or one catch in 10 games last season and was often a fantasy liability. The Bottom Line - Davis’ stats declined from his 50-catch performance in 2007. He’ll need to rebound to justify his hefty price the 49ers paid in drafting him. Fantasy scoring doesn’t reward great blocking, so he’ll need to be more active in the passing attack to be fantasy relevant again. He is capable of more, so it could be worth a late round flyer.
20. Brent Celek - PHI 6-4, 250, age: 24
year 2009 2008 2007
team PROJ PHI PHI
targets 38 22
rec 35 27 16
cyds 382 318 178
ctds 3 1 1
FP 56 38 24
FP Rank 24 32 44
The Good – Brent Celek should start in Week 1 and will have plenty of chances to work the middle of the field and move the chains. If he can maintain the intensity he showed in last year’s playoffs (19 catches for 151 yards in three games), he will be worth rostering as a fantasy backup. The Bad - Celek is really a starter by default. He’s limited physically and wouldn’t start for many NFL teams. If Cornelius Ingram is everything the team hopes he is, Celek could find himself as a backup by midseason. The Bottom Line - It would be shocking to see Brent Celek put up Top 10 fantasy numbers and should be thought of as nothing more than a TE2 in 12-team leagues.
21. Todd Heap - BAL 6-4, 250, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ BAL BAL BAL
targets 64 34 116
rec 38 35 23 73
cyds 418 403 239 765
ctds 3 3 1 6
FP 60 58 30 112
FP Rank 20 23 38 4
The Bottom Line - It’s tough to envision Heap as an elite tight end again. He seems to have a role within the offense similar to other run-first teams. Last season, he had five games with either zero or one catch. In the previous five seasons, he never had fewer than two catches in a game. That speaks volumes as to what his current role is.
22. Randy McMichael - STL 6-3, 247, age: 30
19. Vernon Davis - SF 6-3, 253, age: 25
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ SF SF SF
targets 49 85 42
rec 34 31 52 20
cyds 408 358 509 265
ctds 4 2 4 3
FP 65 49 75 45
FP Rank 18 26 14 22
The Good - Vernon Davis has the size and speed to be a
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ STL STL MIA
targets 21 67 96
rec 35 11 39 62
cyds 389 139 429 640
ctds 3 0 3 3
FP 57 14 61 82
FP Rank 23 53 17 11
The Bottom Line - McMichael may be overlooked this season, but he does have potential in the Rams’ new west coast offense. As a late-round flyer, McMichael has more upside
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potential than other tight ends drafted around the same time.
28. Desmond Clark - CHI
23. Brandon Pettigrew - DET
6-3, 255, age: 32
6-6, 263, age: 24
year 2009
team PROJ
targets
rec 30
cyds 327
ctds 3
FP 51
FP Rank 25
The Bottom Line - Pettigrew will be an acceptable bye week/injury TE in deep leagues at best, but expecting more in his rookie season would be foolish.
24. Donald Lee - GB 6-3, 249, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ GB GB GB
targets 50 63 21
rec 35 39 48 10
cyds 396 303 575 150
ctds 3 5 6 0
FP 58 60 94 15
FP Rank 22 22 9 55
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ CHI CHI CHI
targets 73 66 80
rec 35 41 44 45
cyds 340 367 545 626
ctds 2 1 4 6
FP 46 43 78 99
FP Rank 27 30 12 8
The Bottom Line - Clark is a serviceable veteran, but Olsen could see the bulk of the tight end targets this season. Clark may have more real life value than fantasy value.
29. Brad Cottam - KC 6-7, 270, age: 25
year 2009 2008
team PROJ KC
targets 11
rec 24 7
cyds 262 63
ctds 2 0
FP 38 6
FP Rank 33 73
The Bottom Line - There’s little reason to believe Lee’s numbers will look different than the past two seasons. His yards-per-reception will likely increase, but that would be natural flow back to his career average.
The Bottom Line – There are times when a team trades or releases a Pro Bowl player because they have a young stud ready to take over. There are other times when a team sheds that player because they aren’t going to use that position. This is the latter.
25. Marcedes Lewis - JAX
30. Martellus Bennett - DAL
6-6, 255, age: 25
team PROJ JAX JAX JAX
6-6, 259, age: 22
targets 72 57 21
rec 35 41 37 13
cyds 403 489 391 126
ctds 3 2 2 1
FP 58 61 51 19
FP Rank 21 20 22 46
year 2009 2008
team PROJ DAL
targets 27
rec 22 20
cyds 240 283
ctds 2 4
FP 36 52
FP Rank 34 24
The Bottom Line - Lewis likely won’t see enough targets to be considered as a fantasy starter. He’s a marginal fantasy backup in 12-team leagues.
The Bottom Line - Bennett is one of the few backup tight ends that could project as an impact fantasy player. He would be a legitimate Top 10 fantasy prospect with an injury to Witten. It’s hard to justify drafting a backup TE, but he’s someone to consider if he ends up as an NFL starter.
26. Ben Watson - NE
Others:
6-3, 253, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ NE NE NE
targets 47 49 92
rec 26 22 36 49
cyds 265 209 389 643
ctds 2 2 6 3
FP 38 33 76 82
FP Rank 32 33 13 10
The Bottom Line - Watson has been a recent disappointment, and it’s possible that this will be his final year with the Patriots. He’s become somewhat of an afterthought and is frequently benched in favor of a third wide receiver.
27. L.J. Smith - BAL 6-3, 258, age: 29
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
team PROJ PHI PHI PHI
targets 64 44 80
rec 28 37 22 50
cyds 288 298 236 611
ctds 2 3 1 5
FP 41 48 30 91
FP Rank 29 28 39 9
The Bottom Line - Smith will probably grab a handful of scores, but relying on him for consistent production would not be advised. Starter Todd Heap has struggled to produce the last two seasons, so why would his backup become a relevant fantasy performer?
Chris Baker, NE
TIGHT ENDS
year 2009 2008 2007 2006
The Patriots signed Chris Baker to a five-year deal in the first 12 hours of free agency after the Jets let him go to avoid paying a hefty roster bonus. Baker is a good two-way TE who might be able to usurp targets from the inconsistent fantasy tease Ben Watson. He’ll probably catch a handful of short TDs and he could get back in the Top 20.
Chase Coffman, CIN Chase Coffman was taken in the third round and is likely the best receiving tight end on the roster. While Carson Palmer and the Bengals have made little use of the position in the past, T.J. Houshmandzadeh’s targets will be dispersed somewhere. Rookie tight ends can sometimes be overwhelmed, but there’s opportunity here. If Coffman can handle the NFL game, he should pass Reggie Kelly and Ben Utecht on the depth chart.
Alge Crumpler, TEN In his first season with the Titans, Alge Crumpler post marginal numbers. He’s no longer the fantasy force he once was in Atlanta. However, he’s valuable to the Titans as a reserve TE and mentor to young players like Jared Cook. Unfortunately he can’t earn fantasy points as a mentor and should only be rostered in deep leagues.
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Derek Fine, BUF
Ben Patrick, ARI
Tight ends often take time to adjust to the NFL, and Derek Fine has a year of experience over rookie Shawn Nelson. His familiarity with the offense and blocking ability should give him an edge, but at some point Nelson should overtake him.
Ben Patrick wasn’t highly heralded coming out of Delaware in 2007, but he has to be gaining Kurt Warner’s trust after he caught a crucial fourth quarter TD on fourth down in 2007 and outfought a defensive player for a one-yard TD in the Super Bowl. He has the talent to be at least a marginal fantasy TE, but he’s stuck in an offense with the best starting WR tandem in the league.
Jermichael Finley, GB When he left Texas, Jermichael Finley was considered a fantastic pass catcher for such a big target, but somewhat immature. He got on the field late in the season and saw action split out wide, making a few big plays in Weeks 16 and 17. He’ll likely pass Tory Humphrey this year to play opposite Donald Lee when the Packers go with two TEs, but his upside is still limited to a bye week/injury play.
Daniel Graham, DEN Daniel Graham won’t match his output from 2008 because he will be asked to block more. It’s doubtful the Broncos will run as many bubble screens as last season. He may get a few red zone targets, but he’ll be a non-factor in fantasy leagues.
TIGHT ENDS
Steve Heiden, CLE Old man Heiden keeps blocking and receiving with terrific effort, and he has ended up outlasting Kellen Winslow in Cleveland. He was a Top 20 TE when Winslow missed significant time in his first two seasons. Now, Heiden will be competing for targets with a similarly solid, but unspectacular player in Robert Royal and second-year receiving specialist Martin Rucker, which will likely keep him from getting back in the Top 20 this season.
Jeff King, CAR Jeff King regressed to a disappointing 21/195/1 receiving (after 46/406/2 in 2007). He has likely lost the starter’s role to Dante Rosario, so King isn’t a lock to post fantasy-worthy numbers in 2009. He’ll need to earn the top job back.
David Martin, MIA David Martin’s role within the Dolphins offense should not change this season. Even if Anthony Fasano earns a bigger role, Martin will still get targets and produce in dual tight end sets. His numbers may decline slightly, but he’ll still be a valuable player in Miami and have some fantasy value as a marginal TE2.
Billy Miller, NO Billy Miller had his best season since he ranked as TE7 with Houston in 2002. Given Jeremy Shockey’s injury history and the potent Saints offense, there may be room for Miller to have another good season. He’ll be waiver wire material but could be worth a look if an opportunity arises.
Shawn Nelson, BUF With Robert Royal’s release, the Bills starting TE job will be up for grabs during the preseason. Shawn Nelson may be the most talented TE on the roster, but he’s the least experienced. If Nelson is slow to adjust, a player like Derek Fine may hold him off until next year. Even if Nelson starts, he probably won’t be an effective fantasy option with Terrell Owens and Lee Evans around.
Leonard Pope, ARI Leonard Pope has never turned into the size/speed mismatch the Cards envisioned when they took him in the third round of the 2006 draft. The 2007 campaign was a decent year for Pope with five touchdowns, but he failed to score last year. He’s a stiff athlete, and he’ll face stiff competition for a roster spot now that the Cards signed Anthony Becht in free agency.
Gijon Robinson, IND The Colts unearthed yet another undrafted free agent gem when they signed Gijon Robinson in 2007. He’s a hybrid Hback/FB/TE, custom-made for the Colts offense. Robinson had a few outbursts late in the season, with four- and six-catch games in December. He should be the first name fantasy GMs think of if Dallas Clark misses time this year, as long as he’s not passed on the depth chart by Jacob Tamme.
Dante Rosario, CAR Dante Rosario tripled his reception total in 2008 yet still ended up with paltry totals. With those numbers, he is not a viable fantasy TE. He may top the depth chart in Carolina, but Rosario is a marginal fantasy option.
Robert Royal, CLE Robert Royal has a chance to turn it on in Cleveland as HC Eric Mangini utilized the TE position a fair amount in New York. Royal will be an important part of the Cleveland offense, and while he won’t be a solid fantasy starter, he could be drafted. Royal could finish the season with his best stats yet, perhaps even as high as the TE15 range.
Alex Smith, NE The Bucs deemed the former third round pick expendable after they traded for Kellen Winslow, and they were able to recoup a 2010 fifth round selection from the Pats for his services. Smith has a big frame and good hands, but he doesn’t have the speed to be a downfield receiving threat. He’ll probably split targets with Chris Baker and Ben Watson in a passing offense that doesn’t focus on the tight end.
Ben Utecht, CIN The Bengals finally made a move to turn the tight end into a quality target for Carson Palmer by signing Ben Utecht last offseason, but he couldn’t beat the injury bug and once again missed multiple games. He should benefit from the return of Carson Palmer, but he wasn’t very productive even when Palmer was in. Now third round pick Chase Coffman will be breathing down his neck for playing time.
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KICKERS Intro by Mike Herman “Ability is nothing without opportunity.” - Napoleon Bonaparte
A
KICKERS
lthough football is a team sport, kickers are commonly considered an exception - it is simply the kicker and his leg against the ball and the goalposts. That oversimplification disregards the line blocking, the longsnapper, and the holder. It also doesn’t account for the fact that return teams, the defense, and especially the offense all set up the scoring opportunities for the kicker. Even the most accurate kicker is worthless, from a fantasy perspective, if he doesn’t get a chance to kick. While most fantasy teams involve selecting an individual kicker, it is helpful to understand team history of kicking. The table on Page 146 shows the annual kicker scoring rank of each team over the past 15 years, with Top 5 finishes highlighted in yellow and Top 10 finishes in green. It accounts for all kicking points scored by a team in a given year, even if they utilized multiple kickers. The following rankings and associated projections reflect a consensus opinion from the staff at Footballguys. The commentary reflects the opinions of Mike Herman, Staff Kickologist. We offer these to help aid you in slotting players.
1. Stephen Gostkowski, NE Team FGM NE 31 NE 36 NE 21 NE 20
FGA 37 40 24 26
Pct 83.8% 90.0% 87.5% 76.9%
XPM 40-49 43 7 40 9 74 3 43 2
50+ 1 1 0 1
lng 51 50 45 52
PTS 136 148 137 103
After having been first in 2004, the Patriots finished 19th in kicker scoring in both 2005 and 2006. In 2007 they jumped back up to second thanks to their ridiculous number of touchdowns. Last year they again ranked second, thanks to a large (although not ridiculous) number of field goals. They once again scored 100+ kicking points. The last time they failed to do so was 1995. Although Gostkowski was very accurate last year, hidden within his big year were two missed chip shots. He has quickly proven to be one of the better kickers on kickoffs. Teams scoring over 140 kicking points have dropped an average of 40 points the following year (minimum 17, maximum 74). Item to watch this summer: the overall offensive after the departure of Josh McDaniels.
2. Nate Kaeding, SD Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM SD 30 SD 27 SD 24 SD 26
FGA 34 32 27 29
Pct 88.2% 84.4% 88.9% 89.7%
XPM 40-49 44 6 46 3 46 7 58 7
50+ 1 1 1 1
lng 53 57 51 54
PTS 134 127 118 136
Last year Kaeding reached 100-career made field goals, qualifying him for the NFL’s all time accuracy list. His current 86.1 percent puts him at number two, trailing Mike
ICON SMI
Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Stephen Gostkowski
Vanderjagt’s 86.5 percent and just ahead of Robbie Gould’s 85.9 percent. He has been accurate on his limited long range attempts, going 6 of 9 from 50+ yards. Each of the last two years he made 46 PATs, which were actually the fewest of his pro career. Many teams would love to be able to score 46 touchdowns. The Chargers have ranked in the Top 10 in kicker scoring in four of Kaeding’s five years in the NFL. He has averaged 121.4 points a year, highest in the league during that span. The offensive coaches and players are back again in 2009, so odds are that Kaeding can sustain that pace for at least another year.
3. Rob Bironas, Ten Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Ten 31 Ten 29 Ten 35 Ten 22
FGA 36 33 39 28
Pct XPM 40-49 86.1% 39 9 87.9% 40 15 89.7% 28 9 78.6% 32 4
50+ 3 1 4 1
lng 55 51 56 60
PTS 132 127 133 98
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Bironas finally landed his deserved big payday this offseason, with a 4-year, $12 million contract. During 2006, there had been hints of things to come. Bironas’ long field goal was a 60-yard game winner against division rival Indianapolis. After a slow start, he jumped to 8.0 ppg in the second half. In 2007 Bironas hit a career high 89.7 percent on field goals, including 13 of 15 from 40+ yards. He broke the single game NFL record by hitting 8 of 8 field goals in one game. The Titans ranked third in kicker scoring as Bironas tallied 133 points. The accuracy and scoring continued in 2008, and the Titans ranked seventh in kicker scoring. In today’s NFL it’s difficult to string together three consecutive Top 10 finishes in kicker scoring, however, the Titans and Bironas are in position to do just that.
4. Mason Crosby, GB
KICKERS
Year 2009 2008 2007
Team FGM GB 29 GB 27 GB 31
FGA 36 34 39
Pct XPM 40-49 80.6% 43 6 79.4% 46 5 79.5% 48 9
50+ 4 3 3
lng 54 53 53
PTS 130 127 141
In his first two years in the league, Mason has seen plenty of field goal opportunities. As a result, the Packers have ranked first and seventh in kicker scoring. Of Mason’s four misses from under 40 yards, one hit the upright and two were blocked. He has left room for improvement on 40+ yard kicks in terms of consistency, although he has demonstrated his range by making some 50+ yarders. For 2009, history suggests that the Packers cannot maintain their current pace of field goal tries. What happens to kicker scoring in the second year after having been number one? Looking at the two teams that were number one prior to Green Bay (they continued to fall) - the Cardinals dropped from first to eighth to 17th while the Bears dropped from first to seventh to 15th.
5. Jason Elam, Atl Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Atl 29 Atl 29 Den 27 Den 27
FGA 33 31 31 29
Pct XPM 40-49 87.9% 41 8 93.5% 42 10 87.1% 33 9 93.1% 34 6
50+ 1 1 1 1
lng 51 50 50 51
PTS 128 129 114 115
During his 15 years in Denver, Elam scored at least 100 points every year, averaged 119 points per year, made at least one 50+ yard field goal every year and finished in the Top 10 in kicker scoring 13 times. When he joined the Falcons last year via free agency, the success continued, and the team finished sixth in kicker scoring. That ended a five-year drought. Not only is Elam showing no signs of slowing down, he appears to be getting better. His field goal percentages each of the last three years were the best of his career. The Falcons’ offense also got better last year, despite the fact they had a rookie quarterback and a rookie coaching staff. The team placed the franchise tag on punter Michael Koenen this year, once again freeing Elam from kickoff duties.
6. Nick Folk, Dal Year 2009 2008 2007
Team FGM Dal 28 Dal 20 Dal 26
FGA 33 22 31
Pct XPM 40-49 84.8% 42 8 90.9% 42 10 83.9% 53 7
50+ 1 2 2
lng 54 52 53
During Folk’s rookie year of 2007, the Cowboys ranked
PTS 126 102 131
fourth in kicker scoring for their first Top 10 finish since 1998. Last year they promptly dropped back out, tumbling to 26th place. The scoring opportunities just weren’t there for Folk, as the Top 3 offense from 2007 dropped to the middle of the pack. The Wade Phillips coaching regime is back for year number three in 2009, hoping to rediscover the first year’s success. They do have a new special teams coordinator, although that tends to have more bearing on the real world Folk, while the offensive coaches have more impact on the fantasy Folk. Last year Folk’s kickoff numbers were down, which explains why the Cowboys drafted David Buehler this year. The athletic USC kicker is best known for his powerful kickoffs and his bench pressing prowess at the Combine. Folk had hip surgery in early May but is expected to be ready for training camp.
7. David Akers, Phi Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Phi 28 Phi 33 Phi 24 Phi 18
FGA 34 40 32 23
Pct XPM 40-49 82.4% 40 6 82.5% 45 8 75.0% 36 1 78.3% 48 6
50+ 1 2 1 0
lng 52 51 53 47
PTS 124 144 108 102
After five consecutive years ranked in the Top 10 in kicker scoring, the Eagles ranked only 21st, 20th, and 23rd from 2005 to 2007. Last year they jumped up to third, thanks to a slightly better field goal percentage by Akers and plenty of field goal opportunities. The numbers could have been even better if not for three blocked field goal attempts. Akers also showed that he was not too old to kick with career highs in kickoff yardage and touchbacks. Despite the strong 2008, the season ended on a negative note for Akers with several missed
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four years. In 2006 the club made coaching changes, and Brown dropped back down to 30th. Things finally started coming together the last two years, and the Texans ranked 14th and 12th in kicker scoring. Brown’s 87.9 percent on field goals last year was his career best percentage. His 124 points matched his previous career best which occurred during his final year with Pittsburgh in 2001. Of those points, 52 came during the first half of 2008 season. The pace picked up a little in the second half as Brown scored 72 points. The pieces are still in place to replicate the last two years and possibly even improve in 2009.
10. Neil Rackers, Ari
Neil Rackers
opportunities in the NFC Championship game. Duplicating the Top 5 finish in 2009 will be difficult, as teams scoring over 140 kicking points have dropped an average of 37 points the following year (minimum 17, maximum 74).
8. Garrett Hartley, NO Year Team FGM 2009 NO 26 2008 NO 13
FGA 31 13
Pct XPM 40-49 83.9% 44 8 100.0% 28 4
50+ 1 0
lng 51 47
PTS 122 67
Since releasing John Carney prior to the 2007 season, the Saints tried Olindo Mare, Martin Gramatica, and Taylor Mehlhaff at kicker. None were the answer. Midway through last season they tried out five kickers and appear to have found the answer in Hartley. He was perfect on all his field goal and PAT attempts and did very well on kickoffs. Head coach Sean Payton noted that he, the staff, and the other players have confidence when Hartley kicks. The Saints offense emerged in 2006, and they finished tenth in kicker scoring with 115 points. In 2007 things went wrong and they finished 30th with only 87 points. Last year they scored 119 points on the strength of PATs and ranked 19th. Item to watch this summer: the overall offensive under newly promoted offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael.
9. Kris Brown, Hou Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Hou 27 Hou 29 Hou 25 Hou 19
FGA 33 33 29 25
Pct XPM 40-49 81.8% 39 7 87.9% 37 8 86.2% 40 7 76.0% 26 11
50+ 3 2 5 0
lng 52 53 57 49
PTS 120 124 115 83
The Texans ranked 31st in kicker scoring in their inaugural year back in 2002. Brown gradually climbed up to 18th after
Team FGM Ari 26 Ari 25 Ari 21 Ari 28
FGA 32 28 30 37
Pct XPM 40-49 81.3% 40 6 89.3% 44 6 70.0% 47 5 75.7% 32 7
50+ 2 1 3 1
lng 53 54 52 50
PTS 118 119 110 116
In 2005 and 2006, the Cardinals’ offense was good enough to get into field goal range and Rackers benefited. They ranked first and right in kicker scoring those years. In 2007 and 2008, the Cardinals’ offense was good enough to get into the end zone and Rackers points slipped a little. They ranked 17th and 15th in kicker scoring those years. Rackers still has one of the strongest legs in the NFL, as evidenced by his numerous touchbacks on kickoffs and long range field goal attempts. Unfortunately, he has missed most of those longer attempts the last three years. Item to watch this summer: the overall offensive after the departure of offensive coordinator Todd Haley.
11. Ryan Longwell, Min Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Min 26 Min 29 Min 20 Min 21
FGA 31 34 24 25
Pct XPM 40-49 83.9% 38 7 85.3% 40 6 83.3% 39 10 84.0% 27 4
50+ 2 6 1 0
lng 53 54 55 49
PTS 116 127 99 90
KICKERS
ICON SMI
Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
After moving from Green Bay via free agency in 2006, Longwell has been very consistent, missing only a handful of field goals each year. The four he did miss in 2006 were all from 46+ yards, the four in 2007 were all from 48+ yards, and of the five he missed last year, three were from 47+ yards and the other two were blocked. After the Vikings finished 28th in kicker scoring in 2006 and 24th in 2007, they jumped up to seventh last year. It was their first Top 10 ranking since Gary Anderson’s perfect season in 1998. The offensive coaching staff is back in 2009 for their fourth year. The Vikings signed Taylor Mehlhaff at the end of last year. He’ll get a shot at being a kickoff specialist, although Longwell’s improvement to acceptability in that department makes that a long shot.
12. Adam Vinatieri, Ind Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Ind 24 Ind 20 Ind 23 Ind 25
FGA 29 25 29 28
Pct XPM 40-49 82.8% 42 8 80.0% 43 4 79.3% 49 0 89.3% 38 9
50+ 0 2 0 0
lng 48 52 39 48
PTS 114 103 118 113
Vinatieri has had two consecutive sub par years in terms of field goal percentage, including five misses from under 40 yards. On a brighter note, last year he made two field goals from 50+ yards, ending a five year drought in that category.
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14. Shayne Graham, Cin Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Cin 24 Cin 21 Cin 31 Cin 25
FGA 28 24 34 30
Pct XPM 40-49 85.7% 38 7 87.5% 15 9 91.2% 37 6 83.3% 40 6
50+ 1 0 0 2
lng 52 45 48 51
PTS 110 78 130 115
After four years near the top in kicker scoring (fifth, third, 10th, and fifth), the Bengals plummeted to 31st last year. Although Graham was accurate as usual, he simply didn’t get many scoring opportunities. He also missed two games with a groin injury. Dave Rayner filled in. Graham is the fourth most accurate kicker in NFL history with an 85.64 percent career field goal percentage, and he has been perfect on PATs during seven of his eight years in the league. The team kept him for at least another year by placing their franchise tag on him for 2009. Although Graham will probably score more this year than during last year’s disaster, it is unrealistic to expect the high level of production of the preceding four years.
15. Jeff Reed, Pit
ICON SMI
KICKERS
Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Adam Vinatieri
He also kept his streak alive of scoring at least 100 points every year. It didn’t look promising after he had only 37 points in the first half of the season, but the Colts offense regrouped, and Vinatieri had 66 points in the second half. Despite the changes in the coaching staff this year, the offense will have continuity as the team promoted from within. Vinatieri and the Colts may not be the juggernaut of old, but they should be able to improve upon their 2008 numbers.
13. Robbie Gould, Chi Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Chi 25 Chi 26 Chi 31 Chi 32
FGA 29 29 36 36
Pct XPM 40-49 86.2% 37 9 89.7% 41 8 86.1% 33 12 88.9% 47 12
50+ 0 0 0 0
lng 49 48 49 49
PTS 112 119 126 143
Gould’s 85.94 percent career field goal percentage puts him at third on the all-time accuracy list, behind only Nate Kaeding and Mike Vanderjagt. Although he has proven to be accurate from short and medium range, he still really hasn’t been tested from long range. In his four years in the NFL, he has attempted only two field goal attempts from 50+ yards, missing both of them. Contrary to the kicker stereotype, Gould is a team player. After two consecutive Top 10 fishes in kicker scoring, the Bears slipped to 15th last year, as the number of field goals dropped and the number of PATs increased to a more typical distribution. Item to watch this summer: the offense with its big offseason acquisitions.
Team FGM Pit 23 Pit 27 Pit 23 Pit 20
FGA 27 31 25 27
Pct XPM 40-49 85.2% 39 6 87.1% 36 8 92.0% 44 4 74.1% 41 4
50+ 1 1 0 1
lng 51 53 49 50
PTS 108 117 113 101
When the Steelers previously won the Super Bowl in 2005, they ranked seventh in kicker scoring. They dropped to 22nd the following year. In 2007 during Mike Tomlin’s first year at the helm, they climbed up to 16th. Last year their kicking points were up a little, although they dropped two notches to 18th in rank since kicker scoring was up around the league. Coming off another Super Bowl victory and heading into 2009, the coaching staff and roster remain relatively intact. Reed has made the most of his attempts the last two years, but the scoring opportunities have been somewhat limited as the Steelers’ success has come from the defense rather than the offense. Unless that changes, scoring for Reed should once again remain in the same ballpark.
16. John Kasay, Car Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Car 23 Car 28 Car 24 Car 24
FGA 27 31 28 27
Pct XPM 40-49 85.2% 37 8 90.3% 46 11 85.7% 27 6 88.9% 28 8
50+ 2 1 2 4
lng 52 50 53 54
PTS 106 130 99 100
Kasay’s field goal percentages the last three years have been among the best of his career. He has been perfect on field goals under 40 yards in four of the last five years. Kasay’s kickoff numbers declined two years ago, so the team added kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd who subsequently led the league in touchbacks. The Panthers appear perfectly willing to keep two kickers on the roster. The biggest problem for Kasay has been the inconsistency of the Panthers’ offense. Over the past decade, they have tended to go from one extreme to the other. Consequently, they have ranked fifth in kicker scoring four different years during that stretch. They have also ranked in the bottom third of the league on four different occasions.
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17. Lawrence Tynes, NYG Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM NYG 22 NYG 1 NYG 23 KC 24
FGA 27 1 27 31
Pct XPM 40-49 81.5% 38 7 100.0% 3 0 85.2% 40 8 77.4% 35 7
50+ 1 0 0 2
20. Joe Nedney, SF lng 50 19 48 53
PTS 104 6 109 107
After his big overtime NFC Championship kick in 2007, Tynes didn’t get a chance to follow-up in 2008. He suffered a knee injury during the preseason, and the Giants signed John Carney who would subsequently have the best year of his career. Tynes would eventually handle kickoffs in two games and placekicking in one of those, when the coaches felt his stronger leg would be an advantage in windy conditions. With Tynes under contract and Carney a free agent, the Giants head into 2009 with Tynes once again the starting kicker. Last year the Giants vaulted to number one in kicker scoring. Looking at recent history, the three previous teams that were number one in kicker scoring all had a very similar follow-up the year afterwards. Arizona dropped from first to eighth, Chicago dropped from first to seventh, and Green Bay dropped from first to seventh.
18. Josh Brown, StL Team FGM StL 23 StL 31 Sea 28 Sea 25
FGA 27 36 34 31
Pct XPM 40-49 85.2% 33 6 86.1% 19 10 82.4% 43 8 80.6% 36 7
50+ 3 6 3 3
lng 54 54 54 54
PTS 102 112 127 111
Brown was a consistently solid fantasy scorer during his five years with Seattle, as they ranked anywhere from sixth and 13th in kicker scoring. The 21st place ranking with the Rams last year was indicative of their up and down pattern. Their kicker scoring ranks over the prior 10 years were 26th, third, seventh, 26th, first, 24th, first, 12th, fifth, and 26th. Brown has been perfect from under 40 yards the last two years. He also has the range and accuracy to make long kicks, with seventeen 50+ yard FGs the last four years. He has proven to be a clutch kicker, including two game winners against the Rams in 2006. Item to watch this summer: the overall offensive under new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.
19. Josh Scobee, Jac Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Jac 23 Jac 19 Jac 12 Jac 26
FGA 28 25 13 32
Pct XPM 40-49 82.1% 31 7 76.0% 33 5 92.3% 26 3 81.3% 41 14
50+ 2 4 0 0
lng 54 53 48 48
PTS 100 90 62 119
Scobee has always had a strong leg, but his accuracy has varied. He struggled during his first two years in the league but began to show signs of improvement during his third year. Despite missing the first half of his fourth year in 2007, he returned in the second half to post his best numbers to date. Last year Scobee regressed, including three misses from under 40 yards. At the same time, the Jaguars’ offense also struggled, in part due to several injuries along the offensive line. That meant fewer kicking scoring opportunities. All this added up to a 29th place finish in kicker scoring in 2008. If the offense can regroup, Scobee should see more scoring opportunities than he had last year, however it is unlikely that he’ll bounce all the way back to the Top 10 numbers of 2006.
Team FGM SF 24 SF 29 SF 17 SF 29
FGA 28 33 19 35
Pct XPM 40-49 85.7% 26 6 87.9% 34 8 89.5% 22 4 82.9% 29 7
50+ 1 2 1 1
lng 52 53 50 51
PTS 98 121 73 116
After struggling early in his NFL career and then dealing with numerous year ending injuries, Nedney has been both accurate and healthy during his four years with San Francisco. The team signed him to two year contract extension during the offseason. As with any kicker, Nedney relies on the offense to provide him scoring opportunities. Every year the 49ers have had a new offensive coordinator and their kicker scoring rank has fluctuated accordingly: Mike Martz (14th), Jim Hostler (32nd), Norv Turner (eighth), and Mike McCarthy (21st). This year it is Jimmy Raye. Item to watch this summer: how does the offense adapt to yet another new system under its seventh offensive coordinator in seven years?
21. Rian Lindell, Buf Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Buf 22 Buf 30 Buf 24 Buf 23
FGA 26 38 27 25
Pct XPM 40-49 84.6% 30 6 78.9% 34 10 88.9% 24 4 92.0% 33 8
50+ 1 1 2 2
lng 50 53 52 53
PTS 96 124 96 102
Although the Bills finished 12th in kicker scoring last year, they could have been in the Top 10 as they had the third highest number of field goal attempts. Lindell’s misses from long range led to his worst field goal percentage since 2003. Only Denver and Washington squandered more kicker scoring opportunities. At the other end of the range, Lindell has never missed a PAT in his nine years in the NFL. The team enters its fourth year under head coach Dick Jauron, whose teams have traditionally not produced high scoring kickers. History is working against Lindell seeing as many field goal attempts as he did last year. Most teams see a drop-off, some significant, after a big year in that statistic.
KICKERS
Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
22. Dan Carpenter, Mia Year Team FGM 2009 Mia 21 2008 Mia 21
FGA 25 25
Pct XPM 40-49 84.0% 31 7 84.0% 40 9
50+ 1 1
lng 51 50
PTS 94 103
The last time the Dolphins led the league in kicker scoring was in 1992, and they have not finished in the Top 10 since 2000. After ranking 23rd in kicker scoring in 2006, they dropped to 29th in the disappointing 2007. In rebuilding mode last year they managed to climb back up to 23rd. Part of that rebuilding occurred during the summer when Jay Feely was released and the undrafted rookie Carpenter was given the starting job. During the course of 2008, he kept a low profile and just did his job on placekicking and kickoffs, which is exactly what the Dolphins wanted. For 2009 he’ll need to do the same since he still has to play under the watchful eye of an executive vice president of football operations who isn’t fond of kickers not named Matt Bahr.
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career. He counterbalances that by occasional missing an easy one or a PAT attempt. The team isn’t starting from scratch like they were as an expansion team a decade ago; however in some ways they are starting anew in 2009. Item to watch this summer: the overall offensive under the new coaching staff.
25. Matt Prater, Den Year 2009 2008 2007
Team FGM Den 21 Den 25 Atl 1
FGA 27 34 4
Pct XPM 40-49 77.8% 25 4 73.5% 39 5 25.0% 1 1
50+ 3 5 0
lng 57 56 45
PTS 88 114 4
ICON SMI
KICKERS
Over the last 19 years, the Broncos have ranked in the Top 10 in kicker scoring 15 times. But the majority of that was with Jason Elam as the kicker and Mike Shanahan as the coach, both of whom are now gone. Second year kicker Matt Prater started strong last year but faded down the stretch. Rookie head coach Josh McDaniels got off to a rough start with the highly publicized quarterback drama during the offseason. On the positive side, Prater showed that he is capable of producing. McDaniels showed in New England that he is capable of coaching offense, and the current Denver players have shown that they can play offense. Item to watch this summer: Prater’s accuracy and the overall offensive under the new coaching staff.
Matt Prater
23. Jason Hanson, Det Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Det 21 Det 21 Det 29 Det 29
FGA 24 22 35 33
Pct XPM 40-49 87.5% 29 7 95.5% 25 6 82.9% 35 11 87.9% 30 7
50+ 3 8 3 3
lng 54 56 53 53
PTS 92 88 122 117
Hanson has been a fixture with the Lions for all of his 17 years in the NFL and has seen the ups and downs of the Detroit offense. In 2007 they had a semi-up year and ranked eighth in kicker scoring. Last year was about as down as it gets, as the winless Lions gave him very few scoring opportunities and they ended up ranked 30th in kicker scoring. Hanson made the most of his chances and along the way, he moved into first place on the all-time list for career 50+ yard field goals and into seventh place on the NFL’s all-time scoring list. New offensive coordinator Scott Linehan has previously served in that same role with the Dolphins and the Vikings. In his first year both teams improved in kicker scoring from near the bottom up to the middle of the pack.
24. Phil Dawson, Cle Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Cle 22 Cle 30 Cle 26 Cle 21
FGA 27 36 30 29
Pct XPM 40-49 81.5% 24 6 83.3% 18 5 86.7% 42 7 72.4% 25 6
50+ 2 3 1 1
lng 53 56 51 51
PTS 90 108 120 88
After years of scoring futility, the Browns jumped to ninth in kicker scoring in 2007. Last year they dropped right back down (to 22nd). The offense once again provided Dawson with plenty of filed goal opportunities; however their inability to get in the endzone led to only 18 PATs, lowest in the NFL. Dawson has long range accuracy, going 10 of 15 from 50+ yards over his
26. Jay Feely, NYJ Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM NYJ 20 NYJ 24 Mia 21 NYG 23
FGA 24 28 23 27
Pct XPM 40-49 83.3% 26 6 85.7% 39 4 91.3% 26 7 85.2% 38 6
50+ 1 2 1 0
lng 52 55 53 47
PTS 86 111 89 107
When Mike Nugent was injured during Week 1 last year, the Jets signed Feely. When Nugent was healthy enough to kick again, the Jets opted to continue using Feely since he was kicking well at that time. Heading into the offseason, the Jets had two starting-caliber kickers who would both become unrestricted free agents. Mike Nugent made the decision easier when he indicated he wanted to test the waters of free agency. The next day the Jets signed Feely to a one year deal. Aside from 2005 when they scored only 90 points, the Jets have consistently ranked near the middle of the NFL in kicker scoring every year over the last decade. The offensive and Feely finished on a down note last year as they averaged only four kicking points per game over the final five weeks.
27. Olindo Mare, Sea Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Sea 19 Sea 24 NO 10 Mia 26
FGA 23 27 17 36
Pct XPM 40-49 82.6% 27 6 88.9% 30 5 58.8% 34 2 72.2% 22 9
50+ 1 3 1 1
lng 53 51 52 52
PTS 84 102 64 100
When Josh Brown left via free agency last year, the Seahawks signing the free agent Mare and drafted Brandon Coutu in the seventh round. The same two kickers will once again be competing for the job this year. Although Mare won the job last year, the Seahawks opted to keep Coutu on the roster. The common assumption is that GM Tim Haskell wanted to keep Coutu. Mare is coming off a year in which he was excellent on kickoffs as always, but in which he also rediscovered his accuracy on field goals. Coutu had a very solid college career in which he hit 80.3 percent on field goals with a long of
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58 yards and did not miss a single PAT attempt. Seattle is coming off a disappointing year in which they ranked 26th in kicker scoring with 102 points. Items to watch this summer: Coutu vs. Mare II; and the offense under a new offensive coordinator.
28. Mike Nugent, TB Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM TB 18 NYJ 0 NYJ 29 NYJ 24
FGA 22 1 36 27
Pct XPM 40-49 81.8% 28 6 0.0% 2 0 80.6% 23 6 88.9% 34 4
50+ 0 0 1 2
lng 49 0 50 54
PTS 82 2 110 106
31. Steven Hauschka, Bal
or Matt Bryant, TB Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM TB 0 TB 32 TB 28 TB 17
FGA 0 38 33 22
Pct XPM 40-49 n/a 0 0 84.2% 35 5 84.8% 34 6 77.3% 22 5
50+ 0 0 0 1
lng 0 49 49 62
PTS 0 131 118 73
29. Sebastian Janikowski, Oak Team FGM Oak 18 Oak 24 Oak 23 Oak 18
FGA 23 30 32 25
Pct XPM 40-49 78.3% 26 5 80.0% 25 2 71.9% 28 7 72.0% 16 3
50+ 4 3 6 3
lng 56 57 54 55
PTS 80 97 97 70
In 2005, Janikowski’s field goal percentage, his long range field goals, and his kickoff distances were all the worst of his career. In 2006, the Raiders’ offense was one of the worst in the NFL and provided Janikowski with very few scoring opportunities. In 2007 and 2008, Janikowski again had poor numbers, although it wasn’t quite as bad as it looked on paper. Nine of his misses were from 50+ yards, including a 64 yard attempt (which would have broken the NFL record) that hit the upright, and last year’s infamous 76 yard attempt. The Raiders ranked only 26th and 28th in kicker scoring the last two years. Heading into 2009, a new coaching staff and young team mean that Janikowski will once gain probably have limited opportunities.
30. Shaun Suisham, Was Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
Team FGM Was 16 Was 26 Was 29 Dal/Was 9
FGA 20 36 35 11
Pct XPM 40-49 80.0% 30 7 72.2% 25 11 82.9% 29 10 81.8% 14 1
50+ 0 1 1 1
lng 49 50 50 52
PTS 78 103 116 41
After a promising 2007, Suisham had a 2008 to forget, missing a league high ten field goals. With some of the blame
Year Team FGM 2009 Bal 15 2008 Bal 1
FGA 19 2
Pct XPM 40-49 78.9% 31 5 50.0% 0 0
50+ 1 1
lng 52 54
PTS 76 3
With Matt Stover showing signs of mortality on longer kicks, the Ravens opted not to make an offer to the unrestricted free and decided to look for one player that could handle everything: short kicks, long kicks, and kickoffs. The two contenders both got a late start playing football as they spent their youth playing soccer. Both had a superlative senior year in college. Second year player Steve Hauschka has a one year head start, having handled kickoffs and two long field goal attempts for Baltimore last year. Rookie free agent Graham Gano was brought on board just moments after the 2009 draft. Whoever wins the job enters a situation with a history of success. The Ravens have finished in the Top 10 in kicker scoring in seven of the last ten years. A new coaching staff did not stop the pattern last year as they finished seventh in kicker scoring opportunities. Item to watch this summer: Hauschka vs. Gano.
32. Connor Barth, KC Year Team FGM 2009 KC 17 2008 KC 10
FGA 21 12
Pct XPM 40-49 81.0% 23 4 83.3% 24 1
50+ 0 0
lng 49 45
PTS 74 54
KICKERS
After several injury plagued and erratic years early in his career, Bryant seemingly found a home in Tampa. Last year, amidst the tragic death of his son, he had career highs in field goals made and points scored. Nonetheless, the Bucs decided to bring in competition this year. After a rough freshman year, Nugent went on to have a stellar career at Ohio State. After a rough rookie year, he went on to become a solid kicker with the NY Jets. Last year he was injured during the first game, and the Jets signed Jay Feely. The Jets decided to stick with Feely for the remainder of last year, even after Nugent was healthy. Nugent decided to test out free agency. Bryant and Nugent will compete for the job that landed the Bucs in the Top 10 in kicker scoring each of the last two years. Items to watch this summer: Bryant vs. Nugent; and the offense under a new coaching staff.
Year 2009 2008 2007 2006
attributed to the holder, the team felt that Suisham had enough potential to re-sign him for this year. However, they did not simply hand him the job again for 2009. During the offseason they signed journeyman kicker Dave Rayner to compete for the job. Despite last year’s misses, Suisham has the better field goal numbers of the two, while Rayner has the better kickoff numbers. The winner will be kicking for a team that hasn’t scored many kicking points recently. This decade, the Redskins have ranked in the bottom half of the league in kicker scoring in eight of nine years.
The Chiefs went through numerous kickers during 2008: they started with a three-way battle between Billy Cundiff, Nick Novak, and rookie Connor Barth. Cundiff was released early on, and Jay Feely was brought in for a couple days near the end of preseason. Novak won the starting job to begin the regular season but lasted only six weeks. Then Barth was re-signed. For 2009 Barth is back; however the new coaching regime brought in competition via the last pick of the draft. Ryan Succop had a strong career placekicking, punting, and kicking off at South Carolina, although an abdominal muscle tear affected his senior year numbers. Whoever wins the job will be kicking for a team that finished 32nd in kicker scoring last year with only 79 points. Item to watch this summer: Barth vs Succop.
33+. Free Agents When a kicker gets injured or a young prospect doesn’t produce, there are plenty of other kickers looking for work in the NFL. Established veterans, such as John Carney, Matt Stover, or Martin Gramatica, often get the first call. The losers of the kicker competitions in Baltimore, Kansas City, Seattle, Tampa Bay, and Washington will most likely hit the market. There are also plenty of younger prospects that have been lurking in recent NFL training camps.
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DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS by John Norton and Jene Bramel
T
DEFENSES
he Footballguys team strives to provide the tools that everyone needs to win championships. In need of team defense analysis? We have you covered in the team pages beginning on Page 170. Looking to gain an advantage
in your Individual Defensive Player league? You are in the right place. Footballguys has assembled a team of the most knowledgeable IDP writers on the planet, and we are dedicated to providing the best tools and analysis available anywhere. This article only scratches the surface of what our defensive crew has to offer. We could fill this magazine with nothing but defense if they would let us, but the offensive guys want to play too. If there is a player we don’t talk about here, check out the website and learn all you need to know about him. From draft day through the fantasy playoffs, if IDP is your game, we have you covered like no one else. Because when you win, we win.
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Ray Lewis
ICON SMI
Team Stats YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 331.5 26.6 31 17 13 3 POS Player G TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD NT Bryan Robinson 16 16 4 1 0 0 0 0 DE Darnell Dockett 16 37 12 4 1 3 0 1 DE Calais Campbell 16 24 5 0 1 0 0 1 OLB Chike Okeafor 16 49 10 3.5 1 0 1 3 OLB Clark Haggans 11 18 2 1.5 0 1 0 2 ILB Karlos Dansby 16 94 25 3.5 2 3 2 5 ILB Gerald Hayes 16 68 21 1.5 4 2 0 4 CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie 16 38 4 0 0 0 4 19 CB Bryant McFadden (Pit) 10 37 4 1 0 1 2 8 FS Antrel Rolle 16 78 11 0 0 0 1 5 SS Adrian Wilson 15 60 15 2.5 2 0 2 5 OLB Cody Brown Rookie, Pick No. 63, Connecticut DE/OLB Bert Berry 14 15 7 5 2 1 0 3
After suffering through multiple nagging injuries and scheme changes earlier in his career, LB Karlos Dansby fulfilled the all-around promise long-time IDP owners had been expecting from him. Dansby thrived in his second season as the WILB in Arizona’s aggressive 3-4 hybrid scheme, filling up his year end stat line with 94 solo tackles (119 total), 3.5 sacks, five FF/FRs and a handful of coverage stats. At age 28, Dansby is in the prime of his career and should remain one of the league’s best all-around IDP options at linebacker. Fellow ILB Gerald Hayes is capable of big numbers, but does not play enough in the team’s nickel packages to be counted on as more than a LB4. Be careful before investing in DE/OLBs Bert Berry or Chike Okeafor. Durability is a major concern for both veteran pass rushers and neither is likely to play enough effective snaps to be a consistent IDP option. SS Adrian
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Wilson hasn’t been a big tackle producer in recent seasons, but his all-around talent makes him a solid DB2 with upside. Don’t expect FS Antrel Rolle to repeat his 78-solo tackle performance from 2008, but he remains an above-average big play safety and a solid target in big play leagues. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Bryant McFadden are solid options in CB required leagues. Those in big play or coverage friendly scoring systems should give Rodgers-Cromartie a long look as a DB3.
Fantasy Prospects ILB Karlos Dansby – Stud with LB1 upside SS Adrian Wilson – Playmaking DB1 safety FS Antrel Rolle – Unlikely to repeat 2008 numbers DE/DT Darnell Dockett – Inconsistent, but capable ILB Gerald Hayes – Excellent depth at minimum
ATLANTA FALCONS
With long-time leader Keith Brooking gone, second-year MLB Curtis Lofton takes over the defense. He’s strong against the run and is expected to improve his coverage skills enough to assume an every down role. Lofton’s 2008 numbers look pedestrian on paper, but are extremely impressive when you consider that he sat nearly out nearly all of the team’s defensive snaps in nickel packages. If Lofton remains productive in an every-down role, 100 solo tackles and a LB1 finish are well within reach. WLB Mike Peterson left Jacksonville after a contentious 2008 season and is looking for a fresh start as a Falcon. His production has declined significantly in the past two seasons and there’s no guarantee his numbers will rebound in Atlanta. Either Coy Wire or Stephen Nicholas will get the call at SLB. Wire bumped Michael Boley from the lineup in 2008 but Nicholas was atop the depth chart in mini camp. Should he win the job, he could be an every down guy and a sneaky sleeper. DE John Abraham will continue to be a durability concern but remains a threat for doubledigit sacks. He’s a solid target in all formats. DT Jonathan Babineaux failed to put up the big pass rush numbers expected of him last season, but will again have big opportunity as the Falcons’ three-technique DT between Abraham and first round pick Peria Jerry. FS Erik Coleman was very productive last season, but will have to fight rookie SS William Moore and Lofton for tackles this season. If Moore plays to his
Fantasy Prospects MLB Curtis Lofton – Primed to explode in every-down role DE John Abraham – Double digit sack potential SS William Moore – Rookie could quickly become stud DB WLB Mike Peterson – Could regain form with fresh start FS Erik Coleman – Solid DB3 with some upside
BALTIMORE RAVENS Team Stats POS Player NT Haloti Ngata DE/NT Kelly Gregg DE Trevor Pryce OLB Terrell Suggs OLB Jarret Johnson ILB Tavares Gooden ILB Ray Lewis CB Fabian Washington CB Domonique Foxworth SS Dawan Landry FS Ed Reed ILB Jason Phillips ILB Jameel McClain
G 16 16 16 16 4 16 12 15 2 16 11
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 261.1 15.2 35 8 26 6 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 43 12 1 0 0 2 6 Missed 2008 with Injury 18 9 4.5 0 0 0 2 53 15 8 2 0 2 9 45 12 5 2 1 0 3 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 84 32 3.5 1 2 3 9 28 3 0 0 0 1 15 35 3 0 0 0 1 11 8 3 0 0 0 0 0 34 7 1 1 2 9 16 Rookie, Pick No. 137, TCU 12 4 2.5 0 0 0 0
The Ravens give us some quality options but the headliner is future hall of fame ILB Ray Lewis. Once a perennial 100+ solo a season guy, Lewis’s tackle numbers have slipped into the mid 80s over the past three seasons but big play ability has kept him in the top 12 in each of those years despite missing two games in both 2006 and 2007. Over that span Lewis has put up 11 sacks, seven picks and has had a hand in eight forced fumbles. There is some injury risk with the 34-year old but he’s still a Top 12 guy. The Ravens have a lot of faith in youngsters Tavares Jackson and Jameel McClain, who will compete to replace Bart Scott at the other ILB position. Gooden was injured early in his rookie season so we have little to go on until we see him play. McClain made the most of his limited opportunity in 2008 by recording 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks. The winner has the potential to be a contributor as depth or maybe even an LB3. Both of these guys should be on the dynasty watch list as even Lewis can’t play forever. Terrell Suggs value depends on what position your league software designates him. As a DE he is dependable as they come. He’s never finished worse than No. 14 and has finished among the Top 10 in four of the last five seasons, including #2 in 2008. Ed Reed is the premier big play safety in the league, but he doesn’t put up enough tackles to have consistent fantasy value. Kelly Gregg is a worthy option for owners who must play interior linemen.
DEFENSES
POS DT DT DE DE WLB MLB SLB CB CB FS SS SLB DE
Team Stats YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 348.2 20.3 34 8 12 2 Player G TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD Jonathan Babineaux 16 32 7 3.5 0 1 0 2 Peria Jerry Rookie, Pick No. 21, Mississippi Jamaal Anderson 15 24 3 2 0 0 0 2 John Abraham 16 37 1 16.5 4 0 0 1 Mike Peterson (Atl) 15 69 14 0 0 0 0 0 Curtis Lofton 16 67 27 1 1 0 0 3 Stephen Nicholas 16 16 4 1 0 0 0 2 Chris Houston 16 52 9 0 0 1 2 16 Chevis Jackson 16 26 5 0 0 0 1 5 Erik Coleman 16 80 15 0 2 0 3 6 William Moore Rookie, Pick No. 55, Missouri Coy Wire 16 28 6 0 0 0 0 1 Lawrence Sidbury Jr. Rookie, Pick No. 125, Richmond
scouting report, he could easily finish in the Top 25.
Fantasy Prospects ILB Ray Lewis - Quality LB2 ILB Tavares Gooden - Sleeper with LB3 potential ILB Jameel McClain - Sleeper with LB3 potential DE Terrell Suggs - Stud DE if you can play him there FS Ed Reed - Lacks consistency, generally overvalued
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BUFFALO BILLS Team Stats
DEFENSES
POS DT DT DE DE WLB SLB MLB CB CB FS SS DE S
Player Marcus Stroud Kyle Williams Aaron Schobel Aaron Maybin Kawika Mitchell Keith Ellison Paul Posluszny Terrence McGee Leodis McKelvin Jairus Byrd Donte Whitner Ryan Denney Bryan Scott
G 16 16 5 16 16 16 14 16 13 16 16
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 326.1 21.4 24 12 12 3 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 27 17 1 1 2 0 7 38 19 3.5 1 0 0 0 18 1 1 0 0 0 1 Rookie, Pick No. 11, Penn State 57 25 4 2 0 2 3 49 24 0 0 1 0 2 87 23 0 1 1 1 6 61 5 0 0 0 3 18 26 6 0 1 1 2 5 Rookie, Pick No. 42, Oregon 50 11 1 1 0 0 7 40 18 4 1 0 0 7 56 13 1 1 1 0 3
Paul Posluszny led the Bills with a solid 87 solo tackles in 2008, but those numbers were well short of what we have come to expect from a position with a rich IDP history. He was also light in the big play columns compared to those that have come before him. This position is a proven gold mine, and Posluszny is now two years removed from the knee injury that may have contributed to the lower numbers. Last year’s totals will cause him to slip on draft day, but expect him to bounce back and don’t hesitate to grab him as your second LB. Aaron Schobel has fully recovered from the foot injury that landed him on IR last season ending a string of five years with Top 12 finishes. When healthy Schobel is among the most consistent fantasy options at the position - he can be counted on for 40+ solo tackles and is always a threat to reach doubledigit sacks. With a shortage of quality fantasy options at the position his value will be even higher. Aaron Maybin totaled 12 sacks for Penn State last year and seems a perfect fit as a bookend to Schobel. It remains to be seen if he will hold an every down job as a rookie, but he will see the field often and is a strong sleeper. The Bills use a lot of Cover-2 which helps to keep Terrence McGee annually among the leagues top tackle producing corners. He’s a sure starter in corner-required leagues.
Fantasy Prospects DE Aaron Schobel - Quality starter DE Aaron Maybin - Sleeper with long term upside MLB Paul Posluszny - Solid LB3 with LB1 potential CB Terrence McGee - Starter in corner-required leagues SS Donte Whitner - Cover-2 scheme ruins his value
CAROLINA PANTHERS Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE WLB SLB MLB
Player Ma'ake Kemoeatu Damione Lewis Julius Peppers Tyler Brayton Thomas Davis Na'il Diggs Jon Beason
G 14 15 16 16 16 16 16
YPGA PPGA SK 326.1 20.6 37 TKL AST Sack 31 5 0 33 10 3.5 40 11 14.5 35 5 4.5 92 21 3.5 43 11 1 110 28 0
FR INT Def TD 13 12 2 FF FR INT PD 1 0 0 2 1 1 0 5 5 0 0 5 1 1 0 3 2 1 0 6 0 0 1 2 0 1 3 8
CB CB FS SS DE DE DB
Richard Marshall Chris Gamble Charles Godfrey Chris Harris Everette Brown Charles Johnson Sherrod Martin
16 16 16 16 16
68 83 52 60
7 2 0 0 1 10 0 1 2 3 9 1 1 2 1 10 0 2 1 1 Rookie, Pick No. 43, Florida State 20 5 6 1 1 0 Rookie, Pick No. 59, Troy
4 18 5 3 7
MLB Jon Beason finished among the Top 5 linebackers in most scoring systems last season despite career high solo tackle numbers from both WLB Thomas Davis and CB Chris Gamble. Unlike last season, when rookie Dan Connor was considered a threat to move Beason outside, there are no questions about whether Beason is the leader of this defense - expect another Top 5 finish in 2009. DE Julius Peppers had been an inconsistent player on a week-to-week basis for most of his career, but he finished 2008 with a career high 14.5 sacks. Peppers remains an enigma, however, and prospective IDP owners will be left to wonder whether the highly motivated Peppers of 2008 will return this season. Thomas Davis flourished in his new role as an every-down weak side backer last season, putting up an impressive 92 solo tackles and 3.5 sacks. Davis may not be able to top 90 solos again this season, but he should again finish among the top OLBs. CB Chris Gamble also had an impressive season, with 83 solo tackles, 18 passes defended and three INTs. Gamble is a solid target again this season but will have stiff competition to remain the most productive corner on his own team. Richard Marshall was stuck behind Ken Lucas for three seasons but averaged over 70 solo tackles a year over that time, making him more valuable than most starters. He could well finish among the Top 10 defensive backs this season. Strong safety Chris Harris slumped behind the two high tackling linebackers, but has DB2 upside.
Fantasy Prospects MLB Jon Beason – Stud in all formats DE Julius Peppers – Solid DL1 despite trade risk WLB Thomas Davis – Could repeat breakout 2008 CB Richard Marshall – Finally gets chance to play full time SS Chris Harris – Solid depth option with upside
CHICAGO BEARS Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE SLB WLB MLB CB CB FS SS FS CB/S
Player Tommie Harris Marcus Harrison Alex Brown Adewale Ogunleye Hunter Hillenmeyer Lance Briggs Brian Urlacher Charles Tillman Corey Graham Craig Steltz Kevin Payne Josh Bullocks Danieal Manning
G 14 16 16 16 13 16 16 15 16 11 16 16 15
YPGA PPGA SK 334.7 21.9 28 TKL AST Sack 33 4 5 24 4 2 42 2 6 48 14 5 14 4 1 91 19 1 79 14 0 81 12 0 77 14 0 18 0 0 73 15 1 34 7 0 27 6 0.5
FR INT Def TD 10 22 3 FF FR INT PD 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 6 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 2 1 2 3 11 0 1 2 10 4 0 3 17 1 1 1 8 0 0 1 1 0 0 4 7 1 0 1 6 0 0 1 4
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scrimmage last season, making it easier for opposing offensive linemen to block him. His tackle numbers reflected it. After three consecutive seasons of 90 or more solo tackles, Urlacher managed only 79 in 2008. While it’s also possible that Urlacher’s range has declined with age, the rumored return to a more traditional Cover-2 look can only help his numbers. DE Adewale Ogunleye remains one of the better all-around ends in the league - though his pass-rush numbers are often inconsistent from season to season. He’ll remain a solid target, especially in tackle heavy scoring systems. WLB Lance Briggs rebounded nicely from his disappointing 2008 finish with 91 solos, three interceptions and 11 passes defended. His value should remain steady regardless of the defensive play calling. Long time IDP owners know exactly what they’ll get from CB Charles Tillman - strong tackle stats, a handful of big plays in coverage and a couple of games missed due to injury. He should again finish among the Top 5 corners. SS Kevin Payne could make the leap into the elite tier of DBs this season, especially if Urlacher continues to struggle to shed blocks and make plays in pursuit. Owners in deeper leagues should also consider DT Tommie Harris, who is productive when healthy, and CB Corey Graham, who flashed all-around potential last season and could earn a job opposite Tillman.
tackles when his 2008 season came to an end. He’s capable of being very productive but much could change with Maualuga on board. The safety position also has a lot of potential. The problem being that there are four possible starters in the mix. Marvin White was on his way to 70+ tackles before injuring his knee. Chinedum Ndukwe had an outstanding rookie season and was very productive last year when healthy. Chris Crocker was picked up during the season and played well enough to earn a new contract. SS Roy Williams went to the Pro Bowl while playing under Zimmer in Dallas. Keep an eye on this situation throughout training camp. One more guy to watch is rookie DE Michael Johnson, who the Bengals believe will be the answer to their pass rush problem.
Fantasy Prospects MLB Rey Maualuga - Huge potential WLB Keith Rivers - LB3 with upside SS Chinedum Ndukwe - Big potential if he wins the job FS Marvin White - Watch the competition closely SS Roy Williams - Value depends on playing time DE Michael Johnson - Dynasty sleeper
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Fantasy Prospects
Team Stats
CINCINNATI BENGALS Team Stats POS Player DT Domata Peko DT Pat Sims DE Antwan Odom DE Robert Geathers MLB/SLB Dhani Jones MLB/SLB Rey Maualuga WLB Keith Rivers CB Leon Hall CB Johnathan Joseph FS Chinedum Ndukwe SS Roy Williams (Dal) FS Chris Crocker FS Marvin White DE Michael Johnson DT Tank Johnson (Dal)
G 16 11 12 11 16 7 16 8 11 3 14 12 16
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 325.5 22.8 17 12 12 3 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 29 38 0.5 0 0 0 2 22 14 1 0 0 0 0 19 7 3 2 0 0 2 22 16 2.5 1 1 0 1 75 41 0 1 1 1 8 Rookie, Pick No. 38, USC 24 13 0 1 0 1 1 61 14 0 0 1 3 24 31 11 0 1 1 1 13 43 21 3 0 1 1 4 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 35 9 1.5 1 0 1 3 53 15 0 0 0 1 4 Rookie, Pick No. 70, Georgia Tech 13 9 1 1 0 0 0
The Bengals give us no IDPs that are a sure thing. MLB Rey Maualuga has the most upside and long term value. He’s a risk this year, however, because he’s not certain to be an every-down player as a rookie, and there have been rumors that he may line up at SLB for a while. Don’t let this scare you off. The SLB position is generally less complicated, so it’s not unusual for rookies to get their feet wet there. He is the MLB for the future. WLB Keith Rivers was on pace for 96 solo
POS DE DE NT OLB OLB ILB ILB CB CB FS SS OLB OLB
Player G Corey Williams 15 Kenyon Coleman (NYJ) 16 Shaun Rogers 16 Kamerion Wimbley 16 David Bowens (NYJ) 16 D'Qwell Jackson 16 Eric Barton (NYJ) 16 Brandon McDonald 16 Eric Wright 16 Brodney Pool 15 Mike Adams 14 David Veikune Abram Elam (NYJ) 16
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 356.5 21.9 17 8 23 2 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 33 17 0.5 1 1 0 4 44 10 0 1 0 0 1 62 14 5 0 0 0 4 52 14 4 1 0 1 2 22 19 4.5 2 1 1 3 96 58 2 0 0 3 6 93 26 1.5 1 1 0 4 64 11 0 1 0 5 17 61 5 0 2 3 3 13 60 5 1 1 1 3 6 36 8 0 0 1 2 2 Rookie, Pick No. 52, Hawaii 48 21 2 3 0 1 3
DEFENSES
MLB Brian Urlacher – Age beginning to catch up to this LB2 CB Charles Tillman – Still a Top 5 corner WLB Lance Briggs – Solid LB2 option DE Adewale Ogunleye – All around end with DL1 upside SS Kevin Payne – Could ascend to elite DB status
The 3-4 scheme generally doesn’t provide many fantasy options, and the Browns’ version is no exception. D’Qwell Jackson had a breakout season in 2008 when reached career highs in tackles with 96, picks with three, and sacks with two. The next highest tackle total on the team was just 64. Jackson has become a very solid player but is no lock to repeat. New head coach Eric Mangini brought a number of players with him from the Jets, including ILB Eric Barton who was New York’s leading tackler. As much as this club may struggle through the transition, the chances of both players nearing 90 solo stops is very slim. Until we learn what roles these two will hold it’s impossible to predict which to draft. Nose tackle Shaun Rogers broke out for a career best 62 solo tackles and added five sacks on his way to becoming the fantasy game’s top option among interior linemen in 2008. Before drafting Rogers based on last year’s production consider this, it’s extremely rare for a player at that position to put up such gaudy numbers, and exceptionally rare for them to repeat. He’s a strong option in tackle-required leagues, but the rest of us should let someone else take the chance. The Browns
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other major fantasy contributor in recent years was SS Sean Jones who has moved on, leaving Mike Adams and former Jet Abram Elam to compete for the job. Strong safety is traditionally a productive position in this scheme, so the winner of that job is worthy of sleeper status.
Fantasy Prospects ILB D’Qwell Jackson - Has LB2 potential ILB Eric Barton - Has LB2 potential SS Abram Elam - Worth as depth if he wins the job SS Mike Adams - Possible DB3 if he wins the job NT Shaun Rogers - Quality starter in tackle required
DALLAS COWBOYS POS DE DE NT OLB OLB ILB ILB CB CB SS FS ILB DB
Player G Marcus Spears 16 Igor Olshansky (SD) 16 Jay Ratliff 16 Greg Ellis 16 DeMarcus Ware 16 Bradie James 16 Keith Brooking (Atl) 16 Terence Newman 10 Mike Jenkins 14 Gerald Sensabaugh (Jac) 16 Ken Hamlin 16 Jason Williams DeAngelo Smith
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 294.3 22.8 59 14 8 1 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 23 12 1 1 0 0 2 21 8 2 0 0 0 0 33 18 7.5 0 1 0 5 25 10 7.5 0 1 1 1 69 15 20 6 1 0 2 80 36 8 3 2 0 4 71 31 0 0 0 0 3 32 5 0 0 1 4 11 19 0 0 0 0 1 4 59 11 0 0 0 4 8 53 21 1 1 1 1 2 Rookie, Pick No. 61, Western Illinois Rookie, Pick No. 143, Ohio State
OLB DeMarcus Ware, along with Pittsburgh OLB James Harrison, smashed the general belief that 3-4 OLBs struggle to hold their value in tackle neutral or tackle heavy scoring formats. Ware was extremely consistent, notching at least one sack in 14 of his 16 games and adding nearly 50 additional solo tackles on his way to a Top 5 finish in most leagues. He’ll need to put up similar numbers to hold his value in tackle heavy leagues, but he’s clearly the most sudden edge rusher in the NFL. ILB Bradie James began earning time in the Cowboys’ nickel packages by midseason and had a huge second half, riding a favorable schedule to 50 solo tackles and six sacks in his final eight games. He’s unlikely to continue that torrid pace into 2009 but is a solid LB2 option in all scoring systems. ILB Keith Brooking put up over 100 solos the last time he played ILB under Wade Phillips in 2002. His range has declined, but he could fulfill the expectations many saw for Zach Thomas last season if he earns an every-down role. Consider him a risky LB3/4 option. NT Jay Ratliff is a strong option in DT-required leagues and should again provide enough pass rush to have value in all leagues. Keep an eye on new SS Gerald Sensabaugh. He was unable to seize an opportunity in Jacksonville and rookie Michael Hamlin could work his way into the mix soon. However, Sensabaugh could have decent value in 2009, especially if Brooking falters. FS Ken Hamlin is an inconsistent fantasy option but deserves a late flier in big-play oriented scoring systems.
ICON SMI
DEFENSES
Team Stats
DeMarcus Ware
ILB Bradie James – LB2 with upside NT Jay Ratliff – Should hold value in all formats ILB Keith Brooking – Could surprise if he plays every down SS Gerald Sensabaugh – Boom or bust DB pick
DENVER BRONCOS Team Stats POS DE DE NT OLB OLB ILB ILB CB CB SS FS CB S/CB
Player Kenny Peterson Marcus Thomas Ronald Fields (SF) Elvis Dumervil Robert Ayers Andra Davis (Cle) D.J. Williams Champ Bailey Andre Goodman (Mia) Renaldo Hill (Mia) Brian Dawkins (Phi) Alphonso Smith Darcel McBath
G 16 16 16 16 16 11 9 16 16 16
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 374.6 28 26 7 6 2 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 15 9 3 1 0 0 1 23 11 0 0 0 1 1 13 6 0 0 0 0 0 17 7 5 1 1 0 0 Rookie, Pick No. 18, Tennessee 62 28 0 0 0 1 3 68 25 2.5 0 1 0 2 39 5 1 2 0 1 3 33 6 0 1 1 5 19 62 15 0 0 0 3 4 64 11 3 6 1 1 6 Rookie, Pick No. 37, Wake Forest Rookie, Pick No. 48, Texas Tech
Fantasy Prospects OLB DeMarcus Ware – Good value in all systems
Denver gives us very little in the way of IDP prospects
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with ILB D.J. Williams being the only sure thing. He was on pace for a second consecutive 100+ solo tackle season before missing five games with an injury last year. He’s an excellent player with a knack for getting to the ball carrier. There is little doubt he will lead the club in tackles this year and is likely to be a Top 10 linebacker. Beyond Williams there is nothing to get excited about. Cleveland transplant Andra Davis will lineup next to Williams on the inside and could have some value, but he may prove to be a two-down player. Elvis Dumervil or Robert Ayers might have some value if your league software has them as defensive ends. As linebackers they will likely be very average at best. SS Renaldo Hill could be worth a late round flier. He was fairly productive for Miami at one point and could find himself in a target-rich environment. Champ Bailey is an outstanding corner, but without a stud on the other side, clubs will simply continue to avoid him. Free safeties in the 3-4 are rarely productive, and at 36 years old there was a reason Philadelphia let Brian Dawkins walk.
Fantasy Prospects ILB D.J. Williams - Probable Top 10 LB SS Renaldo Hill - Possible backup DB OLB Elvis Dumervil - Minimal value OLB Robert Ayers - Minimal value
Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE SLB WLB MLB CB CB FS SS FS MLB
Player Grady Jackson (Atl) Chartric Darby Cliff Arvil Dewayne White (TB) Julian Peterson (Sea) Ernie Sims Larry Foote (Pit) Anthony Henry (Dal) Phillip Buchanon (TB) Louis Delmas Daniel Bullocks Gerald Alexander DeAndre Levy
G 15 15 15 12 16 16 16 16 16 16 5
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 404.4 32.3 30 16 4 1 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 23 5 2 0 0 0 1 23 9 1.5 0 1 0 0 18 5 5 4 1 0 0 28 10 6.5 3 1 1 2 65 21 5 4 1 0 5 72 41 1.5 0 0 0 1 34 29 1.5 1 0 0 3 39 11 2 1 2 1 5 48 4 0 1 1 2 6 Rookie, Pick No. 33, Western Michigan 64 30 0 2 1 0 2 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 Rookie, Pick No. 76, Wisconsin
There will be a new face in nearly every defensive position this season. Ends Dewayne White and Cliff Avril will return, with Avril slated to have a larger role in the defense. Though undersized, if he can stay effective against the run and build on the pass rush talent he flashed as a rookie, Avril could become an every week fantasy start. Ernie Sims was never able to take advantage of the extra opportunity afforded to weak side backers in Tampa-2 defenses, but new head coach Jim Schwartz has high hopes that he’ll improve with a change in scheme. The middle linebacker position will be an open competition between veteran free agent acquisition Larry Foote and third round draft pick DeAndre Levy. Foote fits the Schwartz mold a little better than Levy and may have a slight edge on the rookie for the starting job entering camp. Neither player will have much upside unless they secure a role on passing downs. OLB Julian Peterson should produce similar numbers to those he did in Seattle, making him a better option in sack heavy
Fantasy Prospects WLB Ernie Sims – LB3 with LB2 upside OLB Julian Peterson – LB3 with big play upside DE Cliff Avril – Could become solid DL2 FS Louis Delmas – Rookie with significant upside MLB Larry Foote – Training camp watch list MLB DeAndre Levy – Situation to watch in camp
GREEN BAY PACKERS Team Stats POS Player DE Cullen Jenkins DE/NT B.J. Raji NT/DE Ryan Pickett OLB Aaron Kampman OLB Clay Matthews ILB A.J. Hawk ILB Nick Barnett CB Al Harris CB Charles Woodson SS Atari Bigby FS Nick Collins S Aaron Rouse
G 4 16 16 16 9 12 16 7 16 14
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 334.3 23.8 27 6 27 7 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 10 3 2.5 1 0 0 1 Rookie, Pick No. 19, Boston College 26 22 1.5 0 0 0 3 46 16 8.5 0 0 0 1 Rookie, Pick No. 26, USC 67 19 3 0 0 0 1 41 8 0 0 0 0 2 24 1 0 0 0 0 9 50 12 3 1 1 7 17 15 6 0 0 0 1 2 60 12 0 0 0 7 15 40 14 0 0 0 2 3
Long time stud DE Aaron Kampman will move to OLB in the Packers’ new 3-4 scheme, so it’s unlikely that he’ll remain classified as a DL in most league management software. He’ll need to make a smooth and very successful transition to have more than marginal IDP value unless the scoring system is very sack heavy. Nick Barnett will likely face more blockers as the strong inside linebacker this season, but should have enough opportunity to finish in the Top 25. A.J. Hawk is a solid fit at weak inside linebacker and may be in line for his best season yet. FS Nick Collins exploded with seven interceptions and 15 passes defended last season, but he only had 60 solo tackles and isn’t a great bet to repeat his high fantasy finish. The strong safety position may be more valuable in the new scheme, but neither Aaron Rouse nor Atari Bigby will hold much value if they remain in rotational roles. Charles Woodson is expected to move back to corner after taking snaps at SS last season. He’s risky at age 33, but his all-around talent will be worth a flier as depth in DB leagues. He even warrants CB2 consideration in leagues that breakout corner as a position. DE Cullen Jenkins is talented enough to roster in deeper leagues despite the historically less productive 3-4 DE role. Rookie OLB Clay Matthews is raw and faces an uphill climb in tackle-heavy scoring leagues.
DEFENSES
DETROIT LIONS
scoring systems. Rookie Louis Delmas is a heavy favorite to start at free safety and could have good value, as could Daniel Bullocks if he earns the starting SS job. Both Anthony Henry and Phillip Buchanon have had solid tackling seasons in recent years and are worth a look in leagues that require corners.
Fantasy Prospects OLB Aaron Kampman – Move to OLB hurts ILB Nick Barnett – Will remain solid LB option ILB A.J. Hawk – Possibly a career season at ILB FS Nick Collins – May not repeat big 2008 OLB Clay Matthews – Unlikely to put up big numbers
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there are some signs that point to Cushing overcoming that handicap. Solid cover skills will likely make him an everydown player, and there is the fact that last year’s starting SLB Zach Diles was leading the team in tackles and on pace for 94 solos before breaking his leg in Week 9. With 87 tackles and 26 sacks in the last two seasons, Mario Williams has become one of the leagues finest every down ends. He should be among the Top 3 off the board at that position. Williams’ numbers could be even better now that the club has added Antonio Smith at the other end. Smith posted 38 tackles and 6.5 sacks as a part time starter in 2007 before being lost in the Cardinals 3-4 transition last season. He could be a big surprise. Rookie rush specialist Connor Barwin is a dynasty special who could emerge as a starter down the road. With 45 tackles over the final eight games last year, safety Eugene Wilson belongs high on our sleeper lists.
Fantasy Prospects
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Team Stats
ICON SMI
DEFENSES
MLB DeMeco Ryans - Solid LB1 OLB Brian Cushing - Rook with big upside DE Mario Williams - Top 3 DL DE Antonio Smith - Sleeper with DL2 potential DE Connor Barwin - Dynasty Special S Eugene Wilson - Strong sleeper
Mario Williams
HOUSTON TEXANS Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE SLB WLB MLB CB CB FS SS S DE
Player Travis Johnson Amobi Okoye Mario Williams Antonio Smith (Ari) Brian Cushing Xavier Adibi DeMeco Ryans Jacques Reeves Dunta Robinson Eugene Wilson Nick Ferguson Dominique Barber Connor Barwin
G 15 14 16 16 7 16 16 11 12 14 12
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 336.6 24.6 25 10 12 1 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 22 6 1 0 0 0 2 15 9 1 1 1 0 2 44 9 12 4 0 0 0 31 10 3.5 2 3 0 0 Rookie, Pick No. 15, USC 27 8 0 0 1 0 0 86 26 1 2 3 0 4 48 4 0 1 0 4 19 35 3 0 0 0 2 6 52 11 0 0 0 2 7 48 11 0 0 0 1 1 12 3 1 0 0 0 1 Rookie, Pick No. 46, Cincinnati
As a rookie in 2006, DeMeco Ryans piled up 126 solo tackles and was the #1 fantasy LB. His numbers have steadily slipped over the past two years, and he finished at #13 in 2008. In his defense, Ryans has played through some nagging injuries over the past two seasons. He remains one of the top options at the position and should bounce back with a Top 10 finish in 2009. Brian Cushing projects to line up at SLB, which is normally a killer for fantasy production; however
POS DT DT DE DE MLB SLB WLB CB CB SS FS SS WLB
Player Keyunta Dawson Eric Foster Dwight Freeney Robert Mathis Gary Brackett Phillip Wheeler Clint Session Marlin Jackson Kelvin Hayden Bob Sanders Antoine Bethea Melvin Bullitt Freddie Keiaho
G 14 13 15 15 12 16 16 7 10 6 16 15 14
YPGA PPGA SK 310.9 18.6 30 TKL AST Sack 21 21 0 28 7 0.5 24 4 10.5 36 12 11 71 28 0 12 2 0 73 20 0 41 6 0 36 6 0 25 14 0 74 27 0 59 13 0 79 26 0
FR INT Def TD 11 15 4 FF FR INT PD 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 5 3 0 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 3 12 0 0 1 2 0 1 2 4 1 0 4 9 0 2 0 0
Gary Brackett has averaged nearly 6.5 solo tackles a game over the past four years. He’s a contributor in the big-play columns and is as consistent as any IDP in the game. Brackett was on pace for 100+ solo stops last season before a leg injury sidelined him for the final month of the regular season. The Colts OLB positions are fantasy friendly as well. Freddie Keiaho led the team in tackles from WLB last year, but he may have lost his starting job to Clint Session. Session got the call at SLB for most of 2008 and put up very solid numbers. There will be competition for both OLB positions during camp but the early projections have Session and Phillip Wheeler as starters. Whoever lands the WLB job is likely a 90+ tackle guy. A healthy Bob Sanders is a sure Top 10 DB. Unfortunately a healthy Sanders is a rarity. Last year he suited up for just six games. Grab him late on draft day, but be sure to land Melvin Bullitt as well. In Bullitt’s nine starts last season he averaged better than five solo tackles a game and intercepted four
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passes. FS Antoine Bethea also prospers when Sanders is out. Bethea was the Colts’ second leading tackler last season with 74 solos. Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney each totaled 10+ sacks last year despite sitting out the final two games. Mathis added a solid 36 tackles to his totals and re-emerged as a strong fantasy option after a down season in 2007. Freeney on the other hand, continued to see action only in passing situations and managed only 26 stops.
Fantasy Prospects MLB Gary Brackett - Solid LB2 WLB Clint Session - Potential 90+ solo tackle guy SS Bob Sanders - Huge injury risk DE Robert Mathis - Strong DL2 with upside FS Antoine Bethea - Decent DB3 or quality depth
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Team Stats G 15 14 16 16 16 14 14 12 16 13 16 16
FR INT Def TD 4 13 3 FF FR INT PD 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 2 2 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0 0 0 5 1 1 4 9 0 0 2 10 0 0 2 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
Individually there is not a lot of production to be found here. With Peterson gone Justin Durant gets his opportunity to play full time. It’s not yet certain if he will play in the middle or at WLB, but either way Durant is hands down the favorite to lead the club in IDP production. Daryl Smith has been given more than ample opportunity to prove himself in recent years, but the only thing he has proven is that regardless of position he’s an average player with average production. Brian Williams posted solid and consistent numbers as a strong safety in 2008 before injuries at corner forced him back to that position. Sean Considine is not a starting caliber NFL safety, so if they can find a corner to relieve him, Williams may go back. Derrick Harvey only posted 4.5 sacks last year but that was enough to tie him for the team lead. There was a reason the Jags traded up to take him at #8 last April. He may be poised for breakout season ala Mario Williams in his second year. Rashean Mathis is a big play threat and a solid starter in corner-required leagues.
Fantasy Prospects MLB/WLB Justin Durant - LB3 with upside DE Derrick Harvey - Sleeper with big potential CB Rashean Mathis - Starter in corner-required leagues CB/SS Brian Williams - Solid DB3 if he lands at SS
Team Stats POS NT DE DE OLB OLB ILB ILB CB CB SS FS S
Player Tank Tyler Tyson Jackson Glenn Dorsey Tamba Hali Mike Vrabel (NE) Derrick Johnson Zach Thomas (Dal) Brandon Flowers Brandon Carr Bernard Pollard Jarrad Page DaJuan Morgan
G 16 16 15 16 14 16 14 16 16 16 15
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 393.2 27.5 10 16 13 3 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 29 12 0 0 1 0 0 Rookie, Pick No. 3, LSU 32 14 1 1 0 0 1 43 11 3 3 1 0 2 40 22 4 1 1 1 4 68 17 1 3 0 1 6 65 29 1 0 1 0 3 62 7 0 1 2 2 13 70 3 0 0 2 2 6 78 20 0 2 3 1 1 63 22 0 2 2 4 12 21 2 0 0 0 0 0
Bad as the Chiefs were last season, SS Bernard Pollard lead the club with only 78 solo stops. When you look at their roster it’s difficult to pick out someone who is sure to succeed. ILB Derrick Johnson would be the most logical assumption, but he has never posted more than 83 tackles in his career and reached just 68 in 14 games last year. At least we can be confident that he will have an every-down role. The same can’t be said for Zach Thomas, who at age 36 is not the same player we remember. He was a two-down player with Dallas and could be here as well. The SS position is often a productive one in 3-4 schemes, so Pollard is a strong candidate to repeat. There were rumors that DaJuan Morgan was going to replace him last year, but Morgan failed to impress. Corners in this scheme don’t usually excel in the box scores, but both Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr are the type who could. They were both drafted by the previous regime to play in a Cover-2. That scheme requires physical and aggressive corners who like contact. Both players are worth a shot in corner-required leagues.
DEFENSES
POS Player DT Rob Meier DT John Henderson DE Derrick Harvey DE Reggie Hayward SLB Clint Ingram WLB/MLB Daryl Smith MLB/WLB Justin Durant CB Rashean Mathis CB/S Brian Williams FS Reggie Nelson SS Sean Considine (Phi) DE Quentin Groves
YPGA PPGA SK 330.9 22.9 29 TKL AST Sack 26 4 2 35 10 3 16 4 4.5 22 2 4.5 32 5 1 59 10 2.5 62 8 0 39 1 1 74 8 0 48 6 0 23 7 0 11 2 2.5
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Fantasy Prospects ILB Derrick Johnson - Should make a solid LB3 SS Bernard Pollard - DB2 with DB1 potential ILB Zach Thomas - Depth at best CB Brandon Flowers - Starter in CB-required leagues CB Brandon Carr - Starter in CB-required leagues
MIAMI DOLPHINS Team Stats POS NT DE DE OLB OLB ILB ILB CB CB FS SS CB OLB
Player Jason Ferguson Kenard Lang Phillip Merling Matt Roth Joey Porter Channing Crowder Akinola Ayodele Will Allen Eric Green (Ari) Gibril Wilson (Oak) Yeremiah Bell Vontae Davis Jason Taylor (Was)
G 16 16 16 16 16 15 16 16 13 16 16 13
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 329 19.8 40 12 18 2 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 18 4 0 0 0 0 0 25 6 2 0 0 0 3 21 6 2 0 1 1 2 46 8 6 2 0 0 4 36 11 16.5 3 1 0 1 92 21 0 1 1 0 6 58 17 0 0 1 2 4 42 8 1 1 0 3 15 27 5 0 0 0 1 6 96 33 0.5 1 3 2 4 100 20 1 3 1 0 10 Rookie, Pick No. 25, Illinois 42 12 15 3 0 0 3
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Not only did Yeremiah Bell lead Miami in tackles last season, his total of 100 solo stops was second among all NFL defensive backs. Gibril Wilson, however, was not far behind with 96 of his own. The burning question among IDP owners becomes, which of these guys is going to be the man this year? There is no sure answer to this question so let’s look at the situation. Bell lined up at SS last season and will continue to do so. Strong safeties in 3-4 schemes tend to be very productive and are nearly always more so than free safeties. It is, however, noteworthy that FS Renaldo Hill was the Dolphins third-leading tackler last year. Wilson should continue to be productive and will likely eat into Bell’s gaudy numbers, but the smart money is on Bell to once again finish as a Top 5 DB. ILB Channing Crowder is the other IDP option in Miami. He’s the every-down ILB and finished second on the club in tackles last season with 92. What hurts Crowder is a glaring lack of big plays. He had no sacks, no interceptions and just one fumble recovery in 2008. OLB Joey Porter racked up a careerbest 16.5 sacks last season but only 36 solo tackles to go with them. He can’t be counted on to repeat the sack totals, and his career best tackle production was only 61 way back in 2002. Jason Taylor figures to work mostly on passing downs.
Ben Leber in past seasons, but he’s remained productive. He should finish in the Top 50 overall in most scoring systems, with LB3 upside if he earns a full time role. CB Antoine Winfield remains one of the best run supporting corners in the league, and it would be surprising to see him outside the Top 10. The Vikings’ other corner, Cedric Griffin, has put up 80 solos and double-digit passes defended for two straight seasons making him a Top 10 corner himself. It’s hard to find a team with so many solid IDP options, but SS Tyrell Johnson also deserves mention as a potential DB3. With the talent at linebacker and corner, however, both Johnson and FS Madieu Williams may not get enough tackle opportunity to finish among the Top 30 defensive backs at year’s end.
Fantasy Prospects DE Jared Allen – Top 3 DE MLB E.J. Henderson – Potential LB1 at an LB2 price CB Antoine Winfield – A top corner and likely DB1 OLB Chad Greenway – Solid depth with LB3 upside DT Kevin Williams – Could be the top overall DT
NEW ENGLAND
DEFENSES
Fantasy Prospects
Team Stats
SS Yeremiah Bell - Top 5 DB FS Gibril Wilson - Solid DB3 at worst ILB Channing Crowder - Decent LB3 or quality depth OLB Joey Porter - Not consistent enough with tackles CB Vontae Davis - Rookie corners often wear a target
MINNESOTA VIKINGS Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE WLB SLB MLB CB CB SS FS
Player Kevin Williams Pat Williams Jared Allen Ray Edwards Chad Greenway Ben Leber E.J. Henderson Antoine Winfield Cedric Griffin Tyrell Johnson Madieu Williams
G 16 14 16 15 16 16 4 16 16 16 9
YPGA PPGA SK 292.4 20.8 45 TKL AST Sack 46 15 8.5 31 13 1 42 12 15 34 18 4.5 85 30 5 47 16 1 23 4 1 81 14 2 80 11 0 24 7 0 38 4 0
FR INT Def TD 13 12 2 FF FR INT PD 1 0 0 4 0 1 0 3 3 0 0 3 1 0 0 3 3 0 0 5 1 4 2 7 1 1 0 0 4 2 2 11 4 1 1 14 0 1 1 2 0 0 2 3
DE Jared Allen put up 15 sacks for the second straight season and will be the first or second defensive lineman drafted in nearly every fantasy league this season. Kevin Williams was a top defensive lineman in all scoring systems last year and the second ranked defensive tackle (behind Cleveland’s Shaun Rogers) on the strength of 46 solos and 8.5 sacks. Teams should continue to find it very difficult to double team both Allen and Williams, which should make it more likely that Williams will repeat his big 2008 season than the three poor box score seasons from 2005-2007. MLB E.J. Henderson is reportedly recovering well from his season-ending foot injury and should be free to rack up tackles behind his stud DT tandem. He could finish in the Top 10 if he stays healthy. OLB Chad Greenway has lost some snaps in a nickel rotation with
POS NT DE DE OLB OLB ILB ILB CB CB FS SS S ILB DL
Player Vince Wilfork Ty Warren Richard Seymour Adalius Thomas Pierre Woods Tedy Bruschi Jerod Mayo Shawn Springs (Was) Leigh Bodden (Det) Brandon Meriweather Patrick Chung James Sanders Gary Guyton Ron Brace
G 16 13 15 9 12 13 16 9 16 16 14 6
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 309 19.3 31 8 14 0 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 45 21 1 0 0 0 1 32 9 2 1 1 0 0 34 18 7.5 0 1 0 1 25 10 5.5 0 0 0 4 25 10 1 0 0 0 1 38 37 0 0 0 0 1 100 28 0 1 1 0 4 31 5 1 0 0 1 7 61 12 0 3 2 1 11 61 22 2 2 0 4 9 Rookie, Pick No. 34, Oregon 43 22 0 0 0 1 3 11 4 0 0 1 0 3 Rookie, Pick No. 40, Boston College
Like many 3-4 schemes, the IDP prospects in New England are slim. There are, however, a couple of pretty good ones. ILB Jerod Mayo reached 100 solo tackles as a rookie. He was the first Patriot to do so since Ted Johnson almost a decade ago. The downside for Mayo was a lack of big play production as he recovered just one fumble while failing to record a sack or interception. With a year of experience under his belt Mayo will be more comfortable which should lead to more impact plays. Patrick Chung will likely come out of camp as the starter at SS, but whoever lands that job should be productive. There is a history of quality production from that position. Brandon Meriweather moved there after Harrison was injured last season and over the final seven games recorded a mark of 37-12 with a pick, two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. He likely returns to FS this year. OLB Adalius Thomas is a candidate to have value but how much depends on your scoring system. A healthy Thomas should be good for roughly 60 solo stops and 7-10 sacks. Consistency will be an issue but he should be worthy at least as depth. Richard Seymour can be counted on for 35-40 tackles and 6-
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8 sacks, making him worthy as depth in many leagues.
Fantasy Prospects ILB Jerod Mayo - Quality LB3 with upside SS Patrick Chung - Potential to be a top 10 DB OLB Adalius Thomas - Viable depth in most leagues DE Richard Seymour - Depth in large leagues
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Player Sedrick Ellis Kendrick Clancy Charles Grant Will Smith Scott Shanle Scott Fujita Jonathan Vilma Tracy Porter Malcolm Jenkins Darren Sharper (Min) Roman Harper Rod Coleman Jabari Greer (Buf) Bobby McCray
G 13 14 8 16 16 14 16 5 16 15 10 16
MLB Jonathan Vilma rebounded nicely after recovering from a knee injury and returning to his preferred 4-3 front last season. He rode a 98-solo (132-total) tackle season to a Top 12 finish in most IDP leagues. Though there will be some turnover at defensive tackle, Vilma should again produce as a LB1. Defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant could see improvements in their sack totals under the more aggressive Gregg Williams. Both are solid run defenders and should finish among the Top 20 defensive ends. SS Roman Harper withstood questions about his coverage skills and a possible three-headed safety rotation last year to finish with 82 solos. Free agent acquisition Darren Sharper, the return of CB Tracy Porter from injury and the addition of Jabari Greer and Malcolm Jenkins to improve the pass coverage could allow Harper to return to a more traditional SS role. Should he play in the box more often, Harper will generate both steady tackle numbers and a number of big plays. Porter showed flashes of becoming a solid fantasy option before a broken arm ended his 2008 season and should be considered in deeper leagues or those requiring corners. NT Sedrick Ellis should get more three-technique snaps this season and may fulfill his potential as a Top 10 fantasy DT. Owners should also watch the offseason progress of Jenkins, who could have big upside as a starting rookie corner, and Dan Morgan, who will try to stay healthy enough to push for an every-down role at OLB.
Fantasy Prospects MLB Jonathan Vilma – Back to LB1 form SS Roman Harper – Top target with DB1 upside DE Will Smith – Strong DL2 option DE Charles Grant – Tackle producing DL3 with upside CB Malcolm Jenkins – Strong sleeper if he starts
DEFENSES
POS DT DT DE DE WLB SLB MLB CB CB FS SS DT CB DE
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 339.5 24.6 28 7 15 0 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 20 10 4 0 0 0 5 26 8 2 0 1 0 3 26 7 3 0 0 0 2 43 18 3 1 0 0 1 60 27 2 1 0 0 5 63 18 0 1 0 2 3 98 34 1 2 3 1 6 23 2 1 0 0 1 5 Rookie, Pick No. 14, Ohio State 60 9 0 0 2 1 5 82 7 0 1 0 0 9 Missed 2008 with an injury 31 6 0 0 2 1 5 25 4 6 1 0 0 0
ICON SMI
Team Stats
Osi Umenyiora
NEW YORK GIANTS Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE SLB WLB MLB CB CB SS FS OLB DE DE
Player Fred Robbins Rocky Bernard Justin Tuck Osi Umenyiora Danny Clark Michael Boley (Atl) Antonio Pierce Corey Webster Aaron Ross Michael Johnson Kenny Phillips Clint Stintim Mathias Kiwanuka Chris Canty
G 14 15 16 16 16 15 16 15 16 16 16 16
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 292 18.4 42 5 17 2 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 29 6 5 0 0 0 2 43 12 5 1 1 0 1 53 14 13 3 0 1 2 Missed 2008 with a knee injury 43 27 0 2 0 0 1 63 10 0 0 1 1 9 72 22 1 2 0 0 2 48 2 1 2 0 3 24 46 6 0 0 0 3 8 47 25 1 0 1 2 4 55 12 0 0 0 1 5 Rookie, Pick No. 45, Virginia 35 16 8.5 2 2 0 1 26 11 3.5 0 0 0 5
The Giants’ defensive line is full of talent - a situation that may either boost the production of all its members or divide the box score spoils around and hurt the value of everyone.
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DE Osi Umenyiora is back from injury and a strong threat to hit double-digit sacks again. Teammate Justin Tuck, who may move inside on passing downs and benefit from single blocking from interior offensive linemen, could again finish among the Top 5 linemen in all scoring systems. Both should be safe from a downslide in box score production. Mathias Kiwanuka and Chris Canty, who would be every-down defensive ends for nearly every other team in the league, may not see enough snaps to be as valuable. MLB Antonio Pierce has struggled through nagging injuries in each of the past two seasons and has strong competition for tackles at every level. Given the improvement at OLB this offseason, Pierce will again face an uphill battle to crack the Top 25 overall linebackers. New outside linebackers Michael Boley and Clint Sintim will help hold down the tackle numbers of all three backers, but both have added value in big-play oriented scoring systems. That’s particularly true of Sintim, who’s slated to play SLB on base defensive downs and fill a pass rushing DE role in the nickel defense. FS Kenny Phillips finally gets a chance to play every down this season, but he may not see enough tackle opportunities to produce as Gibril Wilson and Brian Dawkins once did in this aggressive scheme.
DEFENSES
Fantasy Prospects DE Osi Umenyiora – Stud DE with Top 3 potential DE Justin Tuck – Stud DE with Top 3potential MLB Antonio Pierce – Solid player but poor opportunity FS Kenny Phillips – Stud in waiting with DB2 upside OLB Clint Sintim – Rookie sleeper with big-play potential
NEW YORK JETS Team Stats POS NT DE DE OLB OLB ILB ILB CB CB SS FS OLB
Player G Kris Jenkins 16 Shaun Ellis 16 Marques Douglas (Bal) 16 Bryan Thomas 16 Calvin Pace 16 Bart Scott (Bal) 16 David Harris 11 Darrelle Revis 16 Lito Sheppard (Phi) 15 Jim Leonhard (Bal) 16 Kerry Rhodes 16 Vernon Gholston 15
YPGA PPGA SK 329.4 22.2 41 TKL AST Sack 38 14 4 41 18 6.5 24 12 0 39 19 5.5 62 18 7 61 21 1.5 53 23 1 45 13 1 18 3 0 55 14 1 60 24 1 5 8 0
FR INT Def TD 16 14 5 FF FR INT PD 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 5 4 0 3 2 0 0 5 0 1 0 1 1 2 5 16 1 0 1 4 0 0 1 6 0 2 2 5 0 0 0 0
As a rookie ILB David Harris looked like the next great IDP star. That never materialized. In fact he was one of the game’s biggest busts last year, averaging fewer than five solo tackles per game. Meanwhile Bart Scott was a box score disappointment for a second consecutive season in Baltimore. At least playing next to Ray Lewis gives Scott an excuse. Someone has to step up here, so does Harris bounce back or does escaping the shadow of Lewis make Scott shine? One of these guys is going to be very productive. It’s a situation we will need to watch throughout training camp. Calvin Pace followed a strong 2007 campaign as the Cardinals SLB with an excellent 2008 at OLB in New York. He was among a select few 3-4 outside linebackers to be deserving of fantasy consideration
last season. What he lacked in the tackle column Pace made up for with seven sacks, five forced fumbles and four recoveries. He’s not James Harrison, but last year was no fluke. Three years ago Kerry Rhodes was a Top 5 DB, but his tackle production dropped when he was moved to FS and asked to play center field. He’s a playmaker so we need to watch what the new coaching staff does with him.
Fantasy Prospects ILB David Harris - LB1 upside, LB4 downside ILB Bart Scott - LB1 upside, LB4 downside OLB Calvin Pace - LB3 or Quality depth S Kerry Rhodes - Sleeper to keep an eye on
OAKLAND RAIDERS Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE SLB MLB WLB CB CB FS SS DE SS
Player Tommy Kelly Gerard Warren Derrick Burgess Jay Richardson Ricky Brown Kirk Morrison Thomas Howard Nnamdi Asomugha Chris Johnson Hiram Eugene Michael Mitchell Trevor Scott Michael Huff
G 16 16 10 16 7 16 16 15 15 16 16 16
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 360.9 24.2 32 8 16 0 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 32 25 5.5 0 0 0 0 31 8 4 1 0 0 1 16 8 3.5 1 0 0 2 39 14 3 0 0 0 1 28 9 0 1 0 0 1 99 36 1 2 0 1 1 80 17 1 2 0 1 5 33 7 0 1 0 1 9 33 2 0 1 0 3 12 46 11 0 1 0 0 3 Rookie, Pick No. 47, Ohio 19 5 5 1 0 0 0 23 5 0 0 0 0 5
The Raiders give us a consistent Top 10 LB in Kirk Morrison, who has posted at least 96 solo stops in each of his three seasons at MLB, and he has become a big play threat as well. Morrison is on a run of four consecutive seasons as the Raiders tackle leader and is in line to make it five in a row. The Raiders give us several other options as well. Thomas Howard has been a solid LB3 since becoming a Raider in 2006. He’s averaged better than 80 solos and led the leagues linebackers with six interceptions in 2007. DE Derrick Burgess led the league with 16 sacks in 2005 and posted at least eight in each of his first three seasons in Oakland. Injuries have slowed him for the past two years, but he should be healthy entering camp. Burgess is capable of 40+ tackles and double-digit sacks. The Raiders are excited about second end Trevor Scott, who was second on the team in sacks as a rookie despite limited opportunity. Scott has turned heads this offseason and has the coaches expecting much. Tackle Tommy Kelly is consistent as it gets at the DT position. Coming off a knee injury in 2007, he got off to a slow start last year, but once he was up to speed, Kelly produced 21 solo stops and 3.5 sacks over the final eight games. The club stepped up early in the draft and selected SS Michael Mitchell. Raider safeties have consistently put up strong tackle numbers over the years, so keep Mitchell on your short list for sleepers no matter who laughs at Al.
Fantasy Prospects MLB Kirk Morrison - Solid LB1
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WLB Thomas Howard - Solid LB3 or quality depth SS Michael Mitchell - Sleeper in a golden situation DE Derrick Burgess - Injury issues but DL1 upside DE Trevor Scott - Quality sleeper prospect DT Tommy Kelly - Top 5 interior lineman
Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE SLB WLB MLB CB CB FS SS S WLB DE
Player Mike Patterson Brodrick Bunkley Trent Cole Darren Howard Chris Gocong Akeem Jordan Stewart Bradley Asante Samuel Sheldon Brown Quintin Demps Quintin Mikell Sean Jones (Cle) Omar Gaither Victor Abiamiri
G 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 15 16 16 16 12 16 10
YPGA PPGA SK 274.3 18.1 48 TKL AST Sack 28 14 0.5 34 13 2 59 18 9 21 5 10 43 16 2 53 8 0 86 22 1 31 4 0 42 9 1 16 2 1 68 25 2 48 8 0 51 8 2.5 5 6 2
FR INT Def TD 14 15 4 FF FR INT PD 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 2 2 0 0 2 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 5 0 2 0 0 1 1 1 6 0 0 4 22 1 0 1 12 1 0 0 1 2 0 3 9 1 0 4 4 1 2 0 6 1 0 0 3
Fantasy Prospects DE Trent Cole – Top 5 DL in all scoring systems MLB Stewart Bradley – Solid LB3 with marginal upside SS Quentin Mikell – Could take a hit if Jones starts WLB Akeem Jordan – Depth if wins starting job S Sean Jones – Risky unless he wins every-down role DE Darren Howard – Sleeper with DL2 potential
Troy Polamalu
PITTSBURGH STEELERS Team Stats POS NT DE DE OLB OLB ILB ILB CB CB FS SS CB
Player Casey Hampton Aaron Smith Evander Hood James Harrison Lamarr Woodley Lawrence Timmons James Farrior William Gay Ike Taylor Ryan Clark Troy Polamalu Keenan Lewis
G 13 16 15 15 16 16 16 16 14 16
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 237.2 13.9 51 9 20 3 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 13 9 1 0 0 0 1 44 16 5.5 0 0 0 4 Rookie, Pick No. 32, Missouri 67 34 16 7 0 1 3 41 19 11.5 2 4 1 2 43 22 5 1 1 1 3 89 44 3.5 1 1 0 5 33 8 0 0 0 1 7 50 15 0 0 0 1 14 52 35 0 0 0 1 6 54 19 0 0 0 7 17 Rookie, Pick No. 96, oregon State
DEFENSES
Trent Cole is one of the best all-around defensive ends in the game, and at age 27, he is in the prime of his career. He’s a tackling machine with 108 solo stops over the past two seasons and has eight or more sacks in each of the past three. He’s as dependable as they come. MLB Stewart Bradley performed very well in his first full season at MLB, finishing with 86 solo tackles. With the year of experience, his production should improve this season making him a solid third starter. Quentin Mikell also was a productive starter, filling up his stat line with 68 solo (93 total) tackles, two sacks, three interceptions and nine passes defended. The value of both Mikell and free agent acquisition Sean Jones remains up in the air, however, as both are taking snaps at SS this offseason. If Mikell can relegate Jones to a reserve role, he’ll again have DB2 value with some additional upside. If Mikell is moved to FS with Jones taking snaps at SS, both players may struggle to put up top numbers. The WLB position is also an open competition entering camp, though incumbent Akeem Jordan played well enough that he should be considered the favorite over Omar Gaither. As an every-down linebacker, Jordan will be roster worthy in deeper leagues as bye-week depth. A sleeper to eye here is DE Darren Howard who led the club in sacks with 10 and has the ability to be an every-down player. DT Mike Patterson deserves consideration in leagues that require defensive tackles.
ICON SMI
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
While most 3-4 schemes give us very few quality IDP options, the Steelers are the exception to that rule. When OLB James Harrison had a great 2007 season, most of us thought him a one-year wonder. Harrison proved all doubters wrong when he was named the NFL’s 2008 Defensive MVP and finished as the fantasy game’s top IDP. His 2008 numbers will be nearly impossible to match, but we would be nuts not to count him as a Top 5 LB this draft season. Harrison stole the headlines, but LaMarr Woodley had an excellent 2008 as well, finishing in the Top 12 among outside linebackers. With Harrison getting all the attention Woodley could be even better in his third season. James Farrior has been a solid LB2-LB3 for years, but the 34-year old may begin to see the numbers fade, especially if young Lawrence Timmons proves to be as advertised. Timmons takes over for Larry Foote as Farrior’s sidekick on the inside. Maybe the most telling tale here is the reaction of Foote, who didn’t even put up a fight. In fact he acknowledged last year that “the kid is good, I’d get him on the field too if I were them”. Look for Timmons to soon bypass Farrior and become the leader both emotionally and statistically. SS Troy Polamalu is right up there with Ed Reed as the leagues best big-play safeties. The difference is that Polamalu adds
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decent tackle numbers to his resume. Don’t hesitate to grab him at the bottom of the DB1 run.
Fantasy Prospects OLB James Harrison - Top 5 LB in any system OLB LaMarr Woodley - Big play gem SS Troy Polamalu - Decent DB1, excellent DB2 ILB James Farrior - Quality LB3 ILB Lawrence Timmons - LB3 with huge upside
ST. LOUIS RAMS
DEFENSES
Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE WLB SLB MLB CB CB FS SS DE CB
Player Adam Carriker Ryan Clifton Chris Long Leonard Little Will Witherspoon Chris Draft James Laurinaitis Ronald Bartell Jonathan Wade Oshiomogho Atogwe James Butler (NYG) Victor Adeyanju Tye Hill
G 15 16 16 14 16 12 16 16 16 15 16 4
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 371.9 21.1 30 14 12 1 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 22 1 0 0 1 0 0 23 8 0 0 0 0 1 32 8 4 1 1 0 0 16 2 6.5 2 0 0 0 57 15 1 0 1 1 3 33 5 0 0 0 0 1 Rookie, Pick No. 35, Ohio State 54 3 1 2 1 3 19 20 3 0 0 0 1 3 77 8 0 6 3 5 5 54 14 0 0 1 3 7 40 7 2 0 0 0 0 20 0 0 1 0 0 2
Safety O.J. Atogwe has been an underappreciated fantasy option for years. Early in his career, an above-average number of big plays buoyed marginal tackle numbers. Last season, Atogwe put up 77 solo tackles and continued to generate big plays (nine combined forced fumbles and fumble recoveries, five interceptions). In the new aggressive 4-3 scheme to be installed by Steve Spagnuolo, Atogwe compares very favorably to Gibril Wilson and Brian Dawkins, who were both very strong DB options in this scheme. Will Witherspoon will be moved to WLB this season after a season-and-a-half of struggles as the Rams’ MLB. He is a natural at WLB and was very productive at the position as a Carolina Panther. The change should improve his numbers this season. While rookie James Laurinaitis is unlikely to equal the production of Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans or Jerod Mayo in their debut seasons, he’s likely to be handed an every-down role in a situation with above-average tackle opportunity. He’s safe to draft as a LB3 with upside in tackle-heavy scoring systems. As many young pass rushers have in the past, expect DE Chris Long to improve in his second season - he could blossom into a Top 15 DL. Those in leagues that require corners in starting lineups should consider Ron Bartell as a CB2 or strong depth option. He’s proven an ability to get his hands on the ball and has no significant competition for a starting role.
Fantasy Prospects MLB James Laurinaitis – Top prospect among rookies FS O.J. Atogwe – Top-tier DB WLB Will Witherspoon – Move to WLB will help DE Chris Long – Poised to step up in second season CB Ron Bartell – Strong sleeper in CB-required leagues
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS Team Stats POS NT DE DE OLB OLB ILB LILB CB CB FS SS OLB
Player Jamal Williams Jacques Cesaire Luis Castillo Shawne Merriman Shaun Phillips Kevin Burnett (Dal) Stephen Cooper Quentin Jammer Antonio Cromartie Clinton Hart Eric Weddle Larry English
G 16 16 15 1 16 16 12 16 16 14 16
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 349.9 21.7 28 9 15 3 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 46 10 1.5 0 0 0 3 15 6 2 0 0 0 2 27 12 1.5 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 52 22 7 1 1 0 4 29 9 2 1 0 0 3 72 26 1.5 0 0 4 6 75 13 0 3 2 2 9 60 4 0 0 0 2 9 45 18 0 0 1 0 8 105 22 1 0 1 1 5 Rookie, Pick No. 16, Northern Illinois
A healthy Shawne Merriman is one of the few 3-4 OLBs to be a strong fantasy consideration in any scoring system. The problem is that he’s had trouble staying healthy. Merriman missed all of last season and hasn’t played 16 games in a year since he was a rookie in 2005. He has had plenty of time to recover from last year’s knee injury and is deserving as a solid LB2 despite the risk. SS Eric Weddle exploded for a league leading (among defensive backs) 105 solo tackles in his second season. The numbers may have been aided by the combination of injuries, suspensions and slumping play around him, but even if the Chargers return to form, Weddle has established himself as a fantasy force. He isn’t likely to repeat triple-digit tackles but should be very productive. ILB Stephen Cooper served a four-game suspension to open last season and still finished with 72 solo tackles and four picks. The Chargers seem to have found the centerpiece their defense had been missing since the departure of Donnie Edwards. Free agent addition Kevin Burnett could be a factor if he lands an every-down role. Quentin Jammer was the team’s second-leading tackler with 75 solos last year and is a quality option in corner-required leagues.
Fantasy Prospects ILB Stephen Cooper - LB2 with LB1 potential SS Eric Weddle - Probable Top 5 DB OLB Shawne Merriman - LB2 with injury risk ILB Kevin Burnett - Sleeper, probable LB3 CB Quentin Jammer - CB1 in corner-required
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Team Stats POS Player NT Aubrayo Franklin DE/OLB Justin Smith DE Ray McDonald OLB Manny Lawson OLB Parys Haralson ILB Takeo Spikes RILB Patrick Willis CB Nate Clements CB Walt Harris FS Dashon Goldson SS Michael Lewis CB Tarell Brown DE Kentwan Balmer
G 16 16 15 14 16 16 16 16 16 9 16 15 16
YPGA PPGA SK 326 23.8 30 TKL AST Sack 33 13 1 49 25 7 20 7 1 33 12 3 28 12 8.5 61 35 1 109 32 1 56 7 0 44 10 1 18 3 0 76 20 2 26 4 0 6 1 0
FR INT Def TD 6 12 1 FF FR INT PD 2 0 0 1 1 0 1 3 0 0 0 4 1 1 0 3 0 1 0 2 2 1 3 6 1 1 1 10 1 0 2 9 0 0 3 14 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 6 0 0 2 3 0 0 0 1
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Patrick Willis will have competition from a handful of young linebackers, but he remains the consensus top overall IDP except in leagues with scoring systems heavily skewed toward big plays. He is a very safe bet to top 100 solo tackles again in 2009. DE Justin Smith remains a consistent DL2 in all formats, turning in another strong all-around season with 49 solos and 7.5 sacks. Expect the same production again this year. SS Michael Lewis has also been a consistent performer in San Francisco, totaling over 90 total tackles (76 solo) for the second straight season. Lewis and Willis will compete for tackles all year long. CB Nate Clements struggled in 2008, dropping 20 solo tackles from his 2007 stat line and adding a relatively poor two interceptions and nine passes defended. He may rebound in 2009 but is no longer a consensus Top 10 fantasy corner. Dynasty owners have patiently waited for Manny Lawson to fulfill his pass rushing promise. With two more seasons left on his rookie contract, it’s getting to be now-or-never time for him. The odds on his breaking out with a huge year are long. ILB Takeo Spikes is still a pretty solid playmaker and a good compliment to Willis. He doesn’t have much upside but can be worthy as a bye-week plug-in when his match up is good.
has Top 30 potential. Darryl Tapp is the only safe defensive end on the roster with Patrick Kerney’s durability in question and Cory Redding likely to rotate at end on base defensive downs. Tapp has had two consecutive seasons of more than 40 solo tackles in a part time role, with 12.5 sacks over that time frame. He could be a 45-tackle, 10-sack guy if he can hold up for 50 or more snaps a game. Last year’s first round pick Lawrence Jackson could figure in here but was not impressive as a rookie. CB Josh Wilson was productive as a starter in 2008 but will return to a nickel corner role with the addition of Ken Lucas. Lucas isn’t likely to have much IDP value, but the more aggressive scheme could give a boost to teammate Marcus Trufant.
Fantasy Prospects MLB Lofa Tatupu – Aggressive scheme could help OLB Aaron Curry – Stud rookie if not held back by role DE Patrick Kerney – Big injury risk with upside DE Darryl Tapp – Top 25 DL with upside OLB Leroy Hill – Sleeper if wins every-down role
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Fantasy Prospects
Team Stats
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE OLB OLB MLB CB CB FS S SS CB DE
Player Brandon Mebane Cory Redding (Det) Patrick Kerney Darryl Tapp Aaron Curry LeRoy Hill Lofa Tatupu Ken Lucas (Car) Marcus Trufant Deon Grant Brian Russell Jordan Babineaux Josh Wilson Lawrence Jackson
G 16 13 7 16 12 15 16 16 16 16 14 16 16
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 378 24.5 35 11 9 3 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 29 10 5.5 4 1 0 0 31 7 3 0 0 0 0 15 6 5 2 1 0 3 46 9 5.5 4 1 0 0 Rookie, Pick No. 4, Wake Forest 63 21 1 0 0 0 3 69 25 0 1 0 1 4 53 7 0 0 0 2 10 60 4 0 0 2 1 13 62 17 0 0 0 2 8 55 17 1 1 0 0 3 57 3 0 1 1 1 3 69 7 1 3 2 4 9 21 8 2 0 0 0 0
Lofa Tatupu returns as the anchor of the Seattle defense. The more aggressive scheme should free him up to attack the ball quicker, but his talented OLB teammates might hold back his big upside by limiting his opportunities in pursuit outside the box. Fourth overall pick Aaron Curry didn’t fall into the best role in Seattle. He’ll lineup at strong side linebacker and is talented enough to assume an every-down role right away, but he will have to contend with Leroy Hill for the all important nickel duties. Hill was re-signed shortly after the draft, and his experience gives him a legitimate shot at the everydown job, at least for the short term. The winner of this dual
POS DT DT DE DE SLB WLB MLB CB CB FS SS DT LB
Player Ryan Sims Chris Hovan Gaines Adams Greg White Angelo Crowell (Buf) Jermaine Phillips Barrett Ruud Aqib Talib Ronde Barber Tanard Jackson Sabby Piscitelli Roy Miller Geno Hayes
G 15 15 16 16 11 16 15 16 16 15 9
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 306.1 20.2 29 8 22 4 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 9 6 1 0 0 0 2 36 7 1 0 0 0 1 27 11 6.5 0 0 2 6 25 7 5 1 0 0 1 Missed 2008 with an injury 48 11 0 1 1 3 5 102 35 3 0 1 2 6 17 6 0 0 0 4 9 67 8 2 0 1 4 12 59 10 1 2 1 1 3 40 8 0 1 0 2 8 Rookie, Pick No. 81, Texas 10 3 0 0 0 0 1
DEFENSES
ILB Patrick Willis – Consensus top overall IDP DE Justin Smith – Consistent DL2 with little upside SS Michael Lewis – Likely Top 25 defensive back CB Nate Clements – No longer a strong IDP option OLB Manny Lawson – Unlikely to breakout
Barrett Ruud topped 100 solos last season and would seemingly have little room to improve upon those gaudy numbers. However, the Jim Bates defensive scheme is notorious for allowing middle backers to rack up tackles, most recently seen during the huge 2007 season turned in by then MLB D.J. Williams in Denver. With the turnover at OLB, Ruud is a near lock to top 100 solos again this season and may finish as the games top IDP. DE Gaines Adams should also thrive in Bates’ scheme, which will align him well outside the offensive tackle to improve his edge rush angle. If he can take advantage and improve his run defense, he could finish 2008 among the Top 15 defensive linemen. Now that Kevin Carter has moved on, Greg White will finally get his shot at an every-down DE role. His 13.5 sacks in limited action over the past two years suggest he might be a good answer for the Bucs and a sleeper for us. Jermaine Phillips and Angelo Crowell are penciled in at the OLB spots entering training camp. Whichever earns an everydown role will have some value, but will have trouble cracking the Top 30 linebackers in the new scheme. Sabby Piscitelli will replace Phillips at strong safety and should have DB3 upside or better. Ronde Barber will soon follow Derrick Brooks into
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the sunset and will likely pass the title of best Buccaneer fantasy corner to Aqib Talib, who will replace Phillip Buchanon at the other corner position.
Fantasy Prospects MLB Barrett Ruud – Monster upside in new scheme DE Gaines Adams – DL1 potential this season OLB Jermaine Phillips –LB3 upside in every-down role SS Sabby Piscitelli – Big tackle potential OLB Angelo Crowell – Likely no more than depth DE Greg White – Sleeper
TENNESSEE TITANS
DEFENSES
Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE OLB OLB MLB CB CB FS SS DE MLB DT
Player Jason Jones Tony Brown Kyle Vanden Bosch Jevon Kearse David Thornton Keith Bulluck Stephen Tulloch Nick Harper Cortland Finnegan Michael Griffin Chris Hope Dave Ball Gerald McRath Jovan Haye (TB)
G 13 15 10 16 15 16 16 13 16 16 16 15 15
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 293.6 14.6 44 11 20 3 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 24 7 5 3 0 0 2 38 14 4 0 2 0 4 12 12 4.5 3 2 0 0 27 7 3.5 3 0 0 3 60 18 0 2 0 0 6 75 23 0.5 1 1 0 6 64 20 1 0 2 0 2 68 3 0 1 0 2 14 58 12 1 0 0 5 17 55 20 1 1 1 7 11 63 15 1 0 0 4 8 19 9 4.5 1 0 1 1 Rookie, Pick No. 130, Southern Miss 25 8 0 0 0 0 1
The 2008 Titans were among the leagues best defenses, but when it comes to IDP the picking is slim here. Former fantasy stalwart Keith Bulluck regained his title as team tackle leader, but for a second consecutive season, he fell well short of 80 solos. At least in 2007 he was able to compensate some in the big play columns, but even those numbers were absent last year. The production we know Bulluck is capable of can’t be ignored, but he can’t be drafted as anything more than depth with upside at this point. Safety Chris Hope was the fantasy games top DB in 2006 but proved to be a one-year wonder. He did rebound a little last season when his four picks and eight passes defended helped pick up the mediocre 63 solo tackles to make him a decent backup. He should have similar value in 2009 and does have some upside. DE Kyle Vanden Bosch returns from a 2008 season in which he missed several games with a groin injury and was not himself when he did play. He is by far the top IDP prospect from this unit, averaging nearly 48 tackles and 11 sacks over his first three seasons with the team. The Titans did manage to provide quality options for owners in tackle-required leagues last season. Just because Haynesworth is gone doesn’t mean that will change. His replacement Jason Jones posted 24 tackles and five sacks in a part time role and fellow starter Tony Brown contributed a solid 38-14-4. Both of these guys are strong starters if you must play tackles. Cortland Finnegan and Nick Harper are quality options for CB-required leagues.
Fantasy Prospects DE Kyle Vanden Bosch - Consistent DL1 DT Jason Jones - Strong option in DT-required DT Tony Brown - Starter in DT-required WLB Keith Bulluck - Depth with upside SS Chris Hope - Depth with upside
WASHINGTON REDSKINS Team Stats POS DT DT DE DE SLB WLB MLB CB CB FS SS LB SS CB
Player Cornelius Griffin Albert Haynesworth Andre Carter Phillip Daniels Brian Orakpo Roger McIntosh London Fletcher-Baker Carlos Rogers Fred Smoot LaRon Landry Chris Horton H.B. Blades Reed Doughty DeAngelo Hall
G 14 14 16
16 16 15 16 16 14 16 4 15
YPGA PPGA SK FR INT Def TD 288.8 18.5 24 5 13 0 TKL AST Sack FF FR INT PD 16 11 1 0 0 1 1 41 10 8.5 3 1 0 2 24 13 4 0 0 0 2 Missed 2008 with injury Rookie, Pick No. 13, Texas 60 27 2 2 0 1 5 96 37 0.5 1 1 0 6 49 7 0 0 1 2 24 43 11 0 0 0 1 7 49 16 0.5 2 1 2 11 57 19 1 0 1 3 5 40 20 0 0 0 0 1 15 4 0 0 0 0 1 63 11 0.5 0 2 5 21
MLB London Fletcher remains one of the most consistent fantasy linebackers in the league. He posted a seventh consecutive season with 94 or more solo tackles in 2008, but slipped in the rankings after failing to add his usual complement of big plays in pass rush or coverage. He’s now 34 years old, but his impeccable history of durability suggests he’s got at least one more season of steady production in him. The addition of DT Albert Haynesworth and OLB/DE Brian Orakpo has defensive coordinator Greg Blache thinking of playing less read-and-react in the front seven and allowing his linemen to play a more attacking style. That philosophical change could resurrect the numbers of DE Andre Carter, who put up just 24 solos and four sacks last year. Haynesworth will retain good value in leagues requiring defensive tackles, but it’s easy to wonder if his production the last two seasons was motivated by contract situation. Orakpo could have added value if he is classified as a DE in your software even though he takes base defensive snaps at LB. Rocky McIntosh should earn the start at WLB but may rotate with H.B. Blades in nickel packages. Durability is also a major concern for McIntosh, who has a balky knee and shoulder. Early offseason rumors raised concerns about whether the starting strong safety job was up for competition. Expect Chris Horton to hold onto the job and again have DB3 value or better.
Fantasy Prospects MLB London Fletcher – Consistent LB1 DT Albert Haynesworth – Huge contract could affect motivation DE Andre Carter – Could rebound alongside Haynesworth SS Chris Horton – DB3 with upside WLB Rocky McIntosh – Value depends on nickel duties
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DEFENSIVE TEAM BY COMMITTEE by Chase Stuart
F
or seven straight years, Footballguys.com has promoted the Defensive Team By Committee (DTBC) strategy to help fantasy players dominate their leagues. Fantasy defenses are inconsistent from year to year, so predicting which defenses and special teams (D/STs) will do well is difficult. Even still, of course, the teams available at the ends of your drafts usually provide less rewards. So how do you get great production while saving your most important draft picks? We spend countless hours analyzing team offenses, and relatively few thinking about team defenses. But an average defense against a bad offense will do just as well as a great defense against an average offense. Therefore, the key to the DTBC system is to find two teams available late in your draft whose combined schedule features predominantly weak offenses. Since you start your defense based on matchups, and your D/ST will usually oppose a weak offense, your D/ST position will score lots of fantasy points. At least, that’s the plan. In 2006, the recommended DTBC pairing ranked third in fantasy points per game. Two years ago the DTBC was off the charts good, outscoring even the top individual D/ST on a FP/G basis. Last year, the DTBC was not very good, as both the Bills and Saints struggled. We let you down in 2008, but that doesn’t mean the theory is wrong or that this year is going to be disappointing. Hopefully, you’ll follow our advice again and you can ride your DTBC to your fantasy playoffs. When picking a D/ST committee, you should look for four factors: • A very easy combined schedule • Two teams with late average draft positions (ADPs) • Big play ability – think pass rushers and defensive backs with good hands • Reason to expect improvement in 2009 The first step in creating the DTBC system is to grade the offenses. I’ve used the Footballguys.com projections to rank the offenses, scoring them the following way: (0.3 x Points scored) + (0.03 x Total Yards) - (2 x Interceptions thrown). Each team’s projection is shown in the first column in the table, along with their projected rank, and how they ranked under the scoring system in 2008. While most leagues award significant points for sacks, I don’t factor into the team offensive projections sacks allowed data, as those numbers are particularly difficult to predict. But don’t worry: we’ll absolutely keep pass rushers in mind when we select the DTBC. Not surprisingly, the Jay Cutler trade bumped Denver down
and Chicago up. Tampa Bay lost Jeff Garcia and Jon Gruden, and may be starting a rookie QB; they dropped in the rankings. On the other side, Philadelphia added bookend tackles Jason Peters and Stacy Andrews while drafting flashy talents Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy; Philadelphia vaulted into the top five of these rankings as a result. The bottom three teams – St. Louis, Cleveland and Detroit – were terrible in 2008; we don’t expect their offenses to improve in 2009.
09 Proj
Team
297 278 274 265 261 259 259 256 246 245 244 243 241 240 238 236 234 233 232 229 226 223 222 221 218 218 216 208 201 196 195 182
New England Patriots New Orleans Saints San Diego Chargers Philadelphia Eagles Green Bay Packers Atlanta Falcons Indianapolis Colts Arizona Cardinals Carolina Panthers New York Giants Dallas Cowboys Minnesota Vikings Tennessee Titans Chicago Bears Denver Broncos Pittsburgh Steelers Houston Texans Jacksonville Jaguars Baltimore Ravens Miami Dolphins Buffalo Bills New York Jets Cincinnati Bengals Tampa Bay Buccaneers Seattle Seahawks San Francisco 49ers Washington Redskins Oakland Raiders Kansas City Chiefs St. Louis Rams Cleveland Browns Detroit Lions
09 Rk
08 Rk
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
4 1 3 10 7 6 13 5 8 2 19 17 16 20 9 21 12 23 14 11 24 18 32 15 27 25 22 28 26 30 31 29
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D E F E N S I V E T E A M BY C O M M I T T E E
After grading the offenses, I went through the NFL schedule and assigned the corresponding projection for each opponent that every team played. For example, when the Jets host the Patriots in Week 2, New York’s D/ST receives 297 points. However, for road games, an additional five points are added, so when the Ravens travel to Foxboro in Week 4, Baltimore’s D/ST gets 302 points. Obviously, you want your committee to have the lowest possible number of combined points. Bye weeks are valued at 400 points to avoid combining D/STs that share the same bye week. After doing this for every game in every week, we can now rank each team’s schedule and pair up the defenses to form the best possible committee. One note: I’m ranking the committees through 16 weeks, as most fantasy leagues don’t play in Week 17.
The 2009 Defensive Team By Committee Green Bay Packers (ADP: D/ST 12) • DE Ryan Pickett, NT B.J. Raji, DE Cullen Jenkins • OLB Aaron Kampman, ILB A.J. Hawk, ILB Nick Barnett, OLB Clay Matthews • CB Charles Woodson, FS Nick Collins, SS Atari Bigby, CB Al Harris
Like the other duo in this year’s DTBC, Green Bay now plays a 3-4 defensive front. The key to any 3-4 defense is the nose tackle, as Kris Jenkins proved for the Jets last year. There
wasn’t a better nose tackle prospect in the draft than B.J. Raji, and he’s a big body who can help eat up blockers. Ryan Pickett is a former first round pick with over 100 starts to his name, but he’s not a household name. The former DT is certainly large enough to play as a 3-4 end, but that may not be an ideal fit for him. Expect Pickett to play tackle next to Raji when the Packers play four down lineman and Pickett will also see some time at nose while Johnny Jolly plays end. Cullen Jenkins will man the other end spot, and his above average size and speed combination makes him a good fit there. Aaron Kampman had 37 sacks the last three years as a defensive end, but over 90 percent of those came in nickel and dime situations. In the base 3-4 defense, Kampman will play as an outside linebacker/pass rushing specialist, but in nickel and dime sets he’ll play at end. Either way, expect another good year out of Kampman. The other pass rusher is rookie Clay Matthews, the first round pick from USC. Matthews has experience in the 3-4 and should be a good fit immediately for the Packers. A.J. Hawk, the former weak side linebacker, shifts inside in the new 3-4 defense. Hawk’s a natural fit as a 3-4 ILB and his physical style of play should suit him well there. Rounding out a terrific unit is Nick Barnett, who was a solid MLB for half a decade for the Pack but was never a big play guy. With more beef up front, Barnett may finally have fantasy status that matches his NFL ability. Barnett tore his ACL last year, but is expected to be fine by opening day. The secondary features two cornerbacks who debuted twelve years ago; since then, Woodson and Harris have made seven Pro Bowls and intercepted 55 passes. While both players have their best days behind them, they’re still solid cornerbacks for 2009. Nick Collins continues to mature as a player – in 2008 he intercepted seven passes and led the league in INT return yards (295) and touchdowns (three). Strong safety Atari Bigby suffered through injuries in 2008, but in 2007 he intercepted five passes and forced three fumbles. The most important addition for GB may be off the field. Green Bay hired Dom Capers to coach the defense, and he brought in former pass rushing great Kevin Greene to coach the outside linebackers. There’s no doubt that Capers will have the Packers playing aggressively in 2009. Whether or not he produces a good NFL defense is an open question; for fantasy purposes, though, Green Bay should produce a bunch of sacks, turnovers and some scores this year. As a bonus, Will Blackmon is one of the better return men in the league, and he’ll handle both punt and kick return duties. He’ll team with Jordy Nelson on kick returns, but Blackmon’s most dangerous returning punts – he’s scored three times on just 44 career punt returns.
Arizona Cardinals (ADP: #18)
ICON SMI
• DE Darnell Dockett, NT Gabe Watson, DE Calais Campbell • OLB Bertrand Berry, ILB Karlos Dansby, ILB Gerald Hayes, OLB Chike Okeafor • CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, FS Antrel Rolle, SS Adrian Wilson, CB Bryant McFadden
Arizona plays a hybrid 4-3/3-4 defense, but as the team matures under HC Ken Whisenhunt and transitions at defensive coordinator (from Clancy Pendergast to Bill Davis), expect more 3-4 sets in the desert. While it’s difficult to project exactly who will be playing where in Arizona, the Cardinals have a
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D E F E N S I V E T E A M BY C O M M I T T E E
bunch of depth on defense and will exploit that advantage this season. Gabe Watson’s the team’s best bet at nose tackle, but DT Bryan Robinson will also see extensive playing time. Darnell Dockett should play inside in the 4-3 but will be on the outside in the Cardinals base defense; he’s a wide body that is athletic enough to be a playmaker as a 3-4 end. Calais Campbell stands tall at 6’7, making him a good fit for the 3-4 defense, but he was inconsistent as a rookie in 2008. He displayed terrific talent at the University of Miami and should only improve as he matures. The Cardinals have several options at the outside linebacker position. Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor are veteran pass rushers who have combined for over 100 career sacks. Veteran Clark Haggans and second round pick Cody Brown (Connecticut) will also help attack the passer. Between the four of them, Arizona should have no problem bringing the heat. On the inside, Karlos Dansby is good for about 10 big plays a year – sacks, forced fumbles, recoveries or INTs. Gerald Hayes isn’t a big play guy, but is a sure tackler and solid linebacker in the middle. As talented as the linebackers are, the strength of the Arizona defense is the secondary. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (“DRC”) and Adrian Wilson are going to be perennial Pro Bowl candidates for the next few years. DRC is already one of the most athletic defensive players in the NFL and is a terrific playmaker who had four INTs in the second half of the season and then two more in the playoffs. Adrian Wilson can do it all – get to the passer (eight sacks in 2005, two in the NFC Championship Game), create turnovers and make big plays (his resume includes both a 99-yard fumble return TD and 99-yard INT return TD). Playing alongside these two stars is Antrel Rolle, another terrific athlete who plays “centerfield” for the Cardinals. He struggled initially in 2008 as he transitioned from corner to safety, but he was living up to high expectations by the end of the year. Arizona signed yet another ex-Steeler, Bryant McFadden, to play the other cornerback spot. McFadden is just hitting his prime and was one of the more prized free agents this offseason. He’s a solid cover corner who played very well down the stretch, and will provide a nice upgrade to the Arizona secondary. If your league combines defense and special teams, Arizona continues to look like a strong sleeper. Whether it’s Steve Breaston, Jason Wright, Early Doucet or even DRC on kick and punt returns, Arizona should feature an electric return man every time the opponent kicks the ball.
The Combined Schedule • Week 1 – Arizona vs. San Francisco (218) • Week 2 – Green Bay vs. Cincinnati (222) • Week 3 – Green Bay @ St. Louis (201) • Week 4 – Green Bay @ Minnesota (MNF) (248) • Week 5 – Arizona vs. Houston (234) • Week 6 – Green Bay vs. Detroit (182) • Week 7 – Green Bay @ Cleveland (200) • Week 8 – Green Bay vs. Minnesota (243) • Week 9 – Green Bay @ Tampa Bay (226) • Week 10 – Arizona vs. Seattle (218) • Week 11 – Arizona @ St. Louis (201) • Week 12 – Green Bay @ Detroit (Thanksgiving) (187) • Week 13 – Green Bay vs. Baltimore (MNF) (232) • Week 14 – Arizona @ San Francisco (MNF) (223)
• Week 15 – Arizona @ Detroit (187) • Week 16 – Arizona vs. St. Louis (196) This committee runs the weather gamut, with an opening day matchup in the desert and a night game in the Frozen Tundra in December. More importantly, you get an amazing seven games against bottom three offenses (St. Louis, Cleveland, and Detroit). The toughest two games are when the Packers play the Vikings, a team that, at the least, should have some turnover prone players at QB and RB. With the exception of Carson Palmer, none of the quarterbacks that our defensive combo will have to face are very scary. While this defensive committee option looks nice, Team oppFP you might want to consider … GB 3346 Pit 3420 Min 3425 In some leagues, it’s just too costly to Ari 3427 spend two rosters spots on defenses. In Cin 3440 larger leagues, it may not be feasible to SD 3441 grab two defenses that you like. If you’re Cle 3492 only drafting one defense, it still pays to Sea 3498 know the ability level of its opponents. Hou 3502 However, this year, it really pays to Chi 3522 know. The Pittsburgh Steelers – the team Bal 3535 with the best defense in the NFL – hapOak 3545 pen to have the second easiest schedule KC 3550 in the league. Pittsburgh plays five games Det 3554 against bottom five offenses and then Ind 3557 two more against the Bengals. With the NO 3564 second easiest schedule, you might want Jac 3566 to consider reaching early on the Steelers Was 3572 defense. Another defensive stalwart, Phi 3583 Minnesota, has the third easiest schedule. StL 3592 The full list is presented at right: Note SF 3596 that both the bye week (which was conNE 3597 sidered a 400 point week earlier in the Den 3614 article) and Week 17 have been removed. Dal 3629 Ten 3642 Buf 3645 The table below shows some alternate NYG 3665 combinations in case you grab one-half Atl 3705 of the committee but are unable to secure Car 3721 the other. For example, if you have Green NYJ 3722 Bay but not Arizona, Seattle is a great TB 3771 backup choice. Note: Some of the stud Mia 3776 defenses (Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Minnesota) match up well but obviously aren’t expected to be available late. They are therefore not listed in the table below.
Grabbing Just One?
Backup Options
Green Bay with…
Points
Arizona with…
Points
Seattle Cleveland Cincinnati Buffalo Houston
3453 3455 3458 3469 3473
Cincinnati Seattle Washington Denver San Francisco
3470 3503 3503 3526 3531
Lastly, be sure to check out Footballguys.com for an expanded and updated version of this article in August. The projections will have been updated many times since then, and as a result, the ratings of each offense will have changed since May.
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ARIZONA C
ARDINALS
Starting QB: After a Pro Bowl season in which he led the team to its first Super Bowl, long-in-the-tooth veteran Kurt Warner looks to return as the Cardinals’ starter in 2009, but don’t be fooled by his age. Warner still makes quick reads and strong, accurate throws, and he is blessed with the best receiving tandem in the league. That said, there is reason to be concerned about his hip injury. Warner is taking it slow right now, but his recovery will need to be 100 percent for him to be as effective as last year. The two main concerns with Warner outside of his hip injury are the offensive line and the potential departure of WR Anquan Boldin. Warner’s quick release hid many of the OL issues in 2008. If the OL does not improve in every facet of pass protection and run blocking, there may be too much pressure on Warner to perform. Without improved OL play, injury and turnovers are as likely as a repeat of his phenomenal 2008. On the flip side, if the line improves, Warner should have another Top 5 fantasy finish. Backup QBs: Over the last two years, Matt Leinart has played his way out of a starting role. It is highly unlikely he will steal the role back from Kurt Warner Warner. Absent injury, he is not likely to see much playing time this year. If pressed into action, however, he would be blessed by a trio of potent receivers in their prime. And, if he is the clear starter at any point this year, he should be considered a decent to solid QB2. Brian St. Pierre is an afterthought at this point but could hold minimal value in dynasty leagues, especially if the owner envisions an open competition after Warner retires. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Tim Hightower Backup: Chris Wells [R], Jason Wright, LaRod Stephens-Howling [R] Fullback: Tim Castille Starting RB: The Cardinals did not get rid of Edgerrin James without a significant level of confidence in Tim Hightower. Despite drafting Chris Wells in the first round, Hightower will begin the camps as the team’s starting running back. He made a big name for himself in 2008 with his short yardage and goal line proficiency. On third or fourth and less than two yards, he averaged 2.6 YPC. That means that most of the time he got the first down. Moreover, nine of his 10 rushing TDs came from inside the five-yard line. Hightower was also proficient in two areas that are difficult for rookie RBs to master – blocking and receiving. Those two skills alone should insure Hightower the inside track on starting. That said, the offensive line is atrocious, and Hightower will likely be embroiled in a committee with Wells, especially while the team drives between the 20s. As a triple threat (blocking,
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos RB RB RB RB TE TE
Player Name Chris Wells LaRod Stephens-Howling Dan Kreider Jason Wright Anthony Becht Dominique Byrd
Type Draft Draft Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team College College St. Louis Rams Cleveland Browns St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams
2009 Team Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals
catching, running), Hightower is simply too important to the team’s goal line package to consider Wells a superior fantasy force, but Hightower is, at best, a solid RB2 with the threat of Wells stealing carries. Backup RBs: The Cardinals jettisoned all their running backs from last year except Tim Hightower. Marcel Shipp and J.J. Arrington are gone, replaced by rookies Chris Wells and LaRod Stephens-Howling and mildly talented Jason Wright. Wells is obviously the best prospect. At 6’3 and 230 pounds, Wells is built to take the pounding of a starting RB. Even though he is blessed with a nice burst through the line and a power RB body, until we see him play against NFL defenses, we do not know if he is Jerome Bettis or Ron Dayne. Right now, he could be either. Wells will be hurt a bit by the NFL rule stating a player may not participate in minicamps (other than the rookie camp) until his college is finished with classes. That means he’ll miss most of the May OTAs. Wright was a moderate talent with Cleveland. He had some flashes and has good hands, but is not a serious threat as anything more than a change of pace back. LaRod StephensHowling is another body who could be transitioned to the practice squad if roster room becomes tight. Fullback: Tim Castille is currently the only fullback on the roster – nice spot to be in if trying to make the team as a fullback. Not much more to say than that as the team does not utilize the fullback in the offensive game plan. The team is more likely to double up Hightower and Wells in the backfield than look for offense from the fullback spot. ICON SMI
ARIZONA CARDINALS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Kurt Warner Backups: Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston Backups: Early Doucet, Jerheme Urban, Sean Morey, Shane Morales, Justin Brown Starting WRs: There are insufficient superlatives to describe WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. They are a better pairing than Warner enjoyed with Holt/Bruce and probably better than Manning enjoyed with Harrison/Wayne in their prime. Fitzgerald is the franchise. He is young, insanely talented, tough, coachable, a solid character, happy and paid. Boldin is the same outside of the last two adjectives. After another offseason of trade speculation, expect the team to satisfy Boldin with a new contract rather than trade him or let him hold out into the season. Simply put, the team needs Boldin in uniform this season, and that’s what will happen. The guy sacrificed his body and his contract to the team for a year, and the team will probably recognize that by the time the season draws near. Boldin proved he can miss significant time and come back and play at a high level. Steve Breaston is an excellent third receiver. He is not a Pro Bowl player, but he is capable of turning in a handful of nice games. Backup WRs: This is a deep crew of receivers. The Cardinals intend to play a lot of spread offense, which is why we list Breaston as a starter. That means the fourth and fifth receivers hold some value – especially in leagues that require three starting WRs. Early Doucet did not impress much as a rookie, but he will have a chance to flash his speed and step into a supporting role. Tall and lanky veteran Jerheme Urban, on the other hand, had a few decent games while filling in for injuries to Anquan Boldin. He is an adequate fourth WR in this offense and a fantasy WR5 with upside in deeper leagues.
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST
TIGHT ENDS Starter: Leonard Pope Backups: Ben Patrick, Anthony Becht, Steven Spach
Pos RB RB RB
The tight end has been an afterthought in the Cardinals offense and, given the lack of attention the team gave to the OL in the offseason, we can expect the TE to be closer to an additional lineman than a
Player Name Edgerrin James Terrelle Smith J.J. Arrington
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals
2009 Team Free Agent Detroit Lions Denver Broncos
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by Marc Levin receiving threat in this offense. Leonard Pope has decent hands and is a big body, but the Cardinals have two receivers in Fitzgerald and Boldin who create matchup problems for shorter, less powerful CBs. One of the backups is likely to be the team’s best receiving TE, for whatever that is worth. Ben Patrick and Anthony Becht are better receivers than Pope, but they do not block as well – and this team needs blocking. No Arizona TE caught a touchdown in 2008, and it is likely no more than two or three scores emerge from the group. PLACE KICKER PK: Neil Rackers
Quarterback Kurt Warner Matt Leinart
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 599 402 4582 30 14 18 -2 0 29 15 264 1 1 4 5 0
Running Back Tim Hightower Edgerrin James J.J. Arrington
Rush 143 133 30
Yards 399 514 188
Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald Anquan Boldin Steve Breaston Jerheme Urban Early Doucet
Rec Yards TDs 96 1431 12 89 1038 11 77 1006 3 34 448 4 14 90 0
Tight End Ben Patrick Leonard Pope
Rec Yards TDs 11 104 0 9 77 0
TDs 10 3 1
Rec 34 12 30
Yards 237 85 254
TDs 0 0 1
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 26.7 4th Yds 365.8 4th P-Yds 292.1 2nd R-Yds 73.6 32nd
TEAM DEFENSE As was the case in 2007, the Cardinals struggled to keep offenses from scoring and managed only middle of the league finishes in sacks and interceptions. However, they finished in the middle of most leagues’ fantasy rankings on the strength of six combined defensive and special teams touchdowns. Despite their 2008 Super Bowl run, Arizona elected to shake up the defense by firing coordinator Clancy Pendergast. Early reports suggest that the team’s aggressive phi-
losophy and hybrid 3-4 defensive scheme won’t change. That’s good news for those in leagues with scoring systems that favor big plays over stingy points and yardage numbers. The Cardinals are still flush with playmakers at every level. DE/DT Darnell Dockett, LB Karlos Dansby, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, FS Antrel Rolle and SS Adrian Wilson are all capable of generating big plays and defensive points. Consider this group a strong DST2 in leagues that heavily reward big plays.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Arizona QB Warner (rush stats) QB Leinart (rush stats) RB Hightower (rec stats)
@SF Mia @Was 23-13 31-10 17-24 19-30-197-0 19-24-361-0 16-30-192-1 5-(-4) 1 3,79,8 4,62 dnp 1-2-15-0 dnp 2-(-2) 8-13 3-21 2 26-100
10-24 1-20 1 18-55 1-0
18-93 2-15
RB Arrington (rec stats)
dnp
dnp
dnp
WR Fitzgerald
3-31 1 8-82
6-153
7-109 62 3-25 0-0
RB James (rec stats)
WR Boldin (rush stats) WR Breaston (rush stats)
6-140
5-23 3-38
3-54
1-18 1-4
WR Urban
0-0
0-0
(P) 0-0
WR Doucet
dnp
dnp
dnp
WR Morey
0-0
0-0
0-0
TE Patrick TE Pope
0-0 1-5
4-30 1-15
1-19 0-0
@NYJ Buf Dal 35-56 41-17 30-24 40-57-472-3 33-42-250-0 22-30-236-1 2-10 2-(-1) 8,14 2,2 2,11 dnp dnp dnp
6-13 1-5 1 9-29 5-37 4,2 dnp
7-37 2-8 17,2 21-57 2-21 1 4-19 3-25
8-122
bye week -
-
@Car @StL SF @Sea NYG @Phi StL Min @NE Sea 23-27 34-13 29-24 26-20 29-37 20-48 34-10 14-35 7-47 34-21 35-49-381-1 23-34-342-0 32-42-328-0 32-44-395-1 32-52-351-1 21-39-235-3 24-33-279-1 29-45-270-1 6-18-30-0 19-30-263-1 3-(-2) 3-(-3) 1-0 2-(-2) 5,2 56,7 13,5,4 6 5 1,6,7 12 50 16,5,38,14 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 3-5-28-0 6-14-138-1 5-8-83-0 1-8 1-(-1) 78 6-3 22-109 13-22 11-35 11-21 7-7 12-32 5-20 10-17 3-3 2-18 1-(-1) 6-28 3-34 5-20 2-10 2 30 4,1 1 7-17 dnp 2-4 1-1 1-(-1) dnp 3-11 dnp 4-19 14-100 1-6 1-6
7-20 4-29
-
9-29
-
1-2 1-10
-
0-0 1-7
6-62 5-57
1-1
5-79 2 dnp
-
7-115
6-81
10-119
7-52 2,2 dnp
-
9-122
7-77
8-102
-
9-63 1-30 9-91
6-85 2-8 2-39
8-49 5 7-92 3-19 7-121
5-50 14 dnp
3-10
11 1-1
-
4-51
6-42
1-3
-
1-5
0-0
0-0
-
0-0
2-11 1-4
dnp 2-12
-
dnp dnp
1-56 56 dnp (Q) 0-0 (Q) dnp dnp
0-0 (Q) 1-11 0-0
8-40 3-21 4/6(rec) 10-151
0-0 5-38
2-10
5-22 3-30
2-23 7-48
5-71 11-87 1-(-1) 6-86 1-4
6-73 12 5-62
5-52
13-186 1-3 2-15
5-65 1,7 5-63 1-8 6-45
7-90
4-38
1-9
5-69
6 1-3
0-0
6-34
(Q) 3-101 78 dnp
1-9 2-18 (Q) 5-130 5,38 dnp
4-46
1-6
5-91
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0
0-0 (P) dnp 0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
dnp 2-9
0-0 dnp
0-0 1-25
dnp 0-0
(Q) 3-82 50 0-0 0-0 (Q) 2-16 0-0
dnp
2-36 2-11 (Q) 0-0 (Q) 0-0 0-0
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Last year the Cardinals edged up to 15th in kicker scoring, while Neil Rackers went 25 of 28 (89.3 percent) on field goals. In 2007 they had dropped to 17th, after having been 8th in 2006 and first in 2005. It’s easy to remember that 2005 season when Rackers hit 95.2 percent on field goals, but also easy to forget that he has hit under 80 percent on six of his nine years in the league. Rackers has struggled from long range the last three years, hitting only 5 of 18 on 50+ yard field goals. He still has the range for the longer kicks, if not the accuracy, and still piles up touchbacks on kickoffs. The last two years saw a shift to more PATs and fewer FG attempts for Rackers, as the offense performed well under the Whisenhunt regime. Heading into 2009 the team is coming off a tough loss in the Super Bowl and has new coordinators on both offense and defense. A slight drop in Rackers’ point production compared to 2008 is reasonable.
2008 SEASON STATS
14 4-43 16 4-29 0-0 (P) 1-17 1-7 (Q)
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ATLANTA F
ALCONS
Starting QB: Matt Ryan exploded onto the scene during 2008, generating a playoff run with the Falcons while throwing for 265/434, 3440 yards, 16 TDs and 11 interceptions (with 55/104/1 rushing). By the end of the year, he was the 16th best fantasy QB in the land – he threw for more than 300 yards twice last season and for 250 or more yards five times during the 17 games he played. Entering 2009, the team has added perennial Pro Bowler Tony Gonzalez at the TE position and boasts Roddy White and Michael Jenkins at the WR position, with a good pass-catching back in Jerious Norwood also contributing. Ryan has a wide array of targets to pick from on any given down. Ryan has a year of NFL experience (and repetitions) in Atlanta’s offense, which should help him start out the season more strongly than he did early in his rookie year. We expect to see Ryan improve on last season’s numbers and for him to be among the top starters in the NFL during 2009. Backup QB: Chris Redman is a career journeyman-level QB, who threw for 0 completions last year. He is firmly seated on the bench/ Michael Turner underneath a set of ear phones as long as Matt Ryan is healthy. Redman last saw action during 2007, when he threw for 89/149, 1079 yards, 10 TDs and five interceptions for the Falcons over seven games of action. He’d been out of football since 2004 before rejoining the league with Atlanta in 2007. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Michael Turner Backups: Jerious Norwood, Jason Snelling Fullback: Ovie Mughelli Starting RB: Michael Turner tore up the NFC in his first season as a starter, gaining 377/1699/17 rushing and 6/41/0 receiving to land at No. 2 among all fantasy RBs last year. He posted an outstanding 4.5 yards per carry during the 2008 campaign, a very high mark for a player with over 350 carries. He rushed for over 200 yards twice (Week 1, with 22/220/2 rushing and 1/6/0 receiving and Week 17 with 25/208/1) last season and had over 100 yards rushing in eight out of 17 games. Turner is the type of fantasy back that can carry a team to victory on any given week. The Atlanta offense has improved during the offseason with the addition of Tony Gonzalez, which will help Turner find more room to roam during 2009 – he has one of the most enviable collections of teammates in the NFL. Look for Turner to be one of the most productive NFL backs during 2009 – he should be high on your draft list. Backup RBs: Jerious Norwood is a fine pass catching RB (36/388/2 receiving last season, in addition to 95/489/4 rushing) who is a perfect complement to Michael Turner. He was the 37th-best fantasy RB in the land last year, making Norwood a viable fill-in player in weeks when the matchup was particularly good, and he’s a spec-
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos Player Name RB Verron Haynes TE Tony Gonzalez
Type Free Agent Trade
2008 Team 2009 Team Pittsburgh Steelers Atlanta Falcons Kansas City Chiefs Atlanta Falcons
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos Player Name WR Laurent Robinson
Type Trade
2008 Team Atlanta Falcons
2009 Team St. Louis Rams
tacular ‘insurance policy’ for Michael Turner. He went over 100 yards combined in week 3 (11/75/0 rushing and 1/30/0 receiving, vs. KC) and week 10 (6/17/0 rushing with 2/88/1 receiving vs. NO). Norwood is a threat to take the football to the house on any given play – he has killer speed. If the need arises, he could step into the starting/featured role – his career average rushing the ball is 5.8 yards per carry, and he averages 9.4 yards per reception during his time in the NFL thus far. Jason Snelling has seen spot duty over his three-year career. Fullback: Ovie Mughelli is a fine leadblocking FB, but he’s only generated 73 total yards rushing during his 4-year NFL career. Mughelli isn’t a viable fantasy RB. WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Roddy White, Michael Jenkins Backups: Harry Douglas, Brian Finneran Starting WRs: Roddy White built upon his fine 2007 campaign (83/1,202/6 receiving) and increased his stats across the board in his first season working with Matt Ryan during 2008. He was the sixth-best fantasy WR in the land last year, far exceeding most peoples’ expectations. He posted 100+ yards receiving efforts in seven of 17 games, while averaging an impressive 15.7 yards per reception. White is now firmly established as the No. 1 WR in Atlanta, and there is no reason to expect him to lose touches during 2009 - White is one of the stars in the NFL at this point in his career. Now that Matt Ryan has a year of experience under his belt as an NFL starter, White should be in a position to maintain or even improve on his 2008 numbers. White will turn 28 in November, so he’s still got a young man’s legs (and recuperative powers). Michael Jenkins was a lot more productive during 2008 (50/777/3) than he was during 2007 (53/532/4), going from 10 yards per reception to 15.5 per grab, his best mark over the past four years. The improvement landed him at No. 41 among all fantasy WRs, making Jenkins a valuable WR4 – a guy to start on your other players’ bye weeks or when the Atlanta passing game had a particularly juicy matchup. He posted just one ‘goose-egg’ all year (Week 2, vs. TB), and was usually in the 50-70 yards receiving neighborhood during the other 16 games in which he played. Jenkins isn’t a starting-caliber fantasy wideout entering 2009, but he should be a useful guy to have on your bench for bye weeks or in case of injury. Backup WRs: Harry Douglas made Laurent Robinson expendable this year, contributing 23/320/1 receiving to the team during 2008. He is a solid contributor to the Falcons who could end up being a waiver wire steal if an opportunity to move up in the pecking order arrives during 2009. Brian Finneran is a long-time Falcon who has overcome two serious knee injuries (2006, 2007) to return to the rotation, but only managed 21/169/1 receiving. Douglas would be the guy to watch if something opens up higher in the depth chart during 2009. ICON SMI
ATLANTA FALCONS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Matt Ryan Backups: Chris Redman
TIGHT ENDS Starter: Tony Gonzalez Backup: Justin Peelle Tony Gonzalez has snagged more than 90 catches during the last two years (99/1172/5 during 2007; 96/1058/10 during 2008) while working with the likes of Tyler Thigpen, Damon Huard, and Brodie Croyle. He’s been the No. 1 (as he was during 2008), No. 2 or No. 3 fantasy TE in nine of the last 10 seasons, with one ‘disappointment’ in 2005 when he finished seventh (due to having only two TDs that year, 78/905/2). Now, he is playing with an exciting playmaker named Matt Ryan, and he’s joining a stacked offensive attack that is strong at every position across the board. Here is Gonzalez’s assessment of his new home: ‘The Chiefs get a high pick, and I get an opportunity
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by Mark Wimer to play with a team that’s solidified itself as a contender at this point. I think it’s worked out for both sides.’ Gonzalez could be poised for another double-digit TD season in Atlanta this year. Justin Peele joined the Falcons during 2008 after two years in Miami; he was rarely utilized in the passing game, though. He’s not likely to get more opportunities now that Gonzalez is in town. PLACE KICKER PK: Jason Elam After two consecutive years of struggling to find a kicker in preseason, and then bringing in Morten Andersen early in the regular season to fix the problem, the Falcons splurged in free agency last year. Jason Elam returned to the area of his childhood home and family and was fortunate enough to kick in a dome as a bonus. Elam hit 29 of 31 (93.5 percent) on field goals, scored 129 points, and led Atlanta to a 6th place ranking in kicker scoring. He also continued his streaks of always scoring at least 100 points and making at least one 50+ yard field goal every year. For 2009, the young coaching staff and offensive group return intact after their surprisingly successful rookie season. All signs are pointing in the right direction. TEAM DEFENSE
Quarterback Matt Ryan
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 434 265 3440 16 11 55 104 1
Running Back Michael Turner Jerious Norwood Jason Snelling Ovie Mughelli
Rush 377 94 15 5
Yards 1699 489 62 16
Wide Receiver Rec Yards TDs Roddy White 88 1382 7 Michael Jenkins 50 777 3 Harry Douglas 23 320 1 Brian Finneran 21 169 1 Laurent Robinson 5 52 0 Eric Weems 1 4 0 Tight End Justin Peelle Ben Hartsock Jason Rader
TDs 17 4 0 0
Rec 6 36 8 8
Yards 41 338 89 57
TDs 0 2 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 24.4 10th Yds 361.2 6th P-Yds 208.5 14th R-Yds 152.7 2nd
Rec Yards TDs 15 159 2 3 26 0 1 26 0
Lofton, will take over the huddle. The team hopes he’ll fulfill his promise as an every-down player this year. Despite the turnover, it’s unlikely that the Falcons will make the leap to a viable fantasy performer this season. They remain short on playmakers and will again struggle to get off the field quickly. This unit won’t be worth consideration in fantasy leagues until they show improvement in all phases of the game.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Atlanta QB Ryan (rush stats) RB Turner (rec stats) RB Norwood (rec stats) RB Snelling
Det 34-21 9-13-161-0 5-(-2) 62 22-220 1-6 66,5 14-93 2-6 10 0-0
@TB KC 9-24 38-14 13-33-158-2 12-18-192-0 6-10 1-15 70 14-42 23-104 1-6 4,1,2 6-18 11-75 1-8 1-30 0-0
0-0
0-0 1-3 2-54
0-0 1-6 4-59
0-0
0-0
WR Douglas (rush stats)
1-62 62 0-0 1-7
5-119 70 2-19
2-34 1-33
2-10 1-(-8)
WR Finneran
0-0
0-0
WR Robinson
0-0
WR Weems TE Peelle
@Car @GB Chi 9-24 27-24 22-20 21-41-158-0 16-26-194-1 22-30-301-0 2-11 4-16 1-1 1,22 3 18-56 26-121 25-54 1-(-1) (P) 2 3-51 4-12 3-31 4-1 3-9 1-6
bye week -
-
-
0-0 1-11 0-0
0-0
0-0
-
1-9
0-0
-
7-90
8-132 22 3-38
9-112 3 (Q) 4-58
-
2-8
0-0 1-18
5-96 1-(-1)1
-
0-0
2-10
0-0
3-29
-
4-45
1-7
dnp 0-0
dnp 1-7
1-17
0-0
0-0
1-7
dnp (D) dnp 0-0 (Q) 0-0
-
TE Hartsock
dnp (D) dnp 2-15 1 0-0
-
dnp 1-13
dnp (O) dnp 0-0
TE Rader
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
-
RB Mughelli WR White WR Jenkins
3-32
-
-
@Phi @Oak NO Den Car @SD @NO TB @Min StL 14-27 24-0 34-20 20-24 45-28 22-16 25-29 13-10 24-17 31-27 23-44-277-2 17-22-220-0 16-23-248-0 20-33-250-1 17-27-259-0 17-23-207-0 24-33-315-1 15-23-206-2 13-24-134-0 10-21-160-2 1-4 4-1 2-(-2) 5-18 3-2 4-(-3) 4-13 6-19 3-2 4-(-1) 55,8 37,27 16,67 18,5 2/12(run) 8 18 17-58 31-139 27-96 25-81 24-117 31-120 18-61 32-152 19-70 25-208 1-0 2-30 2 9,28 (P) 1,4,1,16 5 1 1 9 4-5 13-63 6-17 4-18 4-11 4-18 5-18 4-(-7) 6-10 3-56 5-55 2-20 2-88 3-25 1-5 2-8 4-20 2-24 2-11 1-22 12 (Q) 67(rec) (Q) (Q) 8(rec) 8,45 0-0 8-47 0-0 1-(-3) 0-0 1-1 2-5 0-0 3-12 0-0 2-20 1-12 1-2 2-31 1-13 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-5 1-2 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-2 (P) 2-23 2-22 1-1 (Q) (Q) 8-113 5-54 5-68 5-102 4-70 6-112 10-164 4-61 3-24 3-48 55,8 16 (Q) (Q) 18 3-50 2-64 6-72 5-55 4-48 1-22 5-69 3-55 4-61 4-72 37,27 (Q) 0-0 1-12 0-0 0-0 4-92 3-13 2-45 0-0 1-4 1-6 2-10 1-2 2-3 1-11 1-4 7(run) 5 (Q) (Q) 3-20 0-0 1-6 4-44 1-9 2-14 2-8 1-4 1-13 1-12 (Q) (Q) 2 (P) (Q) (Q) (Q) dnp 0-0 0-0 0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp (P) (Q) (O) (O) (Q) (D) dnp dnp dnp dnp 1-4 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-17 3-33 1-14 0-0 0-0 3-38 1-9 1-5 1-8 0-0 18 0-0 1-2 0-0 0-0 0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp (Q) 0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp 0-0 0-0 1-26 0-0 0-0
ATLANTA FALCONS
There was little to like about the Atlanta defense last season when they finished in the bottom third of the NFL in most categories. Only the 16.5 sacks by DE John Abraham kept the 2008 season from being a total bust for fantasy owners. The Falcons turned over a number of starting positions this offseason. Gone are NT Grady Jackson, OLBs Keith Brooking and Michael Boley, SS Lawyer Milloy and CB Domonique Foxworth. Free agency brought them only WLB Mike Peterson but Atlanta used seven of their eight draft picks on defense. First round DT Peria Jerry and intriguing small school talent DE Lawrence Sidbury were drafted to help Abraham in pass rush, and S William Moore is expected to become an immediate replacement for Milloy. Last year’s second round pick, Curtis
2008 SEASON STATS
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BALTIMORE R
AVENS
Starting QB: In 2008, Joe Flacco became the first rookie quarterback in league history to win two playoff games. He wasn’t even originally slated to start, but Troy Smith missed too much time in training camp with an illness, forcing Flacco into action. He soon showed that he was the right guy all along. He ran for a 38 yard touchdown in his first NFL game, and did a solid job of managing the offense for Baltimore early on. Despite a one to seven touchdown to interception ratio through his first five games, he turned things around statistically the rest of the way. Even though his final season numbers didn’t wow anybody, he more than proved that he belonged. While he was never really asked to shoulder the offensive load, he showed enough that the Ravens likely believe that he can if need be. He has a big arm and already throws one of the best deep balls in the entire league. He demonstrated considerably better decision-making as the season went along (just five interceptions over his final eleven games) and is poised to jump into fantasy relevance in 2009. Backup QBs: Troy Smith was possibly in line to start for the Ravens last season while Joe Joe Flacco Flacco learned the job from the comfort and safety of the bench. But an illness in preseason wiped out Smith from consideration for the job, leaving Flacco unchallenged for the starting gig. Smith is still the same athletically gifted player he was at Ohio State three years ago, but the problem he now faces is that he’s buried on the bench behind an up-and-coming star. Bouman is an unspectacular veteran for a team with two very young quarterbacks on the roster. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Willis McGahee Backups: Ray Rice, Cedric Peerman [R] Fullback: Le’Ron McClain Starting RB: Willis McGahee is the starting halfback in name only. His 170 carries were second on the team to fullback Le’Ron McClain and just 63 more than rookie Ray Rice. He did crack the 100 yard mark three times, but he also had less than twenty yards on three different occasions as well. Surprisingly, despite 124 fewer carries in 2008 than in 2007, he scored just one less touchdown. His numbers are close enough to his career norms that it would seem that he didn’t lose anything ability-wise. But his opportunities greatly decreased from the previous season despite playing only one less game. The reason? Because of the presence of the aforementioned Rice and McClain. Rice was the second round rookie that was supposed to be the primary threat to McGahee’s job, but it was actually McClain who took the position and made it his. Heading into 2009, it’ll be interesting to see
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB TE TE WR
Player Name John Beck Cedric Peerman Davon Drew L.J. Smith Marcus Maxwell
Type Free Agent Draft Draft Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Miami Dolphins College College Philadelphia Eagles Cincinnati Bengals
2009 Team Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB QB RB TE
Player Name Kyle Boller Todd Bouman Lorenzo Neal Daniel Wilcox
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens Baltimore Ravens
2009 Team St. Louis Rams Jacksonville Jaguars Oakland Raiders Free Agent
how the carries will shake out. McGahee isn’t likely to be in Baltimore much beyond this season, but if the coaching staff feels that he gives them the best chance to win right now, you can be sure he’ll get his touches. It should be noted that in the postseason, the combined rushes for Rice and McClain was 33 while McGahee had 39 all by himself. Backup RBs: Ray Rice was drafted in the second round a season ago, presumably to be the heir apparent to starter Willis McGahee. While Rice did get the Week 1 start, there were only two other games all season long in which he saw 10+ carries. He was the most effective rusher on a per carry basis (4.2 YPC) and showed a lot of ability in the passing game as well, with 33 receptions. But he gave up a lot of carries to unheralded FB Le’Ron McClain, who saw by far the most rushes on the team. Rice is still considered the running back of the future, but there are even more players to compete with for carries this year than there were a year ago. That’s because the team added Cedric Peerman from Virginia in the sixth round. Before you discount Peerman, think back to last preseason and what your opinion was of Le’Ron McClain. With this group, you almost can’t discount anybody. Fullback: A year ago at this time, very few people would’ve given Le’Ron McClain a second thought as a fantasy option. A year later, there is debate as to which of the Ravens running backs is the most valuable – the former first round pick, the former second round pick, or the fourth round fullback who stampeded his way to 11 touchdowns. McClain started and finished strong a year ago, and only missed out on his first career 1,000 yard season because of underutilization in the middle of the year. From Week 6 to Week 11 (a six game stretch), McClain had just 35 carries for 110 yards and 1 touchdown. In his other ten games, he had 196 carries for 797 yards and 9 touchdowns. How he’ll be used this season is a subject of great debate. McGahee and Rice are still on the roster, and McGahee was the go-to guy in the postseason. Rice is considered the future of the franchise at the position, yet McClain was by far the most productive. ICON SMI
BALTIMORE RAVENS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Joe Flacco Backups: Troy Smith, Todd Bouman
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton Backups: Marcus Smith, Demetrius Williams Starting WRs: Try as we might, fantasy football owners just can’t seem to be able to get rid of Derrick Mason. He followed up an unexpected 1,000 yard season in 2007 with yet another in 2008. Along the way, his 13.0 yards per reception average was his highest since his 13.7 in 2003. At 35, it’s clear that Mason’s best days are behind him. But with 183 receptions and ten touchdowns combined over the last two seasons, it’s just as clear that Mason still is a very viable option and the clear-cut No. 1 receiver in Baltimore. Lining up across from Mason is Mark Clayton, who faces an important test in 2009. Clayton experienced early success with 939 yards and five touchdowns in just his second NFL season. His third year was expected to be a breakout campaign, but an ankle injury derailed that before it ever really began. Healthy again, most expected that 2008 would be the year he would really break out and establish himself as a top-flight option. While he did turn in a solid campaign, he didn’t really come close to a breakout performance. This year should really tell us a lot going forward about what to expect from Clayton. Is he a budding superstar, waiting for his opportunity to shine? Or is he a good, not great, receiver who will simply be bye week filler in fantasy circles? Backup WRs: Marcus Smith didn’t catch a single pass a year ago and was thrown to just four times. So it’s a bit difficult to gauge what kind of an impact he can have going forward with such little statistical analysis to base it on. He’s still pretty raw but he’s got good
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by Michael Brown size and speed and should fit in as the slot receiver in 2009. Williams was expected to make more of an impact than he actually did in 2008, as his season ended in Week 8 after an Achilles injury that eventually required surgery. Interestingly, that game featured the biggest contribution of his pro career, a 70-yard touchdown grab. Williams has excellent speed and is the best downfield threat on the team, something the Ravens could look to take more advantage of. TIGHT ENDS Starter: Todd Heap Backup: L.J. Smith
PLACE KICKER PK: Steve Hauschka, Graham Gano At N.C. State in 2007, Steve Hauschka had a stellar year, making 16 of 18 (88.9 percent) field goals, including a perfect 8 of 8 from 40+ yards. He was also perfect on all 25 PATs and was named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. Last year for the Ravens, he handled kickoffs and two long field goal attempts (missing from 53 yards and good from 54 yards) during the latter half of the year. Graham Gano handled kickoffs and punting during most of his career at Florida State, but finally added placekicking to his responsibilities as a senior in 2008. He made 24 of 26 field goals, including 5 of 7 from 50+
Quarterback Joe Flacco Troy Smith
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 428 257 2971 14 12 52 180 2 4 3 82 1 0 9 24 0
Running Back LeRon McClain Willis McGahee Ray Rice Lorenzo Neal
Rush 232 170 107 12
Yards 902 671 454 25
Wide Receiver Rec Yards TDs Derrick Mason 80 1037 5 Mark Clayton 41 695 3 Demetrius Williams 13 180 1 Tight End Todd Heap Daniel Wilcox
Rec Yards TDs 35 403 3 5 19 2
TDs 10 7 0 0
Rec 19 24 33 7
Yards 123 173 273 35
TDs 1 0 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 24.1 11th Yds 324.0 18th P-Yds 175.5 28th R-Yds 148.5 4th
yards, and won the Lou Groza Award. Hauschka and Gano will compete to replace Matt Stover, who was not re-signed. TEAM DEFENSE Baltimore finished near the top of nearly all important defensive categories in 2008. Second in yards allowed, third in scoring, top three against both run and pass, but the most telling statistics for fantasy owners were the league leading 26 interceptions, 31 total takeaways and six touchdowns. The club lost ILB Bart Scott to free agency but have Tavares Gooden waiting in the wings to replace him. They released former starter Chris McAlister who missed most of last season anyway, then added veteran Dominique Foxworth and drafted Lardarius Webb who they believe will eventually start for them. They get DE Kelly Gregg back from injury and used a second round pick on OLB Paul Kruger to boost the pass rush that produced the 10th most sacks in the league. The Ravens have added some young talent and lost very little. They may be even better than last year.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Baltimore QB Flacco (rush stats) QB Smith (rush stats) RB McClain (rec stats) RB McGahee (rec stats) RB Rice RB Neal (rec stats)
Cin 17-10 15-29-129-0 4-37 38(run) dnp
bye week -
Cle 28-10 13-19-129-2 6-(-2)
-
dnp
19-86 2-24 dnp
-
-
17-66 1-4 15-64 1-11 5 5-21
-
1-2
(P) 22-64 3-19 0-0 1-13
-
WR Mason (rush stats)
4-44
-
4-42
WR Clayton (rush stats) WR Williams
3-21 1-42 1-3
-
2-14
-
TE Heap
1-5 (P) 0-0
-
3-26 (P) 2-32 (P) 0-0
TE Wilcox
-
@Pit Ten @Ind @Mia Oak @Cle @Hou @NYG Phi @Cin Was Pit @Dal Jac 20-23 10-13 3-31 27-13 29-10 37-27 41-13 10-30 36-7 34-3 24-10 9-13 33-24 27-7 16-31-192-0 18-27-153-2 28-38-241-317-23-232-012-24-140-0 17-29-248-0 15-23-185-0 20-33-164-2 12-26-183-0 19-29-280-0 10-21-134-1 11-28-115-2 17-25-149-0 17-23-297-0 2-(-1) 2-4 3-12 2-3 4-23 4-2 2-8 6-57 5-3 3-15 4-11 1-5 4-4 4 11 70/12(run) 47,28 43,1 10 1,53 4,70 28 13 dnp dnp dnp dnp 1-1-43-0 0-0-0-0 1-1-14-0 dnp dnp 0-0-0-0 dnp dnp 0-0-0-0 1-2-25-0 3-13 1-1 2-6 3-4 16-63 11-51 2-(-2) 6-17 7-32 14-34 4-19 2-10 18-88 25-86 20-61 23-87 22-139 25-70 3-26 2-12 1-2 3-10 1-1 1-3 1-6 3-31 1-4 13-42 22-64 8-18 19-105 23-58 0-0 25-112 9-18 7-8 dnp 11-32 6-18 8-108 4-24 3-19 1-2 4-26 2-47 2-(-1) 1-9 2-7 1-(-8) 2-15 3-21 2-25 (P) (Q) (P) 5 1 (P) (Q) 1,4 (P) (P) 77 13 1-0 0-0 6-23 7-13 8-64 21-154 7-17 8-19 8-7 11-41 3-31 dnp dnp dnp 7-64 2-46 3-37 3-22 2-2 (P) 4-18 3-42 4-14 2-9 (D) (Q) 0-0 2-4 0-0 1-2 0-0 1-2 0-0 0-0 2-4 1-1 0-0 1-2 1-5 2-3 1-(-2) 1-4 2-15 1-(-1) 1-6 (P) 8-137 5-38 6-70 6-87 1-3 9-136 3-41 7-82 3-40 6-91 3-60 3-23 6-66 6-77 1-3 11 (Q) 28 (Q) (Q) 32 (P) 28 (Q) (P) 13 (P) (Q) 0-0 4-37 3-13 1-13 0-0 4-87 3-40 1-10 2-76 5-164 2-19 3-38 4-35 4-128 1-(-1) 1-9 1-2 1-17 1-12 1-6 1-22 6-53 0-0 1-70 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp (Q) 70 (Q) 0-0 4-41 1-13 3-29 2-17 0-0 5-58 3-16 2-26 4-39 2-54 1-24 2-24 3-25 (P) 1,14 4 (P) 1-4 1-1 0-0 0-0 2-13 dnp dnp dnp 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 4 (P) (O) (D) (Q) 1 (P)
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Todd Heap experienced a slight uptick in overall production from 2007 to 2008, but nothing close to his halcyon days from 2002-2006. And despite the increase in overall fantasy points, he was actually significantly worse on a per-game basis last year than in any other season since his rookie year. The Ravens have established a new offensive identity under Cam Cameron, one that utilizes the running backs and receivers a lot more. The tight end spot has sort of been relegated to glorified offensive lineman. The fact that Heap failed to bounce back, coupled his increasing age, doesn’t speak well for his ability to have a bounceback campaign in 2009. He’ll still be one of the top three options in the passing game, but for a team that established a real run-first identity last year, the opportunities might be tough to come by. Especially with the addition of another proven receiver at the tight end spot in L.J. Smith. For years, Smith has been a productive receiving tight end in Philadelphia. Now he joins Baltimore, where even the starter had trouble making very many big plays. Smith is very good after the catch and could prove to be a viable red zone option, but he’s never been known for having the best hands in the world.
2008 SEASON STATS
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BUFFALO B
ILLS
BUFFALO BILLS
Starting QB: After showing promise during his rookie season, Trent Edwards entered 2008 as the clear starter. He got off to a great start while leading the team to a 4-0 record in September but was knocked out of the game early in Week 5 on a hit to the head from safety Adrian Wilson. Despite a couple impressive games against San Diego and Kansas City, Edwards and the Bills struggled down the stretch and lost nine of their last 11 games. Edwards is a very accurate passer as evidenced by his completion percentage of 65.5, which ranked sixth in the league, but the Bills offense was generally too conservative. His production should get a big boost thanks to the addition of Terrell Owens, but the schedule also figures to be much tougher this year. If Edwards can stay healthy and show continued improvement, he should finish among the middle of the QB2 tier. Backup QBs: Ryan Fitzpatrick entered the league in 2005 as an unheralded seventhround draft pick out of Harvard. He had an impressive debut with the Rams, throwing for 310 yards and three TDs while leading the Rams back from a 24-3 halftime deficit to a 33-27 overtime win. After a trade to the Bengals, Fitzpatrick Trent Edwards saw extensive action in 2008 while filling in for Carson Palmer. He only managed to throw eight TDs in 13 games but generally showed good accuracy and decision making. Fitzpatrick was also a very active scrambler and finished as the league’s third-leading QB rusher with 304 yards. He signed a three-year contract with the Bills this offseason and should fit in well as an experienced backup who can step in if needed. Gibran Hamdan originally entered the league as a seventh-round draft pick of the Redskins in 2002. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Marshawn Lynch Backups: Fred Jackson, Dominic Rhodes Fullback: Corey McIntire Starting RB: Marshawn Lynch followed up his impressive rookie season with a very similar campaign in 2008. Although his rush attempts declined as the Bills moved to more of a committee approach with Fred Jackson, he also became much more active in the passing game. Lynch is an explosive talent with the ability to do just about everything you need him to. He runs extremely hard and often refuses to go down on first contact, which has made him particularly effective when he gets near the end zone. Unfortunately, Lynch has had some off-field problems in recent years which resulted in the commissioner suspending him for the first three games of the season. Lynch has shown a lot of promise at this point in his career, but he’ll need to be more consistent and stay out of trouble if he wants to prove
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB TE WR
Player Name Ryan Fitzpatrick Dominic Rhodes Shawn Nelson Terrell Owens
Type Free Agent Free Agent Draft Free Agent
2008 Team Cincinnati Bengals Indianapolis Colts College Dallas Cowboys
2009 Team Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB TE TE
Player Name J.P. Losman Kevin Everett Robert Royal
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills
2009 Team Free Agent Free Agent Cleveland Browns
that he belongs among the league’s elite RBs. The addition of Terrell Owens at WR should help open up some running room, but the offensive line has just two returning starters from last year and looks like a major question mark. Despite the suspension, which could still be reduced, Lynch looks like a strong RB2 with RB1 upside. Backup RBs: The Bills enter 2009 with the best RB depth they’ve had in a long time. Fred Jackson has emerged as a very productive backup RB for the Bills the past two seasons. He has started four games in place of an injured Marshawn Lynch and shown very little drop-off when called upon. Jackson doesn’t run with the same type of power that Lynch does, but he’s a great change of pace back who works very well out in space. The Bills went to more of a committee approach at RB last year, which helped Jackson double his touches. To give the team better depth as it deals with Lynch’s suspension, the Bills signed veteran Dominic Rhodes to an incentiveladen two-year contract. After a disappointing season in Oakland, Rhodes was very productive for the Colts last year while sharing time with Joseph Addai. He figures to share time with Jackson during the first few weeks of the season, and the two will also compete with each other to determine who the primary backup is once Lynch returns to the lineup. Fullback: Corey McIntire bounced around the league and NFL Europe before signing with the Bills in Week 5 last year. He replaced Darian Barnes who was released. He’s a prototypical fullback who is unlikely to make much of an impact as a rusher or receiver. ICON SMI
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Trent Edwards Backups: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Gibran Hamdan
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Terrell Owens, Lee Evans Backups: Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish, Steve Johnson, James Hardy Starting WRs: Terrell Owens is one of the best and most controversial players in the league. Coming off a disappointing season that was filled with drama, the Cowboys decided to release him this offseason and he signed a one-year contract with the Bills soon after. He fills a huge need for the team, but it seems like a strange fit given the conservative nature of the Bills coaching staff. At 35 years old, Owens may have lost a step, but he also has 38 TDs over the past three years and his size should make him a very reliable target for Trent Edwards inside the red zone. Owens still has the ability to command a lot of attention from defenses, which should help open things up for Lee Evans on the other side of the field. Evans is 28 years old and coming off a frustrating season in which he broke 1,000 yards for the second time in his career but also finished with just three TDs. Evans appears to be the perfect complement to Owens as he’s one of the league’s best deep threats and not the type to complain when he’s not getting enough targets. This tandem has to be considered one of the league’s best. Backup WRs: Josh Reed was pretty much the starting WR2 by default in recent years but he’s a much better fit playing from the slot. He lacks ideal speed to gain separation on the outside but changes directions quickly, is great running with the ball in his hands, and is an excellent downfield blocker. The addition of Owens will push Reed back to the slot and likely hurt his numbers, but he should still see plenty of playing time and remain an effective check down option for Edwards. Roscoe Parrish is an elite punt returner, but his contributions as a receiver have been disappointing. He has game-breaking speed but is small and lacks the strength needed to play anything but a situational role. Steve Johnson was a late round pick a year ago who showed flashes that suggest he could emerge as a productive player. James Hardy was a second round pick a year ago who struggled to adjust to the level of competition and suffered a torn ACL late in the
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by Aaron Rudnicki season. With Owens signed to a one-year deal, there’s a good chance that both Hardy and Johnson will be competing for a starting job in 2010.
2008 SEASON STATS
TIGHT ENDS Starter: Derek Fine Backups: Shawn Nelson [R], Derek Schouman
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Trent Edwards 374 245 2699 11 10 36 117 3 J.P. Losman 104 63 584 2 5 12 70 2
With the offseason release of three-year starter Robert Royal, the Bills will likely go into training camp with an open competition for the starting TE job this year. Derek Fine was a fourth-round pick out of Kansas last year. He saw limited playing time but looked impressive in a game against the Jets when he finished with four receptions for 43 yards and a TD. While the players he is competing against are probably better receivers, Fine could have an edge as a blocker. The Bills may have found a long-term starter when they selected Shawn Nelson in the fourth round of this year’s draft. Nelson will likely need to improve his blocking, but he has good size, soft hands, and is the only player in this group with enough speed to threaten defenses and create mismatches. Derek Schouman is undersized for the TE spot but a good athlete who initially saw time as an H-back. PLACE KICKER PK: Rian Lindell
TEAM DEFENSE The 2008 season was a disappointment for a Bills defense that had grand expectations. They managed middle of the pack rankings in several categories including a respectable 14th in both points and
Rush 250 130
Yards 1036 571
Wide Receiver Lee Evans Josh Reed Roscoe Parrish Steve Johnson James Hardy
Rec Yards TDs 63 1017 3 56 597 1 24 232 1 10 102 2 9 87 2
Tight End Robert Royal Derek Schouman Derek Fine
Rec Yards TDs 33 351 1 15 153 1 10 94 1
TDs 8 3
Rec 47 37
Yards 300 317
TDs 1 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 21.0 23rd Yds 305.1 25th P-Yds 190.0 22nd R-Yds 115.1 14th
yards allowed, and finished with the 13th rated pass defense. On the other hand, the 22nd rated run D left plenty to be desired, and they floundered in the all-important big play columns finishing in the bottom half of the league with 24 takeaways while only four clubs posted fewer sacks. The Bills did very little in free agency to help the defense, adding only corner Florence Drayton who will likely be the nickel back. The other significant additions came via the draft where pass rushing DE Aaron Maybin was picked up in Round 1, and ball hawking DB Jairus Byrd was selected in the second. The rookies will contribute right away but the most significant factor here is probably the return of DE standout Aaron Schobel from injury. On paper the Bills don’t seem to have made great improvement. They do, however, have a lot of talented young players on this squad. Don’t be surprised if they begin to gel by mid-season and finish strong this year.
BUFFALO BILLS
Several years ago, there were concerns over Rian Lindell’s long range field goal abilities. He proved the critics wrong over the subsequent three year span. Last year the concerns resurfaced when he missed seven attempts from 40+ yards. Nonetheless, the Bills finished 12th in kicker scoring on the strength of numerous attempts. Lindell hit 30 of 38 (78.9 percent) on field goals. He also added 34 PATs. In his nine years in the NFL, Lindell has never missed an extra point. The coaching staff and most of the offense return for 2009, so it might seem that they could once again provide Lindell with numerous field goal opportunities. The past two decades have proven otherwise, as the large majority of teams were unable to repeat in that category.
Running Back Marshawn Lynch Fred Jackson
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Buffalo QB Edwards (rush stats) QB Losman (rush stats) RB Lynch
Sea @Jac Oak 34-10 20-16 24-23 19-30-215-0 20-25-239-0 24-39-279-1 1-(-1) 1-(-1) 2-9 30 7 14 dnp 0-0-0-0 dnp
@StL @Ari 31-14 17-41 15-25-197-1 3-3-18-0 5-8 39 dnp 15-21-220-1 2-2 87/2(run) 19-57 13-55 4-24 3-10
18-76 3-18 21 10-31
19-59 1-8 11 6-17 7-83
23-83 4-31 14,3 5-24 1-1
WR Evans (rush stats)
4-102
4-77
4-65
7-46 3-9 22 2-88
WR Reed
3-37
4-36
6-72
WR Parrish (rush stats)
3-6
1-12
WR Johnson (rush stats)
dnp
WR Hardy
0-0
TE Royal
6-52 30 0-0 dnp (O)
RB Jackson (rec stats)
TE Schouman TE Fine
bye week -
-
-
SD @Mia NYJ @NE Cle @KC SF Mia @NYJ @Den NE 23-14 16-25 17-26 10-20 27-29 54-31 3-10 3-16 27-31 30-23 0-13 25-30-261-021-35-227-1 24-35-289-2 13-23-120-2 16-26-148-3 24-32-273-0 10-21-112-0 dnp dnp 17-25-193-0 14-25-128-0 4-6 4-17 1-(-1) 3-7 6-38 3-5 2-10 4-20 2 (P) 9 (P) 14 18/1(run) 8,17/15,5(run) (D) (D) 3 (Q) dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 0-0-0-0 11-17-93-0 13-27-123-1 24-39-148-3 dnp dnp 3-(-2) 5-53 2-17 2/8(run) 19-70 13-61 9-16 14-46 23-119 20-79 16-134 13-31 21-127 11-34 dnp 4-22 5-34 3-52 10-58 5-25 1-1 1-4 3-13 9 8 18(rec) 1 (P) 2 (Q) (Q) 9-33 10-41 7-15 4-14 12-60 9-56 5-8 0-0 7-31 10-43 27-136 3-28 1-1 3-25 2-11 2-20 2-13 6-24 3-70 1-0 11 8 8-89 7-116 4-41 2-22 0-0 5-110 7-80 3-23 4-22 2-19 5-63
1-5 3-32
-
-
39 4-47
2-100 1-22 87 4-45
-
2 3-32
2-19
dnp
-
2-19
1-3
dnp (O) 4-31
dnp (D) 1-21
5-50 8 (Q) 0-0
5-58
dnp
dnp (O) 3-51
5-58
3-42
2-9 1-9
2-19
(P) dnp
14 (P) dnp
(O) dnp
(O) 1-8
-
(P) dnp
dnp
1-8
1-15
3-41
0-0
0-0
1-14
2-12 7 0-0
0-0
0-0
3-35
-
0-0
2-19
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-8
2-8
-
4-53
2-26
5-70
3-29
1-11
0-0
1-21
0-0
-
1-18
1-9
0-0
1-14
0-0 (Q) 1-22 (Q) 0-0
0-0
4-34
2-21 14 1-6
0-0 (Q) 1-5
dnp (O)
dnp (O)
dnp (O)
dnp (O)
-
dnp (D)
0-0 (P)
4-43 9
0-0
1-6
dnp (O) 4-44 (P) 0-0
0-0
3-25 17 1-14
4-43 (P) 1-5
2-13 1-6 2 0-0
9-79
2-21
1-14 1-0 (Q) 1-3
dnp (D) 0-0
1-5
3 dnp (O) 1-8
dnp (O) 2-30
0-0
0-0
2-6
2-23
0-0
2-8
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CAROLINA P
ANTHERS
Starting QB: Jake Delhomme signed a $42.5 million deal with Carolina ($20 million guaranteed) during the offseason – he’s firmly in the driver’s seat in Carolina. He came back from a 2007 Tommy John elbow surgery to toss 246/414 for 3,288 yards, 15 TDs and 12 interceptions last season. His numbers landed him at No. 19 among all fantasy QBs, in the middle of fantasy QB2 range. He threw for more than 250 yards in four of his 17 games last year (he was within six yards of the 300 mark on two of those occasions). Delhomme should easily post similar numbers during 2009, although he is no longer a top fantasy QB due to scheme. The Panthers love to grind out the game with their running backs, limiting Delhomme’s ceiling as a passer – he’s had less than 450 passing attempts in each of his last four seasons. Backup QB: Josh McCown last saw extensive action two years ago during a dreary stint in Oakland (2007) but had minimal stats in two appearances for Carolina last year. Matt Moore played in 10 games for Carolina two years ago but only managed 63/111 for 730 yards, three Steve Smith TDs and five interceptions. McCown and Moore will battle for the No. 2 QB position, but neither is a threat to Delhomme’s position. RUNNING BACKS Starter: DeAngelo Williams Backups: Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson [R] Fullback: Brad Hoover, Tony Fiammetta [R] Starting RB: DeAngelo Williams posted career-best numbers last season. He went over 100 yards rushing and receiving in eight of 17 games last season and cranked out a series of multiple-TD games in the second half of the year, lifting many fantasy owners to the playoffs and championships in their leagues. He was the No. 1 fantasy running back in the land last year, vastly outperforming his average draft position. Williams is firmly entrenched as the starter in Carolina, though he shares duties with Jonathan Stewart (who also scored double-digit TDs during 2008, with 184/836/10 rushing and 8/47/0 receiving). The Carolina offense is very run-oriented, with 504 rushing attempts last season vs. 414 passing attempts. With over 500 carries available, it is likely that Williams and Stewart could both be viable fantasy players during 2009. Williams is only 26 this year, which means he has many productive seasons ahead of him in the NFL. He had three games over 100 yards rushing in the last five contests - he still had plenty of gas in his tank then, which bodes well for his 2009 prospects. Backup RBs: Jonathan Stewart is a great complement to
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos RB RB WR
Player Name Mike Goodson Tony Fiammetta Marcus Monk
Type Draft Draft Free Agent
2008 Team College College New York Giants
2009 Team Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB RB WR WR
Player Name Brett Basanez Nick Goings D.J. Hackett Mark Jones
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers Carolina Panthers
2009 Team Chicago Bears Free Agent Free Agent Tennessee Titans
feature-runner DeAngelo Williams – Stewart cranked out 184/836/10 rushing and 8/47/0 receiving last year as a part-time runner. He was still the 24th best fantasy RB in the land playing second fiddle in Carolina. Given the run-first focus of the Panthers’ offense, it seems likely that Stewart will be able to post similar numbers during 2009 as the Panthers rushed the ball 504 times last year. That’s more than enough work to keep two running backs happy. Mike Goodson was added in the fourth round. He is a versatile back with good size and speed and nice hands, but he won’t see much action barring injury to Williams or Stewart. Fullbacks: Brad Hoover has played with the Panthers since 2000, at times carrying the ball 60+ times, but over the past four years he’s carried the ball a maximum of 22 times in a season (with a maximum of 20 receptions). At this point in his career, he is more of a lead blocker than a change of pace back. Fiammetta was considered by most to be the top fullback in the 2009 Draft. He is an excellent blocker and is a very good receiver.
ICON SMI
CAROLINA PANTHERS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Jake Delhomme Backups: Josh McCown, Matt Moore
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Steve Smith, Muhsin Muhammad Backups: Dwayne Jarrett, Kenneth Moore, Ryne Robinson
Starting WRs: Steve Smith is a fantasy favorite, with an astonishing 18.2 yards-per-reception average last season. He went over 100 yards receiving during eight games last year, and just missed in two other weeks (96 yards and a TD in Week 5 and 96 yards receiving Week 6). He also carries the ball on occasion, with 5/40/0 rushing last year and 42/273/2 rushing during his career. Smith is a driven competitor who pushes all the players around him to excel, but unfortunately he hasn’t been a model teammate (as ex-teammate Ken Lucas can attest). If he can keep his nose clean this year and play a full 16-game schedule, he might get back to the 100+ receptions we saw from him a few years back. He is an elite NFL receiver with a high motor and a huge desire to excel, all qualities that fantasy (and NFL) owners appreciate. Muhsin Muhammad proved critics wrong last year and re-joined the ranks of fantasy-worthy starters as he finished at No. 26 among all fantasy wide receivers. He caught at least one ball in every game last year and was usually in the 40- to 70-yard receiving range. This year, he will again be the complement to Steve Smith – Muhammad isn’t likely to repeat his dynamic 2004 campaign, but he’ll be a solid No. 3 fantasy wide out if nothing goes wrong for him health wise. He’s a guy who keeps himself in top condition and seems able to defy father time. Also, he took relatively few hits in his years while playing for the Bears, which seems to have added time to his career. The backups and tight ends in Carolina are nothing special, so Smith and Muhammad figure to command a majority of the balls that Delhomme throws. Backup WRs: Dwayne Jarrett is, as we said last year, essentially an untouchable in fantasy terms. He has scored 0 TDs over two NFL seasons and has accumulated just 192 yards receiving during that time. He will need an injury to Smith or Muhammad to sniff the starting lineup. Further, unless he vastly improves this year, Jarrett could be pushed for his No. 3 spot by a pair of unproven reserves in Kenneth Moore or Ryne Robinson. TIGHT ENDS Starter: Dante Rosario Backup: Jeff King Last season, Dante Rosario increased his number of receptions three-fold over his 2007 numbers and still ended up with only 18/209/1 receiving. He is simply not a viable fantasy football TE. He
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by Mark Wimer may top the depth chart in Carolina, but Dante Rosario is a marginal fantasy TE (at best). Jeff King regressed last season (after posting 46/406/2 in 2007). He may have lost the starter’s role to Dante Rosario. He’ll need to earn the top job back in Carolina. Based on his 2007 campaign, we know King can play well as a receiver, but he needs to develop more rapport with Jake Delhomme – those 46 receptions came from other QBs.
2008 SEASON STATS Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Jake Delhomme414 246 3288 15 12 20 21 2 Josh McCown 0 0 0 0 0 4 -3 0 Running Back DeAngelo Williams Jonathan Stewart Brad Hoover Nick Goings
PLACE KICKER PKs: John Kasay, Rhys Lloyd After a 2005 season in which John Kasay’s field goal percentage dipped to 76.5 percent, he rebounded in 2006 with 88.9 percent and followed up in 2007 hitting 85.7 percent. Last year he posted a career high of 90.3 percent (28 of 31). Despite the improved accuracy, his scoring has been up and down, varying with the offense’s success or lack thereof. The Panthers’ annual kicker scoring going back the years has been 130, 99, 100, 121, 99, 125, 74, 91, and 122 points. Kasay used to have a tendency to miss one extra point in most years; however he has made them all the last three years. After a stretch of injury plagued years, Kasay has played in all 16 games the last four years. Carolina added Rhys Lloyd as a kickoff specialist last year, and that allowed Kasy to concentrate on scoring.
Rush 274 183 9 9
Yards 1518 833 18 10
TDs 18 10 0 0
Wide Receiver Rec Yards TDs Steve Smith 78 1421 6 Muhsin Muhammad 65 923 5 D.J. Hackett 13 181 0 Dwayne Jarrett 10 119 0 Mark Jones 2 32 0
The Panthers ranked in the middle of every important statistical category last season. Not surprisingly, they weren’t an inspiring fantasy option either. The pivotal question here will be whether DE Julius Peppers signs his franchise tender and stays or succeeds in forcing a trade. The team’s pass rush would suffer without him and the ripple effect would be felt throughout the defense. With the second round selection of Everett Brown the Panthers have done what they could to prepare for that possibility. On paper this unit appears capable of holding opponents yardage and scoring in check while generating plenty of big plays. MLB Jon Beason and WLB Thomas Davis both
Yards 121 47 39 1
TDs 2 0 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 25.9 7th Yds 349.7 10th P-Yds 197.4 19th R-Yds 152.3 3rd
Rec Yards TDs 21 195 1 18 209 1
flourished in their respective roles last season. Richard Marshall and Chris Gamble are ball hawking corners with a nose for the end zone and safeties Chris Harris (eight forced fumbles in 2007) and Charles Godfrey, are capable of generating big plays. Though this team has disappointed in the year end rankings for two consecutive seasons, they should still be considered as a late DST2 pick in all league formats. If they go undrafted, don’t hesitate to pick them up should they get off to a hot start.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Carolina
@SD Chi @Min 26-24 20-17 10-20 QB Delhomme 23-41-247-0 12-21-128-1 17-29-191-0 (rush stats) 4-3 1-0 14 QB McCown dnp dnp dnp RB Williams (rec stats)
18-86 1-4
11-31 1-(-6)
10-27 2-17
RB Stewart (rec stats)
10-53
14-77
7-15
RB Hoover
1-3
2 1-3
RB Goings
0-0 1-3 (P) dnp
1,4 1-5 2-18 1-(-2)
WR Smith (rush stats)
dnp
1-2 1-2 4-70
Atl KC @TB 24-9 34-0 3-27 20-29-294-0 14-22-236-1 20-39-242-3 1-1 1-(-1) 56,36 25,47 (P) 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 dnp 3-(-2) 1-(-1) 16-57 20-123 11-27 2-9 1-25 2-8 10,32/25(rec) 14-52 19-72 6-12 1-8 1-1 8 (P) 0-0 0-0 2-2 1-5 0-0 7-10 0-0 6-96
6-96
6-112
3-71 47 0-0
4-68
WR Muhammad
6-56
5-59
3-25
WR Hackett
1-22
2-37
WR Jarrett
5-48 (P) 2-36
56 8-147 36 2-24
0-0
dnp
dnp
WR Jones TE King
0-0 1-4
0-0 2-29
0-0 3-22
TE Rosario
7-96 14 dnp
1-6 (Q) dnp
TE Barnidge
NO Ari bye 30-7 27-23 week 14-22-195-0 20-28-248-0 1-8 2-(-2) 39,4 18,65 dnp dnp -
@Oak 17-6 7-27-72-4 1-0 3 dnp
Det 31-22 10-19-98-0 2-(-2) 15 dnp 14-120
@Atl @GB TB Den @NYG @NO 28-45 35-31 38-23 30-10 28-34 33-31 21-35-295-0 12-17-177-0 14-20-173-2 17-26-253-1 11-19-185-0 14-20-250-0 2-18 2-0 2-(-2) 1-(-2) 16/12(run) 1(run) 38 15 8 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp
18-66 1-4 4(rec) 17-68 1-3 18 (Q) 1-1 1-4 0-0
17-108 2-15 15 8-10 1-0
-
-
19-140 1-3 69 7-21
1-3 2-12 0-0
-
(Q) 1-1
56,4 15-130 1-4 22 0-0
-
0-0
0-0
0-0
6-122
5-117 1-(-6) 18,65 5-38
-
1-9
6-59 1-16
8-168
-
3-38 3 1-13
1-16
dnp
dnp (O) 1-4
39 3-43 (P) dnp (O) 1-13
0-0 0-0
1-19 2-17
1-13 1-3
2-18
2-18
0-0
dnp
0-0
0-0
-
21-72 3-14 1,1,1,1 4-58 1-3 (P) 0-0
19-186 1-6 16,36 15-115
12-88 3-3 56 16-52
2,4 1-0
2 0-0
0-0
2 0-0
0-0 1-(-4) 4-105
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
9-117
3-47 2-21
5-134
2-50
38 3-43
4-80
0-0
4-40 16 dnp
9-165 1-9 15 4-70
0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
7-79 8 (P) 2-37
dnp
2-15
dnp
1-7
0-0
1-19
dnp
0-0 2-10
0-0 1-9
0-0 0-0
0-0 1-15
0-0 1-11
3-43
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0 0-0 (P) 0-0 (P) 0-0
dnp (Q) 2-25
-
0-0 1-6
0-0 3-41
-
dnp (P) 0-0 1-9
3-28
0-0
0-0
-
0-0
0-0 2-19 15 0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
0-0
0-0
19-101 2-19 5 5-15
0-0
24-108
25-178
13,5,1,30 9-29 2-28
17-56
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Tight End Jeff King Dante Rosario
TEAM DEFENSE
Rec 22 8 6 3
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CHICAGO B
EARS
Starting QB: The downward spiral of QB Jay Cutler in Denver has become a major boon for the Chicago Bears. The Bears have been looking for a legitimate starting quarterback for decades and they may have finally found the young leader to carry the offense through the next decade. Cutler has elite passing skills although his consistency and mental focus still needs to see improvement in the years ahead. Cutler is a gunslinger in the Brett Favre mold, and he has the swagger to fit the ball into areas and get completions that most passers simply cannot get done. He threw for 4,526 passing yards a season ago with the Broncos and has a career passing rating of 87.1, an outstanding result for a young player. He also has 54 career touchdown passes against just 37 interceptions. He likely will not throw for as many yards in Chicago but make no mistake about it – Cutler is a huge upgrade at the quarterback position for the Bears. Backup QBs: The Bears do not have an experienced NFL quarterback in behind Jay Cutler. Caleb Hanie, former Colorado State Ram is currently the second string quarterback. While blessed with good size and confidence, nobody really knows at this point Greg Olsen whether he is a career backup type in the NFL or capable of more if given the opportunity. We will know how confident the Bears are in Hanie if they go into the season with him slotted in as the No. 2 quarterback. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Matt Forte Backups: Kevin Jones, Garrett Wolfe, Adrian Peterson Fullbacks: Jason McKie, Jason Davis Starting RB: The Bears have to be pleased with how well rookie RB Matt Forte played last season. He finished the season with 316 carries and 1,238 rushing yards on the year. He also caught 63 passes and scored 12 total touchdowns. He did everything the club needed him to do and then some. His first and second half splits were near identical and he has emerged as a 20+ carry per game back for the Bears. He had three 100-yard rushing games, 12 games with 3+ receptions and scored in ten of the sixteen games. He is blessed with great size, surprising quickness and soft hands and is entrenched as the starting tailback in Chicago. Backup RBs: Last season, some folks envisioned Kevin Jones getting some significant playing time in Chicago, but he simply was
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB QB TE WR WR WR
Player Name Brett Basanez Jay Cutler Michael Gaines Derek Kinder Johnny Knox Juaquin Iglesias
Type Free Agent Trade Free Agent Draft Draft Draft
2008 Team Carolina Panthers Denver Broncos Detroit Lions College College College
2009 Team Chicago Bears Chicago Bears Chicago Bears Chicago Bears Chicago Bears Chicago Bears
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB QB WR
Player Name Kyle Orton Rex Grossman Brandon Lloyd
Type Trade Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Chicago Bears Chicago Bears Chicago Bears
2009 Team Denver Broncos Free Agent Free Agent
not able to capture the form he once had for the Detroit Lions. He had just 34 carries for 109 yards and did not score a single touchdown. He does have talent but it appears that injuries have derailed his career. Garrett Wolfe is undersized and although quick and talented has yet to have an impact as a pro. His best bet is as a change-of-pace back going forward, although as Darren Sproles of the Chargers showcased last season, smaller does not necessary equate to lesser. Finally, Adrian Peterson is a serviceable back without the upside most starting backs have. He has had some nice professional moments and, in a pinch, will be able to fill in adequately. Fullbacks: Jason McKie is a dependable blocking fullback who managed to score a few touchdowns last season giving him marginal value in leagues that only score touchdowns. However even those few touchdowns are a crapshoot and he is on the field for his blocking ability. WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Devin Hester, Rashied Davis Backups: Earl Bennett, Joaquin Iglesias [R], Brandon Rideau, Johnny Knox [R] Starting WRs: Without question, the wide receiver position is the biggest question mark for the Bears offense in 2009. It appears Devin Hester as well as Rashied Davis will get the starting nod, and both are still learning their craft. Hester did manage to become a more consistent receiver last year, finishing with 51 receptions for 665 yards and three scores and has the quickness to give opposing defenses fits. He didn’t have a 100-yard receiving game but did manage to grab at least four passes in eight of the 16 games. Rashied Davis had a couple of nice moments last year and did set career marks in receptions and yards. The bad news however is those career marks were just 35 receptions and 445 yards. From Week 10 on, he caught just eight total passes without a touchdown and was benched for poor play. Backup WRs: A third-round pick in 2008, Earl Bennett failed to catch a single pass as a rookie last season. However, he appears to be the third receiver by default heading into 2009. He has nice size and some talent, but his lack of production last season is difficult to ignore. Brandon Rideau has great size (6’4) to go along with some natural talent. The bad news however is he has yet to catch a single ball in the NFL. The Bears also drafted talented WR Joaquin Iglesias in the third round this year. He is quicker than fast and could compete for playing time out of the gate this season. Knox is a speedster, but he’ll need to improve his route running to become anything other than a deep threat. ICON SMI
CHICAGO BEARS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Jay Cutler Backup: Caleb Hanie, Brett Basanez
TIGHT ENDS Starter: Greg Olsen Backups: Desmond Clark, Kellen Davis, Michael Gaines What the Bears lack at the receiver position, they make up for it at the tight end spot. Greg Olsen finished as the ninth-best fantasy tight end in 2008, catching 54 passes and scoring five times. He became to top target for the Bears. He has great size and quickness and he may become even a bigger part of the offense in 2009. Desmond Clark is the perfect No. 2 tight end for the Bears. A 10-year veteran, Clark had a lesser role with the club last season but still managed to grab 41 passes. He has had three straight 40-reception seasons. Kellen Davis is an interesting prospect, blessed with great size, who could emerge as a compliment to Greg Olsen once Clark is out of the picture. Michael Gaines is the team’s blocking TE.
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by Chris Smith PLACE KICKER PK: Robbie Gould
2008 SEASON STATS
As a rookie in 2005, Robbie Gould was a serviceable replacement for Doug Brien. In 2006 he easily held off Josh Huston for the job, and subsequently emerged as one of the top kickers in the league. He was 32 of 36 on FGs (88.9 percent), including 12 of 14 from 40+ yards, and totaled 143 points (1st). In 2007 he did nearly as well on field goals hitting 31 of 36 (86.1 percent), again including 12 of 14 from 40+ yards, and totaled 126 points (7th). In 2008, he hit 89.7 percent (26 of 29) on field goals. They slipped to 15th in kicker scoring however, as the number of field goals dropped and the number of PATs increased to a more typical distribution. The coaches remain the same for 2009, but there are several big changes in the offense, which should increase offensive productivity. TEAM DEFENSE
Running Back Matt Forte Kevin Jones Adrian Peterson Garrett Wolfe Jason McKie Jason Davis
Rush 316 34 20 15 11 1
Yards 1238 109 100 69 26 0
Wide Receiver Devin Hester Rashied Davis Brandon Lloyd Marty Booker
Rec Yards TDs 51 665 3 35 445 2 26 364 2 14 211 2
Tight End Greg Olsen Desmond Clark
Rec Yards TDs 54 574 5 41 367 1
TDs 8 0 0 0 2 0
Rec 63 2 6 0 11 1
Yards 477 5 45 0 64 12
TDs 4 0 0 0 1 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 23.4 14th Yds 295.9 26th P-Yds 191.3 21st R-Yds 104.6 24th
keep the Bears a solid fantasy option even if the defense struggles to remain consistent. Expect the Bears to again be one of the first defenses to come off the draft board.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Chicago
@Ind Chi TB 29-13 17-20 24-27 QB Orton 13-21-150-0 19-32-149-0 22-34-268-2 (rush stats) 1-10 1-(-1) 6-21 6,19 QB Grossman dnp dnp dnp (rush stats) RB Forte (rec stats)
Phi @Det @Atl Min bye 24-20 34-7 20-22 48-41 week 18-34-199-2 24-34-334-0 26-43-286-0 21-32-283-0 1-0 1-10 1-(-2) 19,23,20 9,12 17 18,51 dnp 0-0-0-0 dnp dnp -
23-123 3-18 50 13-45
23-92 3-21 (P) 1-0
27-89 7-66 6(rec) 3-10
19-43 5-42
20-76 5-34 3 2-3
20-56 2-17 1 dnp
-
1-(-1)
0-0
15-36 4-25 1/9(rec) 10-36 2-5 0-0
RB Peterson
0-0
dnp
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
0-0
RB Wolfe
0-0
0-0
1-38
0-0
8-15
0-0
0-0
-
0-0
RB McKie (rec stats)
2-5
0-0 2-17
1-1 1-1
0-0
1-0
0-0 2-8
-
2-8 1-9
1 dnp
3-7 2-13 1 dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
-
dnp
WR Hester (rush stats)
1-7
1-6
dnp
5-66
6-87
2-22
-
4-42 1-11
WR Davis (rush stats)
2-10
(P) 3-11 1-17
(Q) 3-37
3-27 1-15 20 (Q) 1-34
12 6-97
4-41
-
5-64
WR Lloyd
2-26
5-66
WR Booker (rush stats)
1-7
1-4
6-124 19 0-0
dnp (O) 2-37
17 dnp (D) 3-33
3-24 1-(-1) (P) dnp (O) 3-79
TE Olsen
2-36
2-7
2-16
(Q) 3-87
3-41
TE Clark
2-46 (P)
2-21
2-8
2-17
5-50
RB Jones
RB Davis
3-16
2-33 (Q) 1-23 1-3 23 4-35 19 1-4
51 (P) 6-74 18 3-59
-
Det 27-23 8-14-108-0 2-7 5(run) 9-19-58-1 2-3 6/1(run) 22-126 1-5
Ten 14-21 dnp
@GB @StL @Min Jac NO GB @Hou 3-37 27-3 14-34 23-10 27-24 20-17 24-31 13-26-133-0 18-29-139-0 11-29-153-3 20-34-219-1 24-40-172-2 14-27-142-2 22-37-244-0 1-0 1-(-1) 2-(-2) 4-6 1-(-1) 2-2 (D) (P) 7 65,2 2,22 6(run) 3 4,1/1(run) 20-37-173-1 4-7-26-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 1-1 5/1(run) 20-72 16-64 20-132 22-96 21-69 11-34 23-73 13-50 7-54 6-40 2-14 4-29 5-37 5-29 2-28 3-25 5(rec) 13,47 2(rec) 1 3 (Q) 1-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp 0-0 0-0 dnp (D) 0-0 1-7 5-35 1-5 3-19 5-15 2-2 3-17 2-10 1-(-1) 1-8 2-28 0-0 2-12 3-5 1-(-1) 0-0 dnp dnp dnp (D) 2-5 0-0 0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 3-16 7(rec) (Q) (D) (D) (O) (Q) dnp dnp dnp 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-12 4-54 1-7 5-57 3-67 5-80 4-46 2-12 6-85 2-32 1-3 65 1-15 1-36 1-10 1-17 2-14 0-0 0-0 2-35 1-(-2) dnp (P) 0-0
2-17
-
6 dnp (Q) 0-0
-
(P) 2-10
-
4-36
-
1-24
0-0
2-21
1-16
0-0
1-3 (P) dnp
dnp
3-28
dnp
0-0
4-34 4 0-0
5-40
4-45
(O) 0-0
(Q) 1-7
(D) 8-45
3-10
1-4
5-40
1-9 (Q)
(Q) 5-49 3 4-37
4-30 1 1-7
3-52 22 2-8 2
3-11 (P)
CHICAGO BEARS
The Bears had a solid pass rush, a Top 5 finish in interceptions, six combined special teams/defensive touchdwns, and a Top 10 fantasy finish in 2008. Head Coach Lovie Smith changed up his defensive front last season and successfully improved against the run, but a Bottom 5 pass defense was often the team’s undoing. Smith has hinted that he may move back toward his Cover-2/Tampa-2 roots in 2009, which could improve the team’s points against and yardage against figures. Veteran DE Adewale Ogunleye will continue to be the team’s primary pass rusher, while the back seven will again be anchored by MLB Brian Urlacher and CB Charles Tillman. The Bears will still have question marks in the secondary where the corner and free safety play will need to improve if this defense is to return to its once stingy ways. Kick returners Devin Hester and Danieal Manning will continue to provide added value and should
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Kyle Orton 465 272 2972 18 12 24 49 3 Rex Grossman 62 32 257 2 2 3 4 20
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CINCINNATI B
ENGALS
Starting QB: Carson Palmer was a top pick going into last season. Many expected him to have his third consecutive 4,000-yard season. Instead, Palmer struggled in his first two games of the season, and never really found his groove before missing the remaining 10 games of the season with an elbow injury. Recently, Bengal Coach Marvin Lewis proclaimed that Palmer was fully recovered and is ready to redeem himself after last season’s performance. While newly acquired WR Laveranues Coles is not nearly the threat that T.J. Houshmandzadeh was for the Bengals last season, he and Chad Ochocinco should give Palmer plenty of options. The addition of Andre Smith at left tackle should give Palmer more time to find the open receiver. The lack of a consistent running game will only help Palmer’s numbers. Assuming he is fully recovered from his injuries, Palmer is definitely a top 10 fantasy QB this season. Backup QB: J.T. O’Sullivan has that ‘always a bridesmaid’ quality to him that makes Carson Palmer him an interesting fantasy sleeper. He’s bounced around to a couple teams and he’s no threat to beat out Palmer for the starting job, but he looked like a serviceable fantasy option a few times last season filling in as the starting QB for the 49ers. If Palmer goes down, O’Sullivan could be a legitimate fantasy guy. If Palmer is your starting QB, you should consider having O’Sullivan on your team as backup if there is room on your fantasy roster. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Cedric Benson Backups: Bernard Scott [R], Kenny Watson, Brian Leonard Fullbacks: Daniel Coats, Jeremi Johnson Starting RB: Cedric Benson is back from the dead – sort of. He had his best season last year in terms of carries, receptions, yards rushing and yards receiving. Had he reached the end zone a little more, Benson would have been pretty solid as a fantasy back. Over the last three games of the season, Benson had over 460 yards from scrimmage, one rushing TD and almost half of his total fantasy points for the season. This season, Benson begins as the clear starter. Former first-round pick Chris Perry is gone, and Benson remains as the feature back for Cincinnati. Last season, the Bengals had over 1,500 rushing yards as a team. If Benson can com-
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB RB RB TE WR WR
Player Name J.T. O’Sullivan Bernard Scott Brian Leonard Fui Vakapuna Chase Coffman Freddie Brown Laveranues Coles
Type Free Agent Draft Trade Draft Draft Draft Free Agent
2008 Team San Francisco 49ers College St. Louis Rams College College College New York Jets
2009 Team Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals
mand the majority of the carries for Cincinnati this season, he should be able to crack the 1,000-yard mark and put up some career-best numbers. Benson was a former No. 4 overall pick, and has never lived up to his full potential. This season may be his chance to change that. Backup RBs: Kenny Watson had a great 2008 season, and he looked like he was ready to take over the starting job in Cincinnati last year. Yet he took a serious step backwards, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry. He eventually lost his starting job to Cedric Benson and barely saw the field down the stretch. In 2009, he will begin the season battling for the backup job with rookie Bernard Scott. Scott is ‘only’ a sixth-round pick out of a small school, but he has shown flashes of talent. The rookie has potential and he should give Watson a run for his money to backup Benson. The key to remember for any Cincinnati running back is that Cedric Benson is far from a proven talent. If Benson continues to underachieve, the backups are going to get their chance to prove themselves. Fullbacks: The Bengals do not use a true fullback. Daniel Coats is used more as a tight end than a fullback. Coats takes over the starting job from Jeremi Johnson, who touched the ball just 13 times last season. It’s far more common for the Bengals to use a two-RB set rather than a fullback. ICON SMI
CINCINNATI BENGALS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Carson Palmer Backup: J.T. O’Sullivan
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Chad Ochocinco, Laveranues Coles Backups: Chris Henry, Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell Starting WRs: Chad Ochocinco had his worst season in the last seven years. In the 13 games that he played, Ochocinco was targeted only 97 times, hauling in just 53 receptions for a little more than 500 yards. For a guy who finished in the top 10 his previous five seasons, Ochocinco finished 50th among fantasy receivers, not even a backup quality WR in most leagues. His main competition for receptions was T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who has moved on to Seattle. Houshmandzadeh was replaced by Laveranues Coles, who is a solid WR but will certainly not overshadow Ochocinco like Houshmandzadeh did. Expect the two of them to get plenty of targets all season. A healthy Carson Palmer should return these guys back to the starter quality players that they were in previous years. Backup WRs: Chris Henry is never going to win sportsman of the year. His off-field problems have hounded him these last two seasons and the promising career that he had after 2006 has all but disappeared. He posted career-low stats last year and had only one game where he scored more than 10 fantasy points. For Henry to be an effective fantasy WR, he’ll have to prove himself all over again. Jerome Simpson was a second-round pick last season (46 overall) who had just one reception in 2008. The Bengals have high hopes for Simpson this season and he needs to turn it on. Andre Caldwell was a third-round pick out of Florida last season who fared a little better than Simpson, but posted just over 125 yards from scrimmage in 2008. Both guys have the potential to break out, but need to distance themselves in training camp to beat out the veterans in front of them.
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST
TIGHT ENDS Starter: Reggie Kelly Backups: Ben Utecht, Chase Coffman [R]
Pos QB RB TE WR WR WR
Despite tying his career-best with 31 receptions last season, Reggie Kelly had just 200 yards receiving and did not reach the end zone once. That’s a disappointing 6.7 yards per reception with less than two receptions per game average. Even at his best, Kelly was never a legitimate fantasy TE and will probably not be of much value this season either. Ben Utecht playing for Indianapolis is NOT
Player Name Ryan Fitzpatrick Chris Perry Nate Lawrie Glenn Holt Marcus Maxwell T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals
2009 Team Buffalo Bills Free Agent Free Agent Minnesota Vikings Baltimore Ravens Seattle Seahawks
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by Will Grant Ben Utecht playing for Cincinnati. He too put up brutal fantasy numbers and never reached the end zone. Rookie Chase Coffman has some potential upside, but is already low on the depth chart of a team that is replete with people looking to prove themselves. PLACE KICKER PK: Shayne Graham Last year, Shayne Graham missed two games with a groin injury and played with the lingering side effects thereafter. It did not appear to diminish his accuracy. His 87.5 percent (21 of 24) on field goals in 2008 raised his career average to 85.64 percent, the fourth highest in NFL history. He was also perfect on PATS, as he has been in all but one year of his career. But accuracy couldn’t overcome the significant decrease in scoring opportunities, and the Bengals wound up only 31st in kicker scoring – this after having placed in the Top 10 for four consecutive years. Although Graham was hoping for a new long term contract, the Bengals kept him out of free agency by placing the franchise tag on him this year. TEAM DEFENSE
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Ryan Fitzpatrick372 221 1905 8 9 60 304 2 Carson Palmer 129 75 731 3 4 6 38 0 Jordan Palmer 12 7 41 0 2 1 4 0 Running Back Cedric Benson Chris Perry Kenny Watson James Johnson DeDe Dorsey
Rush 214 103 14 9 5
Yards 747 269 55 29 8
TDs 2 2 0 0 0
Yards 185 71 4 47 49
TDs 0 0 0 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 12.8 32nd Yds 245.4 32nd P-Yds 150.4 30th R-Yds 95.0 29th
Wide Receiver Rec Yards TDs T.J. Houshmandzadeh 92 904 4 Chad Johnson 53 540 4 Antonio Chatman 21 194 0 Chris Henry 19 220 2 Andre Caldwell 11 78 0 Glenn Holt 3 26 1 Jerome Simpson 1 2 0 Tight End Reggie Kelly Ben Utecht Dan Coats Nate Lawrie
Rec 20 20 3 6 2
Rec Yards TDs 31 207 0 16 123 0 2 19 0 2 11 0
several areas. Most notably the 21st-rated run defense and a pass rush that mustered just 17 sacks, but this is not the same old Bengals. It will take time to build chemistry, but look for this unit to show considerable improvement.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Cincinnati QB Fitzpatrick (rush stats) QB C Palmer (rush stats) QB J Palmer (rush stats) RB Benson (rec stats)
@Bal 10-17 dnp
10-25-99-1 3-15 (P) dnp
Ten 7-24 0-0-0-0
@NYG 23-26 dnp
16-27-134-2 27-39-286-0 3-23 17 (P) dnp dnp
Cle @Dal @NYJ Pit @Hou Jac 12-20 22-31 14-26 10-38 6-35 21-19 21-35-156-3 dnp 20-33-152-021-35-164-020-32-155-2 21-31-162-1 4-41 6-23 4-15 7-42 3-52 4 5 2,10 dnp 23-39-217-1 dnp dnp dnp dnp (Q) dnp
18,10 (Q) dnp
(D) dnp
(O) 3-4-11-0
(O) dnp
(O) dnp 24-104 1-5 7 0-0 1-10
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
10-30
4-6
14-52 1-10
13-49 2-20
RB Perry (rec stats)
18-37 1-5
0-0
0-0
dnp
dnp
13-31 3-19 (P) dnp (Q) dnp
11-14 2-2
2-13 2-3 (P) dnp
20-74 2-19 25 1-5
12-28 5-15
RB Watson (rec stats) RB Johnson (rec stats) RB Dorsey (rec stats) WR Houshmandzadeh (rush stats)
21-64 2-(-8) 13 4-14
3-10 2-49 3-26
2-(-2)
0-0
12-146
6-50
4-37
17 3-29
WR Johnson WR Chatman (rush stats) WR Henry WR Caldwell (rush stats) WR Holt
0-0 3-44 (P) 1-22 (P) 0-0
2-16
dnp
dnp
dnp (D) 0-0
dnp (Q) 0-0
dnp (Q) dnp
-
-
(O) dnp
(O) dnp
(O) 0-2-0-1
23-42 6-37 (P) 1-5 1-(-4)
16-35 1-4
10-17 2-1
2-0 2-0
3-11 1-6
0-0 (P) dnp
0-0
(O) 4-6-30-1 1-4 16-57 2-1 1-0 1-12 (Q) dnp (D) 3-4
KC 16-6 18-30-129-0 7-29
(O) dnp
(O) dnp
(O) dnp
21-73 3-88
38-171
dnp
dnp
25-111 2-19 2 (P) dnp
(D) dnp (D) 0-0
(P) dnp (P) 3-15 3-20 dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
7-49
8-58
7-65
-
12-149
4-20
4-64
8-75
3-19
0-0
dnp
18,10 3-43
5-57
8-54 1-9 (P) 5-44
5-37 2,10 (P) 1-2 1-2 2-14
-
26 4-34
(P) dnp
(P) 4-45
(P) 5-79
(P) 3-33
-
1-11
dnp
dnp
dnp
(P) dnp (Q) dnp
-
1-8
0-0 (O) 2-25
(P) dnp (P) dnp
0-0
2-20
2-19
-
dnp (D) 0-0
1-20 20 1-8 0-0
5-34 4-49 1-10
7-55
0-0
dnp
0-0
1-13
3-44
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
6-70 1-2 dnp
-
@Cle 14-0 5-9-55-0 5-10 20 dnp
dnp (O) 7-85
dnp
(Q) 8-52 5 2-8
3-28 4 2-32
-
Phi @Pit Bal @Ind Was 13-13 10-27 3-34 3-35 20-13 29-44-261-0 20-37-168-1 12-31-124-0 18-26-170-2 16-29-209-0 5-9 2-8 3-29 3-17 11-29 26 10 12/1(run) dnp dnp dnp 0-0-0-0 dnp
(P) dnp (Q) 3-10 3-27 dnp
0-0
(P) 4-17 1-1 dnp
bye week -
1-5
1-1
-
1-0
dnp
dnp
-
dnp
0-0 (P) 1-3 dnp (O) 0-0
WR Simpson
0-0
0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp (Q) 1-2
TE Kelly
1-15
3-14
3-21
1-1
0-0
0-0
dnp (D) 4-34
TE Utecht TE Coats TE Lawrie
2-10 0-0 dnp
0-0 0-0 dnp
4-22 (P) dnp 0-0 dnp (D)
2-10 0-0 dnp (Q)
1-3 1-11 dnp
4-34 0-0 dnp
dnp 0-0 0-0 (D)
dnp 0-0 0-0 (Q) (D)
dnp (O) 0-0 (P) dnp (O) 2-8 (P) 2-21 0-0 dnp (P)
-
-
-
dnp (D) 3-24
-
1-2 0-0 dnp
3-26 (P) 2-16 10 0-0 (D) 3-41 (P) 3-36 0-0 0-0
dnp
0-0
1-6
0-0
0-0
4-54 12 1-4 1-4 0-0
0-0 (P) 1-8
0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
3-7
1-3
0-0
2-9
dnp 0-0 0-0 (O)
dnp 1-8 0-0 (D)
dnp 0-0 0-0 (P)
1-7 0-0 2-11
0-0 0-0 0-0
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Over the past four years the Bengals have completely overhauled the defense. They have gotten young and talented at the same time. The investment of first round picks in corners Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall in 2006 and 2007 got the ball rolling. In 2008 they added the best OLB in the draft Keith Rivers and this season arguably the best MLB available in Rey Maualuga. Throw in solid later round pickups like tackles Domata Peko and Pat Sims, safeties Chinedum Ndukwe and Marvin White plus this year’s potential late round steal DE Michael Johnson, along with a handful of solid free agents and what you have is the best collection of talent this club has assembled since their last trip to the Super Bowl. Don’t overlook the key addition of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer who led the club to a ranking of 12th in total defense in 2008. There is room for improvement in
2008 SEASON STATS
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CLEVELAND B
ROWNS
Starting QB: When the Browns had the No. 5 overall pick in the NFL Draft, there was a lot of speculation that they would draft Mark Sanchez. This led to further speculation that the Browns were shopping Brady Quinn to a couple teams before the draft. All of that speculation ended when the Browns traded down multiple times on draft day, landing multiple picks and players and giving Quinn a chance to finally win the starting job. However, his position as the starter is by no means secure. Quinn is going to have to work overtime this summer to impress new head coach Eric Mangini if he is to be the starter for Cleveland on Day 1. Keep a close eye on this over the summer as Quinn could find himself on another team before the season. Backup QBs: Many fantasy owners had high expectations for Derek Anderson last season. Yet back in August, we warned you that Anderson was not worth the late fourth-round pick it was going to take to get him. Anderson flamed out in a few games and finished the season on the bench due to injury. He’ll begin the season in a battle for the starting job with Quinn. To further complicate matters, Peter King of SI.com Jamal Lewis reports that former Jet backup Brett Ratliff was a favorite of Eric Mangini when he was in New York. If Ratliff proves to be a solid backup, it could make Quinn or Anderson expendable. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Jamal Lewis Backups: Jerome Harrison, Noah Herron, James Davis [R] Fullback: Lawrence Vickers Starting RB: Jamal Lewis barely cracked the 1,000 yards rushing mark last season. His four TDs tied a career low for him as well. Yet he’s still the best RB on the team and the assumed starter for 2009. However, you can expect similar stats out of Lewis as he winds down his career. Mangini was able to get production out of an older guy like Thomas Jones in New York. Perhaps Lewis will have one more solid year left in him. One key stat to be afraid of with Lewis though: 2,400 carries and over 200 receptions. That’s a lot of mileage for a guy of his age, and a big obstacle to overcome if he’s going to have another solid year. Approach with caution. Backup RBs: Jerome Harrison has steadily improved over his first three seasons, but not enough to warrant wanting him as a start-
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB RB TE WR WR WR WR
Player Name Brett Ratliff James Davis Noah Herron Robert Royal Brian Robiskie Mohammed Massoquoi David Patten Mike Furrey
Type Trade Draft Free Agent Free Agent Draft Draft Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team New York Jets College New York Jets Buffalo Bills College College New Orleans Saints Detroit Lions
2009 Team Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB RB RB TE TE WR
Player Name Ken Dorsey Allen Patrick Jason Wright Kellen Winslow, Jr Darnell Dinkins Joe Jurevicius
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Trade Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns
2009 Team Free Agent New York Giants Arizona Cardinals Tampa Bay Buccaneers New Orleans Saints Free Agent
ing fantasy RB. He is a little small to take on an ‘every down back’ role, and has never touched the ball more than nine times in any one game. Noah Herron is a journeyman back who has never caught on as a back worth having on your team. James Davis was a sixth-round flyer pick out of Clemson. Given the question marks on the other guys, Davis might get the chance to shine, but based on the pre-draft scouting of him, he’s a long shot to be successful. Fullback: Lawrence Vickers has never been more than a one or two touches a game player. In New York, Mangini did not feature a fullback in his offense, using the position more for blocking and opening holes for the RB. Don’t expect much of a change for Vickers this year. WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Braylon Edwards, Brian Robiskie [R], Mohamed Massaquoi [R] Backups: Josh Cribbs, David Patten, Syndric Steptoe, Paul Hubbard, Donte’ Stallworth Starting WRs: Braylon Edwards came into last year with high hopes. After finishing third among fantasy WRs in 2007, Edwards fell victim to Cleveland’s passing woes in 2008 and turned in a sub-par season, barely qualifying as a starter-quality WR in many leagues. This season he has a lot more talent around him and some impressive rookies to take the pressure off. He should bounce back this season, although be careful not to expect a Top 10 finish until the QB controversy is resolved. Opposite of him will be one of the two rookie WRs that the Browns drafted in the second round. The favorite right now has to be Brian Robiskie from Ohio State. He was taken 36th overall and has the talent to be a starter on Day 1. Mohamed Massaquoi was taken 14 slots later, and has potential to be a starter for the Browns as well. However, he was much more inconsistent in college and will have to work on the mental aspect of the game if he hopes to start opposite Edwards this season. Backup WRs: The Browns brought in Donte’ Stallworth last season with the hope that he could provide some experience to a young, talented crew. Instead, Stallworth’s off-the-field troubles may have ended his career. Josh Cribbs was a minor spark for the Browns last season, but his value is more on the punt and kick return side than on offense. David Patten returns to Cleveland on the downside of his career. He still has some gas in the tank, but probably won’t be worth much unless the rookies flame out or someone goes down to injury. Syndric Steptoe saw action for most of last season, but still caught less than half the balls that were thrown to him. Paul Hubbard is a young prospect who has much to prove before being considered a reasonable fantasy option. ICON SMI
CLEVELAND BROWNS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Brady Quinn Backups: Derek Anderson, Brett Ratliff
TIGHT ENDS Starters: Robert Royal Backups: Steve Heiden, Martin Rucker Kellen Winslow, Jr. left Cleveland with more bad seasons under his belt than good ones. He is primarily replaced by journeyman Robert Royal, who is coming off one of his best campaigns. Royal didn’t see much action his first five seasons, averaging 2-3 targets a game at best. Last year, Royal only reached the end zone once, but proved that he can be a bigger part of the passing attack. Steve Heiden has been a backup-quality TE from a fantasy prospective, but he does see action from time to time. Martin Rucker saw a little action last season due to Winslow’s injury, but he won’t see much action this season. PLACE KICKER PK: Phil Dawson Phil Dawson has been Cleveland’s kicker since they returned to the
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by Will Grant league in 1999. Two years ago was their best finish, when they ranked ninth in kicker scoring (120 points) as the offense came to life. The life was short lived, as they dropped to 22nd last year. Dawson did make 30 of 36 (83.3 percent) field goals, however he had only 18 PATs. That was down from 2007 when he made 26 of 30 (86.7 percent) field goals, but had a career high 42 PATs. It was still better than his poor 2006 season when he hit (72.4 percent), and scored only 88 points. Dawson is consistent in an unusual way. Most NFL kickers are nearly automatic on short range field goals and their accuracy decreases as the distance increases. Dawson’s kicking percentages are consistent regardless of the distance. TEAM DEFENSE
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Derek Anderson283 142 1615 9 8 25 55 0 Ken Dorsey 91 43 374 0 7 2 0 0 Brady Quinn 89 45 518 2 2 5 21 0 Bruce Gradkowski 21 7 26 0 3 1 2 0 Running Back Jamal Lewis Jerome Harrison Jason Wright Lawrence Vickers Charles Ali
Rush 279 34 23 10 0
Yards 1002 246 85 31 0
TDs 4 1 0 0 0
Wide Receiver Braylon Edwards Syndric Steptoe Donte Stallworth Josh Cribbs Steve Sanders
Rec Yards TDs 55 877 3 19 182 0 17 170 1 2 18 1 1 18 0
Tight End Kellen Winslow Steve Heiden Darnell Dinkins Martin Rucker
Rec Yards TDs 43 428 3 23 249 0 5 41 1 2 17 0
Rec 23 12 22 10 4
Yards 178 116 156 78 13
TDs 0 1 1 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 14.5 30th Yds 249.1 31st P-Yds 148.8 31st R-Yds 100.3 26th
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Cleveland
Dal Pit @Bal 10-28 6-10 10-28 QB Anderson 11-24-114-0 18-32-166-2 14-37-125-3 (rush stats) 4-24 3-6 1-2 2 19 QB Dorsey dnp dnp dnp (rush stats) QB Quinn dnp dnp dnp (rush stats) QB Gradkowski (rush stats) RB Lewis (rec stats)
@Cin 20-12 15-24-138-1 4-11 4 dnp
bye NYG @Was week 35-14 11-14 18-29-310-0 14-37-136-0 4-(-2) 3-4 22,11 1 dnp dnp
@Jac Bal 23-17 27-37 14-27-246-0 17-33-219-1 2-8 3 28,7 dnp dnp
dnp
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
Den 30-34 dnp
@Buf 29-27 dnp
Hou 6-16 5-14-51-1 1-0
Ind 6-10 16-26-110-0 2-5
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-3-0-1
8-18-94-2
dnp
(P) dnp
(O) dnp
dnp
dnp
2-5-8-1
18-65
10-58 2-10
24-77 1-7
7-7 2-3
14-32 3-14
16-76
7-31 1-8 (Q) 0-0
2-6
2-2 2-6
dnp
1-(-1)
1-1
3-80 1-21 72 0-0
(Q) 0-0
(Q) 7-30 6-33
dnp
dnp (D) 1-1
dnp (D) 1-12
(P) 0-0 1-4 (Q) 0-0
1-15
8-104
1-7 4-48
23-35-239-0 14-36-185-0 1-3 4-18 5,16 dnp dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
13-62 1-14 (Q) 0-0
19-38 3-28
25-79 2-15 1 4-20 1-5
-
21-88 1-4 4 2-41 2-26
19-80 1-18
20-81 1-7 2 1-(-1)
19-49 1-13
RB Wright (rec stats)
1-5
0-0 1-9
12-56 3-21 (P) 0-0 1-19 19(rec) 1-11
5-18 1-10
-
1-2
1-1 2-18
RB Vickers (rec stats) RB Ali (rec stats) WR Edwards
0-0
1-4 2-21 0-0
1-6 1-8 0-0
-
0-0
1-2 1-6 1-(-2)
2-10 1-13 0-0
1-2 3-22 7(rec) dnp
0-0
1-2 1-3 0-0
1-3 1-6 (P) 1-2
2-14
3-32
2-64
2-16 dnp
5-154 11 1-20 2-19
4-58
1-12 dnp
3-22 4 (P) 2-24 dnp
-
WR Steptoe WR Stallworth (rush stats)
3-27 (Q) 2-6 dnp
0-0 2-24
1-53 3-13
4-86 28 2-9 dnp
WR Cribbs (rush stats)
dnp
(Q) 1-17
(D) 0-0 1-0
-
3 0-0
(Q) 0-0
(P) 0-0 3-48
dnp dnp
0-0 5-64 2-25
1-4
3-73 (P) 1-5
dnp 10-111 5,16 3-24
dnp
dnp
dnp
RB Harrison (rec stats)
1-2 1-23
-
-
(D) 0-0 1-5 (Q) 0-0 7-55
(P) 0-0 2-14
0-0 5-54
-
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
TE Heiden
(Q) 1-18 5-47 2 1-9
TE Dinkins
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
TE Rucker
dnp (O)
dnp (O)
dnp (O)
dnp (O)
-
WR Sanders TE Winslow
(P) 0-0 1-12 dnp dnp (Q) 5-59 1-22 22 dnp
3-12
1-1 1-2 1 dnp 2-17 (Q) 1-10
1-5
0-0
0-0
19-60 2-24 1 5-48 1-9
0-0 (Q) dnp
@Ten 9-28 dnp
@Phi 10-30 dnp
Cin 0-14 dnp
22-43-150-1 11-28-156-2 10-17-68-3 1-0 1-0 dnp dnp dnp
@Pit 0-31 dnp
dnp dnp
5-16-18-2 1-2 23-94
2-1 2-(-1)
(P) 2-11 3-18
2-1 5-40 1-1 1-(-1) 0-0 (D) 3-38
0-0 1-21 0-0 (Q) 5-102
dnp (Q) 0-0
1-2 (P) 1-2
5-85
1-2 1-3 (Q) 0-0 (P) 2-36
4-35
1-5
1-8 0-0 1-(-4)
1-4 1-18
1-3 1-4
4-20 1-15
0-0 1-13
0-0 1-4
0-0 1-12
0-0 1-2 2(run) dnp 3-40
0-0 2-6
0-0 1-0
0-0 6-24
dnp 1-11 (Q) 1-5 (Q) 0-0
dnp 3-15 (Q) 3-15
dnp dnp (O) 4-29
0-0 5-25 (Q) dnp dnp (O) 0-0
0-0 5-32 (Q) dnp dnp (O) dnp
(P) 0-0 2-7 (P) dnp dnp (D) dnp
dnp (O) 1-9
0-0 (Q) 0-0
1-6
1-4
0-0
0-0
0-0 (Q) 0-0 (Q) dnp
dnp
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Another dismal showing by the Browns defense in 2008 prompted a coaching change. It now falls to former Raiders defensive coordinator Rob Ryan to improve a unit that finished 28th versus the rush, recorded just 17 sacks and landed 26th in total defense. Ryan was an interesting selection for the job since he comes from a 4-3 background but will be coaching a 3-4 defense. The lineup will sport several new faces this year. Many of which were brought over with new head coach Eric Mangini from the Jets 3-4. Abram Elam will compete for the SS job, Eric Barton takes over at ILB, Kenyon Coleman steps in at DE and David Bowens will compete with second round pick David Veikune at OLB. All these former Jets know Mangini’s defense which will help with the transition, but none of them are true impact players and that’s what the Cleveland defense is really lacking. Veikune could prove to be the guy they need to work opposite Kamerion Wimbley and improve the pass rush. It looks like another long season in Cleveland.
2008 SEASON STATS
dnp (Q) 1-8
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DALLAS C
OWBOYS
Starting QB: Tony Romo is one of the league’s more productive passers, but after a third consecutive season that ended short of expectations, fans and pundits will be looking for him to get over the hump. Romo struggled with his consistency in 2008 and missed a month with a broken pinkie finger. As a result, Romo set career lows for completion percentage, yards per attempt, yards per completion and passer rating. But that really doesn’t tell the story because the fact is Romo’s career-worst numbers would be career-best numbers for many NFL QBs. He still completed 61 percent of his throws, ranked second in TD%, sixth in yards per attempt and eighth in passer rating. In 2009 he’ll be asked to do more with less, as Terrell Owens was released and Roy Williams will be the Cowboys new WR1. As a fantasy passer, he remains a solid QB1 albeit with less upside than in years past. Backup QBs: The Cowboys struggled in Tony Romo’s absence last year as veteran Brad Johnson simply didn’t have many bullets left in his six-shooter. That shouldn’t be a problem in 2009 as the Cowboys traded for Jon Kitna, who will serve as an ideal backup. He can not only Tony Romo play in Romo’s stead, but he is also capable of big passing numbers in his own right. Kitna has started 115 regular season games and has been a top-10 fantasy QB on three separate occasions, for three different teams (Seattle ’99, Cincinnati ’03, and Detroit ’06). The team further improved their depth by drafting Texas A&M passer Stephen McGee, who has considerably more long-term potential than his QB3 predecessor, Richard Bartel. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Marion Barber III Backups: Felix Jones, Tashard Choice Fullback: Deon Anderson Starting RB: The 2008 season was supposed to be the year Marion Barber emerged as a full-time franchise back. Julius Jones was sent packing, Barber was given a big contract extension, and the Cowboys were going to rely on him while two rookies backed him up when necessary. Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Make no mistake, Barber’s workload did increase in 2008, but it would be disingenuous to say his season was an unqualified success. Last year, he ran the ball 238 times and caught a career-best 52 receptions yet scored fewer TDs (nine) than he did as a part-time player in 2006 and 2007. Running behind what many consider a good offensive line, Barber averaged just 3.7 yards per carry. On a positive note, Barber had at least 100 yards from scrimmage and/or scored a TD in eight games. The fact is, Barber was a solid fantasy RB2, but most expected him to be an RB1. This year, Barber is healthy and has a renewed sense of purpose, but he also has given the coaches no reason to increase his workload.
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB QB TE WR
Player Name Stephen McGee Jon Kitna John Phillips Manuel Johnson
Type Draft Trade Draft Draft
2008 Team College Detroit Lions College College
2009 Team Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys Dallas Cowboys
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos Player Name WR Terrell Owens
Type Free Agent
2008 Team Dallas Cowboys
2009 Team Buffalo Bills
Backup RBs: The Cowboys got a lot of praise for drafting Felix Jones last year to pair with Marion Barber, and Jones justified that praise early. He scored touchdowns in four of his first five games, including a 98-yard kickoff return and TD rushes of 33 and 60 yards. Unfortunately, his rookie season was cut short after a hamstring injury against Arizona. The silver lining was the chance for Tashard Choice to make his mark. Choice, the less heralded rookie, was impressive in his own right, averaging 5.1 yards per rush. Over the final four weeks of the season, Choice ran for 365 yards and caught 17 passes; which equates to 1,300 yards rushing and 68 receptions over a full season. With Jones and Choice healthy, the Cowboys should be able to impose their will on opposing defenses and have a three-pronged balanced rushing attack that few teams can match. Fullback: Deon Anderson opens holes for Barber, Jones and Choice but offers little help fantasy-wise. WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Roy Williams, Patrick Crayton Backups: Isaiah Stanback, Miles Austin, Sam Hurd, Travis Wilson Starting WRs: Terrell Owens wore out his welcome and now roams in Buffalo. That puts tremendous pressure on Roy Williams to fill T.O.’s shoes, and many people outside of Dallas are skeptical. The Cowboys made a splash by acquiring the enigmatic Williams midway through last season, giving him a monster contract extension in the process. Williams caught only 19 passes in 10 games, averaging just 10.4 yards per catch. He’s going to have to do much better as Tony Romo’s go-to receiver, because there is no one else on the roster capable of commanding attention from opposing defensive coordinators. At his best, Williams can be a difference maker. He had 1,310 yards receiving in 2006 and has the size (6’4, 210 pounds) to make plays in traffic. But it’s been a downhill spiral since then; he needs a great training camp to calm the critics. The other starting spot remains in flux, with Patrick Crayton the likely Week 1 starter. Crayton seemed on his way to carving out a solid career as the Dallas WR3, until Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens were shown the door. Crayton has started 26 games over the last three seasons, and has averaged more than 40 catches and 500 yards per season. If he starts full time in 2008, he will need to do more, starting with more consistency breaking in and out of his routes. Backup WRs: Miles Austin had 13 catches last season but is a sure bet to do much more in 2009. The coaches love Austin’s attitude and work ethic, and think he’s capable of making an impact, particularly on the outside in 3WR sets. Austin averaged more than 21 yards per catch last year and caught three TDs in limited action. At 6’3, 215 pounds Austin fits the big receiver mold the Cowboys prefer. Isaiah Stanback is a converted college QB who will have a shot at the WR4 role in camp. He’s a wild card given his inexperience. Sam Hurd and Travis Wilson need big training camps to hold down roster spots. ICON SMI
DALLAS COWBOYS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Tony Romo Backups: Jon Kitna, Stephen McGee [R]
TIGHT ENDS Starter: Jason Witten Backups: Martellus Bennett, John Phillips [R], Rodney Hannah Jason Witten is the best tight end in football, and it’s hard to make a credible argument to the contrary. His 81 catches and 952 yards last season would have been mind-boggling numbers for most NFL TEs, but for Witten they were par for the course. With five Pro Bowls in six years, Witten is one of the few playmaking tight ends who also excel in pass protection. As long as he’s healthy, you can count on elite production in all facets of the game. Martellus Bennett had a strong rookie season, catching 20 passes for 283 yards and four TDs. His
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by Jason Wood 14.2 yards per reception illustrate the rare athleticism Bennett brings to the position. He could start for many NFL teams, and gives the Cowboys a chance to create mismatches in two-TE formations.
2008 SEASON STATS Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Tony Romo 450 276 3448 26 14 28 41 0 Brad Johnson 78 41 427 2 5 2 -1 0 Brooks Bollinger 17 10 71 1 1 0 0 0
PLACE KICKER PKs: Nick Folk, David Buehler During their 90s dynasty years, the Cowboys ranked in the Top 6 in kicker scoring for eight consecutive years. After that, they ranked in the bottom half each for the next seven years. In 2006 they finally returned to the upper half, ranking 14th in kicker scoring, and then vaulted to fourth in 2007. As a rookie that year, Nick Folk made 26 of 31 (83.9 percent) field goals and was perfect on all 53 PAT attempts. His accuracy was even better last year (20 of 22, 90.9 percent), however his opportunities decreased and consequently his scoring dropped by 29 points. The Cowboys finished only 26th in kicker scoring. If the offense can stay healthy and effective for 2009, Folk should be able to rebound as a fantasy kicker. Folk’s reputation coming out of college was as a strong leg. He has made two 50+ yarders in each of his two years in the NFL. He didn’t fare as well on kickoffs last year however, and the Cowboys drafted strong-legged David Buehler out of USC.
Running Back Marion Barber Tashard Choice Felix Jones Deon Anderson
Rush 238 92 30 2
Wide Receiver Terrell Owens Patrick Crayton Roy Williams Miles Austin Isaiah Stanback
TEAM DEFENSE
Yards 885 472 266 3
TDs 7 2 3 0
Rec Yards TDs 69 1052 10 39 550 4 19 198 1 13 278 3 2 24 0
Rec 52 21 2 2
Yards 417 185 10 7
TDs 2 0 0 1
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 22.6 18th Yds 344.5 13th P-Yds 236.8 9th R-Yds 107.7 21st
solid veteran presence in the middle. FS Ken Hamlin and CB Terence Newman anchor the secondary. The aggressive 3-4 front favored by head coach Wade Phillips should keep the pass rush numbers high. If the Cowboys can improve their points-against numbers and generate more big plays in the secondary, they have Top 5 upside.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Dallas QB Romo (rush stats) QB Johnson (rush stats)
@Cle Phi @GB 28-10 41-37 27-16 24-32-320-1 21-30-312-1 17-30-260-1 1-(-1) 3-(-5) 1-(-1) 35 72,4,17 52 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0
QB Bollinger
Cin 31-22 14-23-176-1 4-7 4,57,15 0-0-0-0
@Ari 24-30 24-39-321-0 1-0 55,14,70 0-0-0-0
@StL 14-34 dnp
TB 13-9 dnp
(Q) (O) 17-34-234-3 19-33-122-0 1-0 1-(-1) 34 2 dnp dnp
@NYG 14-35 dnp
bye week -
(O) 5-11-71-2
-
@Was SF Sea @Pit NYG Bal @Phi 14-10 35-22 34-9 13-20 20-8 24-33 6-44 19-27-198-2 23-39-341-0 22-34-331-1 19-36-210-3 20-30-244-0 24-45-252-2 21-39-183-1 2-(-3) 4-(-3) 2-14 1-6 4-7 2-2 2-11 25 (P) 75,1,10 (P) 16,7,19 (P) 12 34,1 7,21 (P) (P) 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
16-80 3-21 1,1 5-26 1-2
18-63 4-51 1/17(rec) (P) 0-0
28-142 3-15 2 0-0
8-26 2-11
23-84 2-8
9-16-63-1 8 19-54 1-(-1)2
0-0
18-100 1-13 1 2-13
25-71 6-29
0-0
17-45 11-128 70(rec) 0-0
0-0
5-27
9-62
3-10
0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
9-96 1-7 33 1-3
3-22
0-0
6-76 1-3 60 dnp
0-0
(O) 0-0 1-6
(O) 0-0
(O) 0-0
5-87
3-89
(O) 2-17
2-31
5-33
5-36
72,4 2-23
0-0
(P) 2-67 1-8 57 1-15
(P) 4-36 1-6
35 6-82
(P) 7-71 2-11 10 7-87
3-84
3-30 1-11
1-13
in Detroit
in Detroit
in Detroit
in Detroit
15 in Detroit
55 in Detroit
0-0
2-10
2-43
2 0-0
0-0
-
2-26
0-0
0-0
dnp
-
6-44
1-8
2-67 34 0-0
3-21
0-0 (Q) 3-36
-
1-8
0-0
-
dnp (O) 2-34 (P) 1-25 25 0-0
RB Barber (rec stats) RB Choice (rec stats) RB Jones (rec stats)
11 0-0
RB Anderson (rec stats) WR Owens (rush stats) WR Crayton (rush stats) WR Williams (rush stats)
Was 24-26 28-47-300-1 1-7 21,10,11 0-0-0-0
WR Austin
TE Witten
dnp (O) 2-24 (Q) 6-96
2-12 (Q) 0-0 (P) 7-110
TE Bennett
0-0
TE Curtis
1-8
WR Stanback
3-45 11 dnp
dnp
1-14 14 dnp
1-20
2-115 52 (P) 0-0 (P) 7-67 (P) 1-37
0-0
7-90 21 (P) 1-0
8-79 4 (P) 0-0
4-55 (P) 0-0
2-7
1-6
1-(-4)
0-0
1-4
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
1-1-8-0
-
19-59 7-50 6-18 2-14
10-32 1-13 2 11-57 1-6
dnp
-
24-114 6-39 2 1-6
(Q) 23-88 5-78
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
2-0 1-7 (Q) 17-90 7-25 2 dnp
3-13 2-20 (Q) 13-56 1-8
-
8-2 2-24 (Q) 9-91 4-52 38 dnp
-
(O) 0-0
(O) 0-0
(O) 0-0
1-0
0-0
0-0
-
5-38 1-0
7-213
5-98
0-0 1-1 1(rec) 3-38
5-63
6-103 1-7
8 4-46
-
0-0
75 2-16
19 2-13
2-49
7 3-58
3-34
1-28
-
3-36
10 3-36
34 1-5
3-12
2-4
(P) 0-0 (P) dnp (P) 5-87 21 (P) 0-0
(P) 0-0
2-19
(P) 1-23 (Q) dnp (P) 5-44 (P) 1-8
dnp (O) 7-50 (P) 2-14
1-3
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
dnp (O) 0-0 (P) 1-11 (P) 1-1 1 0-0
2-51 1-13 dnp (O) 0-0 (P) 9-115 7 (P) 2-35 16 (Q) 0-0
3-32 1-1 12 0-0
2-16 (P) dnp (O) 0-0 (P) 6-62
DALLAS COWBOYS
Tight End Rec Yards TDs Jason Witten 81 952 4 Martellus Bennett 20 283 4 Tony Curtis 8 32 0
The Cowboys led the league in sacks last season, averaging over three-and-a-half per game. Four players had seven or more sacks, led by OLB DeMarcus Ware’s league best of 20. Poor finishes in points against, interceptions (only eight) and just two combined defensive and special teams touchdowns kept them from finishing in the top five in most fantasy leagues. Though Dallas lost underrated DE Chris Canty and nickel backer Kevin Burnett, the bulk of the defense remains intact. Jay Ratliff has played much bigger than his size at the nose and should continue to be a disruptive force in the middle. Bradie James has blossomed into a strong all-around linebacker and free agent acquisition Keith Brooking will give the team another
dnp
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DENVER B
RONCOS
Starting QB: Kyle Orton enters the 2009 season as the new starting QB for the Denver Broncos – if he can beat out Chris Simms. Orton was playing good football at the beginning of the 2008 season until an ankle injury in Week 9 sidelined him for a game and a half. By all accounts Orton should have shut it down for more time, but he battled back and played through the injury. Under QB guru and new head coach Josh McDaniels, Orton could have the best season of his career. In Chicago he threw for almost 20 TDs with players like Brandon Lloyd, Devin Hester, and Rashied Davis. He gets an upgrade in weapons with the Broncos and will be protected better by bookend tackles Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris. The Broncos may want to feature new RB Knowshon Moreno, but if the defense doesn’t improve drastically they will be forced to air it out. Backup QBs: Chris Simms ruptured his spleen in a Week 3 game against the Panthers in 2006 when he was the starter for Tampa Bay. The rest of that season as well as the entirety of 2007 was lost due to that injury. He was released by the Bucs in 2008 but ended up signing with Eddie Royal the Tennessee Titans where he backed up Kerry Collins. The Denver Broncos signed him to a 2-year, 6-million dollar contract in March of 2009. So far in Denver he has impressed coaches at mini camp with his strong arm. Many expect Simms to be the backup behind Kyle Orton, but if he performs well enough in training camp he could win the starting job. Sixth-round pick Tom Brandstater is going to be a project for the same coach that made Matt Cassel a franchise player. He is a big, strong armed QB that can effectively run bootlegs, but he needs to work on reading a defense. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Knowshon Moreno [R] Backup(s): Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington, LaMont Jordan, Ryan Torain Fullback(s): Peyton Hillis
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB QB QB RB RB RB RB RB TE WR WR
Player Name Tom Brandstater Chris Simms Kyle Orton Knowshon Moreno Correll Buckhalter Darius Walker LaMont Jordan J.J. Arrington Richard Quinn Kenny McKinley Jabar Gaffney
Type Draft Free Agent Trade Draft Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Draft Draft Free Agent
2008 Team College Tennessee Titans Chicago Bears College Philadelphia Eagles Houston Texans New England Patriots Arizona Cardinals College College New England Patriots
2009 Team Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB QB RB RB TE TE WR WR
Player Name Jay Cutler Patrick Ramsey Michael Pittman Selvin Young Dan Campbell Nate Jackson Cliff Russell Darrell Jackson
Type Trade Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Denver Broncos
2009 Team Chicago Bears Tennessee Titans Free Agent Free Agent New Orleans Saints Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
Starting RB: With the 12th pick in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft, the Broncos surprised many by selecting Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno. This bold pick is an indication that Moreno will be the workhorse for the Broncos this season. Head Coach Josh McDaniels went out of his way to complement on Moreno’s complete skill set, highlighting the fact that he was excellent in pass protection as well as receiving and running. Moreno is similar to Clinton Portis with his style of play. Denver hasn’t had a special RB since the days of Portis, and Broncos fans would certainly love if Moreno can put up 1,500 yard rushing seasons the way Portis did while in Denver. With questions at the QB position the Broncos may be more run-oriented than the offense that McDaniels ran in New England. A consistent ground game can also run time off the clock and keep the Broncos’ suspect defense off the field. Backup RBs: The Broncos brought in several RBs, who many thought would compete for the starting job. Now, with Knowshon Moreno on the team, these backs will by vying for backup duty. Correll Buckhalter is the favorite to win the No. 2 job and could fill in nicely and make some big plays the same way he did in Philadelphia when he was backing up Brian Westbrook. J.J. Arrington is expected to play the “Kevin Faulk” role in the backfield. He could play on some passing downs when Moreno needs a breather. LaMont Jordan has familiarity with this offense from last season when he was with the Patriots. He could be a nice goalline back for the team with his size and power. Ryan Torain still hasn’t fully recovered from his torn ACL and is on the roster bubble. Fullback: Peyton Hillis is not a traditional fullback but rather a multi-purpose back that can be used in any number of ways. With all the RBs already on the roster Hillis may be the forgotten man when it comes to getting carries. However, he showed that he can be a very good receiver out of the backfield and could be a pass catching option on third downs. Hillis may also beat out LaMont Jordan as the goalline back. ICON SMI
DENVER BRONCOS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Kyle Orton Backups: Chris Simms, Tom Brandstater [R]
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal Backups: Brandon Stokley, Jabar Gaffney, Kenny McKinley [R] Starting WRs: Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal form one of the most exciting WR tandems in the league and are both potential Top 25 fantasy receivers. Last year Marshall ranked as the No. 11 fantasy WR and Royal checked in at No. 20. Things are quite different for the duo entering the 2009 season. QB Jay Cutler was moved to Chicago, and at this time it looks like Kyle Orton will be leading the team. Head Coach Josh McDaniels is looking to turn Marshall and Royal into Moss and Welker for Patriots West. Orton is not a franchise QB like Cutler, but under McDaniels this team could become more efficient in the red zone as last year they ranked No. 17 in points scored. With a running game led by Knowshon Moreno, the Broncos could have more sustained drives and more success inside the 20-yard line. This could translate into more scoring opportunities for Marshall and Royal. Backup WRs: Brandon Stokley is still one of the best possession receivers in the game, but he is getting up there in age. He was targeted 85 times last year and will still be an important part of the passing game, although his numbers should take a slight downturn. One of the reasons for his reduced production could be Jabar Gaffney. He has experience with Coach McDaniels from their time together in New England but may only get on the field with the Broncos go with 4-WR sets. Kenny McKinley broke many of Sterling Sharpe’s records while at South Carolina. He is a quick receiver that can get to top speed, but durability is a concern.
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by Cecil Lammey TIGHT ENDS Starters: Daniel Graham Backups: Tony Scheffler, Richard Quinn [R]
2008 SEASON STATS
Daniel Graham is known as one of the best blocking TEs in the league, but in 2008 he flashed some of the receiving ability that made him a Mackey Award-winning TE in college. Protecting the QB is paramount so Graham may be used less as a receiver than he was last season. The Broncos were rumored to have been shopping Tony Scheffler before the NFL Draft. He is the best receiving option out of all the TEs on the roster and could even line up split out wide. Richard Quinn was a surprise second-round pick for the Broncos in the 2009 NFL Draft. With only 12 career receptions Quinn was not a featured part of the Tar Heels offense. He was considered to be the second-best blocking TE in this draft behind Brandon Pettigrew. The Broncos selected him to be the eventual replacement for Graham. Quinn could see some playing time when the Broncos go with two-TE sets in the red zone but shouldn’t be much of a fantasy factor. PLACE KICKER PK: Matt Prater
TEAM DEFENSE There weren’t many defenses worse than the Broncos last season – 29th in total D, 30th in scoring D, 26th against the pass and 27th versus the run, 26th in sacks and dead last with only 13 takeaways. Denver tinkered with a 3-4 last year and now that Josh McDaniels
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 616 384 4526 25 18 57 200 2
Running Back Michael Pittman Peyton Hillis Selvin Young Tatum Bell Andre Hall Ryan Torain
Rush 76 68 61 44 35 15
Yards 320 343 303 249 144 69
TDs 4 5 1 2 0 1
Yards 112 179 16 57 25 0
TDs 0 1 0 0 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 26.7 4th Yds 365.8 4th P-Yds 292.1 2nd R-Yds 73.6 32nd
Wide Receiver Rec Yards TDs Brandon Marshall 104 1265 6 Eddie Royal 91 980 5 Brandon Stokley 49 528 3 Tight End Tony Scheffler Daniel Graham
Rec 10 14 3 10 3 0
Rec Yards TDs 40 645 3 32 389 4
is at the helm they are making the switch official. Anytime a team makes this transition there is both a learning curve and a period of personnel adjustment. The coaches will try Elvis Dumervil and rookie Robert Ayers at the all important OLB positions. Although they seem to have the skill set to make the move, nothing is certain. In the secondary Journeymen Andre Goodman and Renaldo Hill will start at corner and SS respectively while the FS position will be turned over to 36-year old Brian Dawkins. The DL lacks 3-4 type players as well. In fact the only position that seems solid is ILB where D.J. Williams will pair with former Browns starter Andra Davis. This unit can’t be much worse than last year’s but there is no reason to believe they will be a lot better either.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Denver QB Cutler (rush stats) RB Pittman (rec stats) RB Hillis (rec stats) RB Young (rec stats)
@Oak SD NO 41-14 39-38 34-32 16-24-299-0 36-50-350-1 21-34-264-1 5-9 2-6 1-7 26,48 4,6,14,3 (P) 1,35 7-13 7-30 5-2 1-8 3,1 1 2 3-14 0-0 0-0 1-4 7-36
8-78 1-8
11-65 1-7
@KC TB Jac 19-33 16-13 17-24 29-49-361-2 23-34-227-0 21-37-192-1 2-6 5-16 3-22 16 10 11,11 4-36 6-39 20-109 2-45 2-22 3-16 0-0
dnp
0-0
0-0
-
11-49
10-38 1-1
dnp
dnp
-
(O) dnp
(Q) dnp
-
2-(-7)
5 dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
RB Hall (rec stats)
10-61
7-31
6-25
4-14
5-13 2-17 (P)
0-0
RB Torain
dnp dnp
dnp (O) 6-155
dnp (O) 3-25
6 5-37
35 4-11 1-6
dnp (O) 7-77 1-(-1)1 16 9-104
dnp
WR Marshall (rush stats)
dnp (O) 18-166
RB Bell (rec stats)
WR Royal (rush stats) WR Stokley
9-146 2-9 26 2-25
WR Martinez TE Scheffler
dnp 1-72
TE Graham
0-0
4 (P) 3-47 dnp 6-64 14,3 2-22
@NE bye 7-41 week 17-26-168-2 3-18 10 20-88 -
3-23
dnp (Q) 3-29 11 2-20 dnp (O) 1-11 11
(P) dnp (Q) dnp dnp (Q) 2-27 10 (P)
3-29
(P) 7-80
dnp 4-32
dnp 1-26
(P) 6-52 10 1-12 4-65
1-21
3-29
1-10
(Q) dnp
(Q) dnp
(D) 7-34
(D) 6-14 1-0
(Q) 0-0
(P) 11-52 2-16
(P) 7-43 2-7
(P) 5-20 1-3
-
1-7 1-8 (Q)
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
8-86 4-31 26,37 dnp
-
12-68 1 (P) 6-89
dnp
(P) dnp
(P) dnp
(P) dnp
7(rec) dnp
dnp
dnp
-
3-1 (Q) 2-27
6-89
4-84
5-55
11-91
5-48
10-129
6-55
-
(P) 7-69
11 6-164
4-34 3-7
(P) 2-14 1-3
(P) 5-84
12,6 (P) 6-42 3-13
(P) 6-48
(P) 5-57 1-71
(P) 11-76
2 2-18 (Q) dnp dnp (Q) 1-23
93 2-16
3-26
5-44
2-19
dnp 4-92 (Q) 3-50 28
dnp 0-0 (P) 1-9 9
dnp 1-12 (P) 0-0
dnp 5-61
2-20 (Q) dnp 0-0
3-32 (Q) dnp 2-56
3-32
3-25
3-52
(P) dnp (Q) 6-77 1-7 (P) 9-71
9-98
Mia @Cle @Atl Oak @NYJ KC @Car Buf @SD 17-26 34-30 24-20 10-31 34-17 24-17 10-30 23-30 21-52 24-46-307-3 24-42-447-1 19-27-216-0 16-37-204-1 27-43-357-1 32-40-286-1 21-33-172-1 25-45-359-1 33-49-316-2 1-2 7-29 1-4 4-24 3-(-2) 8-16 2-9 8-30 2-4 2,1 93,28,11 9 59,36 12,6 7 2,6(run) 25 7-4 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 2-21 (Q) 0-0 8-24 10-44 17-74 22-129 8-58 dnp dnp dnp 7-116 3-26 2-22 1-11 1(rec) 7,2 6 (P) 1 (P) 18 (P) dnp 1-2 dnp dnp dnp dnp 6-19 7-16 dnp
-
59 (Q) 2-44 36 dnp 7-90 6-59
DENVER BRONCOS
The Broncos decision to go with unproven Matt Prater looked brilliant during the first half of 2008, as he missed only two kicks and showed his extremely strong leg. But the misses started piling up and the kickoffs started fading in the second half of the year. Prater ended up hitting 25 of 34 (73.5 percent) on field goals and 39 of 40 on PATs. The Broncos finished only 19th in kicker scoring despite ranking 8th in opportunities. Prater faces several challenges in 2009. He’ll face competition for the job. Even if he keeps the job, will the offense under new coaches and a new system produce scoring opportunities as well as under the previous regime, and if so how quickly?
Quarterback Jay Cutler
(P) 4-47 (P) dnp 5-75 25 2-19 (P)
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DETROIT L
DETROIT LIONS
IONS Starter: Kevin Smith Backups: Maurice Morris, Aveion Cason, Aaron Brown [R] Fullbacks: Jerome Felton, Terrelle Smith
Starting QB: For the moment, Daunte Culpepper is unofficially the starting quarterback. After coming to the Lions just after midseason (Detroit was desperate due to injuries to Jon Kitna and Dan Orlovsky), Culpepper was thrust into the starting line-up. He was woefully out of shape (tipping the scales in the 290 range) and struggled with consistency. After five weeks, Culpepper suffered a shoulder sprain and missed the last three games of the season. He then took things serious over the offseason and reported to minicamp in much better condition (dropping around 30 pounds). He was expecting to be the team’s unquestioned starter and some had high hopes with him being reunited with offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, with whom Culpepper experienced career seasons in Minnesota. However, the 2009 NFL Draft got in the way. While Culpepper’s experience gives him an edge on Matthew Stafford, the Lions view the rookie as their future and are even more clearly not ready to win now. All they have is future, so the Stafford era could begin relatively soon. Backup QBs: While an official depth chart hasn’t been released, the coaching staff seems Calvin Johnson ready to bring Matthew Stafford along slowly. They’ve seen the countless number of franchise rookies that have faltered after being thrust into starting roles and hope to avoid derailing Stafford’s career. In minicamp, Stafford showed normal rookie jitters of being a little too hot on his throws and rushing his movements a bit. He’ll settle down in subsequent camps and will soon show why he was taken first overall. He has a great arm and can be very accurate. As shown by starting in Georgia as a freshman, Stafford is also a cerebral player and should not be overwhelmed mentally. Drew Stanton was once considered to be the QB of the future, but he could soon be out of the league. The Lions are now grooming Stafford for the future and are even considering bringing in another veteran for depth. Stanton may simply be a guy that just doesn’t make it. RUNNING BACKS
Starting RB: In a season where little went right for the Detroit Lions, 2008 rookie Kevin Smith did display the occasional flash of brilliance to let Detroit fans know there is at least hope on the horizon. He is a big back that thrives on 20+ carries per game. In fact, he did carry the ball at least 20 times in six of the final eight games of the season and rushed for at least 86 yards six times during that stretch. He rushed for 670 yards and scored four touchdowns during the second half of the season when the Lions really began to lean on him to move the ball. With better players around him, Smith could really become a strong player for the Lions in 2009 and beyond. Backup RBs: The Lions brought in veteran running back Maurice Morris from Seattle this season to spell starter Kevin Smith. Morris isn’t flashy but he can move the chains and handle a 20 carry per game workload if called upon. He’ll likely get 7-10 touches per game with Detroit, giving Smith some rest when needed. Aveion Cason is simply around for depth. Aaron Brown had a very good freshman season with TCU but never elevated his play from there. He may earn some reps down the road but is more likely to play on special teams. Fullbacks: Jerome Felton should be the starting fullback this season. He started six games last season and had two carries and nine receptions. He shouldn’t be on anybody’s fantasy radar but should continue to improve as a blocker, helping the running game to improve. Don’t be surprised if veteran Terrelle Smith emerges as the starter as he is a very capable blocker.
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB RB RB TE TE TE WR WR WR
Player Name Matthew Stafford Aaron Brown Maurice Morris Terrelle Smith Brandon Pettigrew Dan Gronkowski Will Heller Derrick Williams Bryant Johnson Ronald Curry
Type Draft Draft Free Agent Free Agent Draft Draft Free Agent Draft Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team College College Seattle Seahawks Arizona Cardinals College College Seattle Seahawks College San Francisco 49ers Oakland Raiders
2009 Team Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB QB RB RB RB TE TE WR WR WR WR
Player Name Dan Orlovsky Jon Kitna Brian Calhoun Moran Norris Rudi Johnson John Owens Michael Gaines Mike Furrey Shaun McDonald Steve Sanders Travis Taylor
Type Free Agent Trade Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Detroit Lions
2009 Team Houston Texans Dallas Cowboys Free Agent San Francisco 49ers Free Agent Seattle Seahawks Chicago Bears Cleveland Browns Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent Free Agent
ICON SMI
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Daunte Culpepper Backup(s): Matthew Stafford [R], Drew Stanton
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Calvin Johnson, Bryant Johnson Backups: Ronald Curry, Derrick Williams [R], John Standeford, Adam Jennings Starting WRs: While Kevin Smith emerged as a legitimate running back during the second half last season, Calvin Johnson is the true star of this offense. Playing with mediocre quarterbacks throughout last season, Johnson still managed to catch 78 passes for 1,331 and 12 touchdowns. Lord only knows what kind of season he could have if he had a quarterback like Drew Brees throwing him the ball. Johnson is truly an elite talent. Amazing size, good body control and almost impossible to cover one-on-one, he is only a quarterback away from being the best fantasy receiver in the NFL. Bryant Johnson was a good signing by the Lions. He was miscast as a WR1 in San Francisco but should thrive as a No. 2 drawing single coverage on an ongoing basis. He won’t have big numbers thanks to the presence of Calvin Johnson, but Bryant Johnson will do enough to keep defenses honest. Backup WRs: The Ronald Curry pickup this offseason was a very nice move by the Lions, and he may be a surprise this season. Curry as the third option will be difficult for defenses to handle as they roll their coverage over to stop Calvin Johnson. For a 0-16 team just one season ago, the Lions skilled positions actually look strong. The other backup positions should be decided during training camp with many players having a legitimate shot. The most likely candidate to emerge as the fourth receiving option is rookie Derrick Williams from Penn State. He isn’t a fantastic prospect but has enough quickness and ability to earn some playing time. TIGHT ENDS Starters: Brandon Pettigrew [R] Backups: Casey Fitzsimmons, Michael Gaines
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by Chris Smith The Lions added Brandon Pettigrew, the top tight end prospect with the 20th pick in this year’s draft. He is a multi-dimensional tight end that has very good receiving skills and even better blocking ability. At 6’5 and 263 pounds, he will create havoc down the field as he has the athleticism to out-run linebackers and run over defensive backs. In addition, he has the frame to add another 10+ pounds or so without missing a beat. As teams key to stop Calvin Johnson, Pettigrew may find plenty of open space down the middle of the field. Casey Fitzsimmons and Michael Gaines are capable blocking tight ends but don’t add much excitement in the passing attack. PLACE KICKER PK: Jason Hanson After a dismal 2005, the Lions offense and Jason Hanson rebounded the next two years. They finished 7th in kicker scoring in 2006 and 8th in 2007, up from 32nd in 2005. But in 2008 the Lions were all the way back down to 30th, giving Hanson the fewest scoring chances in the league. He made the most of the chances he did get, going 21 of 22 (95.5 percent) on field goals. the one missed field goal and his one missed PAT were both blocked. Eight of his successful field goals were from 50+ yards, tying him for most in one season. It also brought his career total to 41 field goals of 50+ yards, vaulting him into first place. During his 17 year career, he has missed only one game (back in 2005 with a hamstring injury). It’s safe to assume that Hanson will do his part in 2009, however with a new coaching staff the Lions will once again be starting over.
There wasn’t much to like about the Lions defense last season. Although they finished with a respectable 31 sacks, their 4 interceptions were a league low and only Chicago forced fewer fumbles. Detroit was also last in the league in both yardage and points allowed. Not surprisingly, the team canned Rod Marinelli and brought in former Tennessee defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz as head coach. Schwartz will move away from the Tampa-2 defense Marinelli pre-
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Dan Orlovsky 255 143 1616 8 8 7 29 0 Jon Kitna 120 68 758 5 5 6 26 0 Daunte Culpepper 115 60 786 4 6 12 25 1 Running Back Kevin Smith Rudi Johnson Aveion Cason Jerome Felton
Rush 238 76 4 2
Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson Shaun McDonald Mike Furrey Roy Williams John Standeford Keary Colbert
Yards 976 237 7 4
TDs 8 1 0 0
Rec Yards TDs 78 1331 12 35 332 1 18 181 0 17 232 1 15 244 0 12 116 1
Rec 39 12 4 9
Yards 286 88 27 53
TDs 0 1 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 26.7 4th Yds 365.8 4th P-Yds 292.1 2nd R-Yds 73.6 32nd
Tight End Rec Yards TDs Michael Gaines 23 260 1 Casey Fitzsimmons 12 85 1 John Owens 8 56 1 ferred for a more traditional 4-3 scheme with big bodies at defensive tackle and a preference for size with speed in the back seven. The Lions grabbed versatile OLB Julian Peterson in a trade with Seattle and brought in Larry Foote to compete at MLB and space-eating NT Grady Jackson to play the nose. Anthony Henry and Phillip Buchanon were signed to retool the cornerback group. The makeover continued in the draft with FS Louis Delmas and LB Deandre Levy, both of whom could start as rookies. Despite the turnover and scheme change, the Lions are not yet likely to be an option in fantasy leagues.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Detroit QB Orlovsky (rush stats)
@Atl 21-34 dnp
GB 25-48 2-4-6-0
@SF 13-31 0-1-0-1
QB Kitna (rush stats)
24-33-262-1 21-41-276-3 15-30-146-1 2-0 1-7 3-19 1,21 47,38 34 QB Culpepper dnp dnp dnp (rush stats) RB Smith (rec stats)
bye week -
-
-
Chi “@Min @Hou Was 7-34 10-12 21-28 17-25 13-23-97-1 12-21-150-0 12-25-265-0 21-35-223-0 1-0 2-10 2-17 12 (P) 96 17 8-16-74-0 dnp dnp dnp
dnp
16-48 4-32 3 3-14
10-40 4-21
3-14
-
1-2
-
dnp
dnp
14-83 3-48 34(rec) dnp
0-0 7-107
0-0 1-3 6-129
WR McDonald
4-29
47,38 4-27
WR Furrey
2-14 3-47 21 dnp in Denver
dnp in Seattle
TE Gaines
2-11
0-0
TE Fitzsimmons
1-1 1 0-0
3-32
1-4
-
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
0-0
RB Johnson (rec stats) RB Cason (rec stats) RB Felton (rec stats) WR Johnson (rush stats)
WR Williams WR Standeford WR Colbert
TE Owens
(D) dnp
17-38 1-4
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
8-21 1-10 11 dnp
0-0
-
0-0 2-12 2-16
1-0
4-40
4-85
2-13
-
1-5
12 (Q) 0-0
0-0 1-11 2-154 1-(-2) 96 0-(-7)
4-57 1-7 17 5-68
2-22
2-8
-
2-8
0-0
6-89
0-0
3-48
2-18
2-23 (Q) dnp in Seattle 5 2-24
to Dallas dnp in Seattle 2-11
1-15
-
0-0
0-0 (P) 1-3
10-61 1-7 26 (P) 6-8
dnp
8-31 4-25 12 5-23 3-9
7-96 (P) dnp dnp in Seattle in Seattle in Seattle
5-62 2-11
dnp
4-12 7-50
@Chi 23-27 28-47-292-2 2-2 17,14 dnp
Jac 14-38 dnp
@Car 22-31 dnp
TB 20-38 dnp
Ten 10-47 dnp
Min 16-20 dnp
(O) dnp
(D) dnp
(O) dnp
(O) dnp
(O) dnp
dnp
5-10-104-1 1-(-1)
20-35-207-2 5-13 29/1(run) 24-112 2-23
8-20-121-2 2-6 15 16-86
14-37 2-16 1 8-19 2-13
23-96 1-27 1 2-4
dnp
dnp
0-0
dnp (O) 2-92
to Dallas
dnp (O) 8-94 1-(-6) 17 6-65 14 4-40 (D) to Dallas
dnp in Seattle
dnp in Seattle
0-0
2-28 (Q) 0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
5-5 1-5
(P) 4-16
13-26-134-1 14-24-220-0 3-7 2 70 12-22 22-63 1-9 2-27 (P) (P) dnp 1-2 1-(-1)
dnp (P) 6-65
(P) 0-0 2-18 dnp (P) 3-66
5-66
4-37
29 3-30
15 (P) 2-21
4-44
0-0
dnp
to Dallas
to Dallas
dnp (O) to Dallas
dnp in Seattle
2-48 FA
6-64
2-18
2-21
dnp
dnp (O) 1-1 1 (Q)
3-11 (P) 1-4 (Q)
@Ind NO 21-31 7-42 23-34-233-0 10-23-125-2
@GB 21-31 22-42-225-2
33 (P) dnp
dnp
9,14 dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
(D) 20-88 6-31 1 (Q) 2-2
(O) 24-111
(D) 28-92 3-7 9 (Q) dnp
1 (Q) 0-0
2-1
1-4
0-0
1-2
0-0
0-0 2-17 3-84
0-0 9-110
0-0 1-5 4-64
0-0 2-9 1-4 2-5 9-102
33 (Q) dnp (O) dnp
dnp
9,14 (P) dnp
dnp (O) to Dallas
70 dnp (Q) dnp
dnp
dnp
to Dallas
to Dallas
to Dallas
to Dallas
1-18 FA
1-9 FA
1-5 2-32
4-36 1-9
3-46 1-12
3-82 1-11
0-0
1-2 2 1-14
1-27
2-39
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-8
1-10 (P)
2-29
0-0
0-0 (P) 1-7
1-2
1-8 0-0
DETROIT LIONS
TEAM DEFENSE
2008 SEASON STATS
1-7
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GREEN BAY P
ACKERS
Starting QB: When you replace an icon and miss the playoffs, there is usually a long line of naysayers ready to throw you under the proverbial bus. Although the Green Bay Packers may have had some issues in 2008, the play of Aaron Rodgers was not one of them. Rodgers had a great season in his first campaign as starting quarterback. He tossed 28 touchdown passes and just 13 interceptions, completed 63.6 percent of his throws, threw for 4,038 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns. It is not easy to replace a legend, but Rodgers looked capable and confident throughout the year and Favre’s shadow is not quite so large heading into this season. Rodgers is an intelligent, accurate quarterback who has put the team on his shoulders and should have another strong year. Backup QBs: The Packers drafted two quarterbacks in 2008, and both are still competing for the backup quarterback position. Matt Flynn earned the backup role last year but completed only two of five passes for six yards in limited duty. As a former seventh-round draft pick, Flynn’s upside may be quite limited, but he still has enough ability to beat out last year’s Greg Jennings second-round pick Brian Brohm, who really disappointed in Green Bay last year. Brohm does have the accuracy, poise and intelligence to eventually be a starting quatrerback. It is definitely a battle to watch at training camp this year to see if either young player elevates his play. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Ryan Grant Backups: Brandon Jackson, DeShawn Wynn Fullbacks: Korey Hall, Quinn Johnson [R] Starting RB: When it comes to RB Ryan Grant’s play last season, there is some good and bad news. The good news is Grant proved he is capable of carrying the ball 300 times in a season. He finished with 312 carries for 1,203 rushing yards and had four 100yard rushing games. He has great size and is difficult to tackle once he gets up a head of steam. The bad news is Grant had just four rushing touchdowns (one score every 78 carries) which was amongst the worst in the NFL at the position. He did not appear as capable of making defenders miss as the 2007 campaign and his YPC went down by a full yard. He is still likely to get the bulk of the work this season, and he should finish with 300+ carries and 1,200+ yards. Backup RBs: Last preseason, Brandon Jackson was generating some buzz with his size and quickness, but it never really materialized on game day. He did average 5.5 YPC on just 48 carries and added an additional 30 receptions. There is a potential of much more production from this former second-round pick, but it is unlikely he will wrestle the starting job away from Ryan Grant and his upside (unless injuries occur) is a 10-touch per game player. DeShawn Wynn was a forgotten man in this offense last year and will likely
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos Player Name RB Quinn Johnson RB Tyrell Sutton
Type Draft Free Agent
2008 Team College Free Agent
2009 Team Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos Player Name WR Shaun Bodiford
Type Free Agent
2008 Team Green Bay Packers
2009 Team New York Giants
only see significant action if injury strikes a player ahead of him. However, Wynn did display in 2007 that he could get the job done if called upon (four touchdowns on 50 carries). Fullbacks: Korey Hall should retain the starting fullback job this season, but rookie FB Quinn Johnson will push him hard for playing time. Johnson, from LSU, is a hard-hitting fullback that excels in run blocking. He only had 14 carries for 28 yards last year but did score three touchdowns. Hall is a similar player in that he is primarily a blocker. So much so in fact, that he has not registered a single carry in his two NFL seasons. He does have 15 total receptions and a touchdown though. WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Greg Jennings, Donald Driver Backups: Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Ruvell Martin Starting WRs: The Packers are set at receiver. Greg Jennings had a massive season last year, cementing his role as the top receiver on the team. The 5’11, 195-pound speedster finished with 80 receptions for 1,292 yards and nine touchdowns and finished as the fourth-best fantasy player at the receiver position. He has developed nice chemistry with Aaron Rodgers and should continue his productive ways in years to come. At 25, Jennings is only starting to reach his prime now. Donald Driver simply continues to amaze. He had his fifth-straight 1,000-yard receiving season in 2008 and caught 74 passes. He also managed a respectable five touchdown receptions and finished as the 23rd-best fantasy receiver. At 34years of age, father time is catching up to Driver, but he should have another couple of seasons with strong production. Backup WRs: If Driver’s production takes a dip this season, it will likely be because second-year receiver Jordy Nelson earns a bigger role. Nelson is a big, strong, quick receiver that the Packers really like. As a rookie in 2008, Nelson caught 33 passes and scored twice. He is talented enough to see many passes thrown his way as WR3 in this offense and will replace Driver in the near future. James Jones and Ruvell Martin will round out the receiving corps, and Jones should see the majority of the action between those two players. Jones saw his production take a big dive in 2008 from his rookie campaign in 2007, but he has caught 67 passes in two seasons. ICON SMI
GREEN BAY PACKERS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Aaron Rodgers Backups: Matt Flynn, Brian Brohm
TIGHT ENDS Starters: Donald Lee Backups: Tory Humphrey, Jermichael Finley Donald Lee is a good starting tight end. He has enough quickness to get open in underneath passing routes and has scored 11 touchdowns over the past two seasons. He caught 33 passes in 2008. However, most were thrown within five yards of the line of scrimmage, so he finished with only 303 receiving yards. Four-year veteran Tory Humphrey accumulated the first stats of his career last year, finishing with 11 receptions for 162 yards. He had some nice moments but failed to catch a touchdown pass. He will likely be surpassed by Jermichael Finley, who has some nice long-term potential. PLACE KICKER PK: Mason Crosby Mason Crosby was nearly unstoppable from long range during his sophomore and junior seasons at Colorado, and very likely would have been a rare first-day draft selection had he come out
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by Chris Smith at that time. He stayed for his senior year, struggled, and fell to the Packers in the sixth round of the 2007 draft. He scored 141 points in his rookie year, placing Green Bay atop the kicker scoring rankings. In his second year he followed up with 127 points and the Packers ranked 7th in kicker scoring. Mason’s 79.5 percent (31 of 39) on field goals in 2007 and 79.4 percent (27 of 34) in 2008 are below average for an NFL kicker, especially in a time when accuracy was up across the board. This year the offense and its coaches remain relatively intact. Mason will be working under a new special teams coordinator who was promoted from assistant. TEAM DEFENSE
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Aaron Rodgers 536 341 4038 28 13 56 207 4 Matt Flynn 5 2 6 0 0 4 4 0 Running Back Ryan Grant Brandon Jackson John Kuhn DeShawn Wynn Kregg Lumpkin Wide Receiver Greg Jennings Donald Driver Jordy Nelson James Jones Ruvell Martin
Rush 312 45 8 8 1
Yards 1203 248 10 110 19
Rec Yards TDs 80 1292 9 74 1012 5 33 366 2 20 274 1 15 149 1
TDs 4 1 1 1 0
Rec 18 30 4 3 3
Yards 116 185 21 30 22
TDs 1 0 2 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 26.2 5th Yds 351.1 8th P-Yds 238.3 8th R-Yds 112.8 17th
Tight End Rec Yards TDs Donald Lee 39 303 5 Tory Humphrey 11 162 0 Jermichael Finley 6 74 1
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Green Bay QB Rodgers (rush stats) QB Flynn (rush stats) RB Grant (rec stats)
Min @Det Dal 24-19 48-25 16-27 18-22-178-0 24-38-328-0 22-39-290-0 8-35 4-25 5-10 1/1(run) 29,2,9 1(run) dnp 0-0-0-0 dnp 2-(-2) 12-92 15-20 13-54
RB Kuhn (rec stats)
0-0
(Q) 7-61 1-2 19 (P) 0-0
RB Wynn (rec stats)
dnp
dnp
dnp
RB Lumpkin (rec stats) WR Jennings
dnp
0-0
5-91
1-19 3-22 6-167
8-115
WR Driver (rush stats)
4-38
7-52
4-76
WR Nelson
0-0
WR Jones WR Martin
dnp (D) 1-13
TE Lee
3-10
2 1-29 29 4-29 9 (P) dnp (Q) 2-27
TE Humphrey
1-7
0-0
TE Finley
dnp
dnp
RB Jackson (rec stats)
(P) 7-12 3-18
(P) 3-20 1-16 0-0
4-42 0-0 dnp (Q) 5-41 0-0 (Q) 0-0
@TB Atl @Sea Ind bye @Ten @Min Chi @NO Car Hou @Jac @Chi Det 21-30 24-27 27-17 34-14 week 16-19 27-28 37-3 29-51 31-35 21-24 16-20 17-20 31-21 14-27-165-3 25-37-313-1 21-30-208-0 21-28-186-0 22-41-314-1 15-26-142-0 23-30-227-1 23-41-248-3 29-45-298-1 19-30-295-1 20-32-278-1 24-39-260-1 21-31-308-0 2-8 2-4 6-23 3-8 2-11 1-1 1-1 8-36 5-26 1-4 5-22 2-(-6) 1-(-1) 25,48 44,25,4 (Q) 45,1/1(run) (P) 12 (P) 5 (P) (P) 3,5 (P) 7,4/10(run) 6,5,21 20,9 4 7,17 3,5,71 2-5-6-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 0-0-0-0 dnp 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 0-0-0-0 1-0 1-6 15-20 18-83 33-90 31-105 20-86 16-75 25-145 18-67 12-39 19-104 21-56 25-61 19-106 2-(-4) 2-12 1-6 3-19 1-8 3-32 3-20 3-23 11 1 4 6 (P) 17(rec) 1-0 2-11 dnp 0-0 1-3 0-0 10-50 2-5 11-80 0-0 1-6 dnp dnp 2-21 5-12 6-37 4-30 2-18 1-5 1-13 1-6 2-6 1-1 (P) (P) (Q) (D) 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-3 1-2 0-0 2-4 2-1 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 1-1 1-2 1-13 1-5 1(rec) 1 (P) 5(rec) dnp dnp 0-0 0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 0-0 1-4 7-106 1-7 1-7 1-16 (Q) (D) (Q) 73 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp (D) (D) (Q) 6-109 4-87 5-84 3-32 3-79 3-37 5-64 8-101 8-91 2-74 3-22 6-38 5-101 25,48 25 45 3 7 21 (P) 4 7 1-8 3-68 6-53 4-35 7-136 5-46 4-60 4-43 5-83 3-75 5-65 6-63 6-111 1-6 1-(-2) 44 5 (P) 6 71 4-31 1-14 4-42 2-19 2-34 2-17 1-19 3-21 2-28 3-25 1-9 2-27 1-9 (Q) 9 dnp 1-9 dnp dnp dnp 1-5 2-26 dnp 2-12 2-20 4-132 2-27 2-14 (D) (P) (Q) (D) (Q) (P) 0-0 3-31 0-0 1-17 0-0 0-0 dnp 2-14 4-32 2-17 1-9 1-16 0-0 4 1-6 4-25 2-9 2-23 3-22 1-6 6-33 1-8 4-37 3-48 2-8 0-0 0-0 4 12 5 5 20 0-0 4-67 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-13 2-10 1-29 0-0 1-22 0-0 1-14 0-0 (P) (P) 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-6 0-0 1-4 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 1-35 2-29 3
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Though the Packers were an average defense when measured by points and yardage, the unit forced 28 turnovers last season and scored nine combined defensive and special teams touchdowns. The big plays helped Green Bay to a Top 10 fantasy finish in the standard FBG scoring system. Surprisingly the Packers offseason began with the hiring of long-time, 3-4 zone blitz guru Dom Capers, which confirmed rumors that they would be changing to a 3-4. They then spent the off-season shuffling personnel to fit the new scheme. Defensive end Aaron Kampman was moved to outside linebacker with OLB A.J. Hawk shifted inside alongside Nick Barnett. Green Bay then addressed two other critical needs in the draft by taking stud NT prospect B.J. Raji and versatile OLB prospect Clay Matthews, Jr. with their two first round draft picks. There are always growing pains with such a complete scheme change, but if Raji fulfills his promise and the defense can get enough pass rush from its new outside linebackers, the Packers could still finish among the Top 10 fantasy defenses. Smart owners should probably let someone else take the risk of drafting them highly.
2008 SEASON STATS
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HOUSTON T
EXANS
Starting QB: Matt Schaub joined the Texans in 2007, after having backed up Michael Vick in Atlanta during his first three NFL seasons. At 6’5 and 235 pounds, Schaub is blessed with terrific size, but that hasn’t translated into great durability. In his first two years with the Texans, Schaub has missed ten games (five each season) with an assortment of injuries (shoulder, head, knee). Schaub played admirably as a firstyear starter in 2007 and steadily improved in 2008 as he threw for more yards, more touchdowns, and led the team to more wins. The team traded away Sage Rosenfels during the offseason, leaving Schaub as the unquestioned starter. (Rosenfels had filled in quite capably for Schaub over the last two years, leading some fans to favor him as a candidate to start.) If Schaub can stay healthy for a whole 16-game season, he has the realistic potential to be a solid fantasy starter. Backup QB: Dan Orlovsky was the Lions’ most effective quarterback last season, although that’s not saying much. Orlovsky is eerily similar to Schaub – they have nearly identical builds, neither has tremendous arm strength or rushing abiliAndre Johnson ty, both have good intelligence and can be accurate when given time in the pocket. Orlovsky lacks the pocket presence of Schaub, but that may improve with the move out of Detroit. With Schaub an injury risk, Orlovsky could easily see playing time in Houston. The Texans would like him to be as effective off the bench as Sage Rosenfels had been. Alex Brink was the Texan’s seventhround draft choice a year ago; he was initially cut before being signed to the practice squad. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Steve Slaton Backups: Chris Brown, Ryan Moats, Jeremiah Johnson Fullback: Vonta Leach Starting RB: Steve Slaton, the team’s third-round draft pick a year ago, surpassed all realistic expectations, rushing for a franchise record 1,282 yards. He also set a franchise record (for RBs) by averaging 4.8 yards a carry. Slaton became the workhorse back for the Texans last year somewhat by default, and many expected the team to select a running back during this year’s draft to help share the workload in 2009. That didn’t happen, which means Slaton will again be called on to lead the Texans’ running game, and should get over 300 touches again if he can stay healthy. Slaton has excellent speed, and runs surprisingly tough inside for a smaller back. Backup RBs: Chris Brown was signed last offseason and probably would have gotten a fair amount of playing time, but a herniated disc forced him onto injured reserve before the season started. Injuries
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB TE TE
Player Name Dan Orlovsky Anthony Hill James Casey
Type Free Agent Draft Draft
2008 Team Detroit Lions College College
2009 Team Houston Texans Houston Texans Houston Texans
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB RB RB RB TE WR
Player Name Sage Rosenfels Ahman Green Cecil Sapp Darius Walker Mark Bruener Tim Carter
Type Trade Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Houston Texans Houston Texans Houston Texans Houston Texans Houston Texans Houston Texans
2009 Team Minnesota Vikings Free Agent Free Agent Denver Broncos Free Agent St. Louis Rams
have been a constant theme in Brown’s career. In his five seasons with the Tennessee Titans, only once did he play in more than 12 games. Brown is a talented runner with excellent quickness for his size, but his upright running style may have contributed to his plentiful injuries. Brown has averaged 4.3 yards per carry on his career, and the Texans should be able to use him in both the running game and passing game as long as he is available. Ryan Moats was drafted by the Eagles in 2005 and showed flashes of talent as a rookie, but saw his playing time limited in 2006 before he missed the entire 2007 season with a broken ankle. He spent parts of 2008 on the practice squads of both the Cardinals and the Texans before being called up to the Texans’ active roster in the second half of the season. He was only moderately effective as Slaton’s backup. Fullback: Vonta Leach is a lead blocker and nothing more. He has no discernible fantasy value. WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter Backups: David Anderson, Andre Davis, Jacoby Jones Starting WRs: Andre Johnson had generally been a solid fantasy receiver since he came into the league in 2003, but he has really blossomed since Matt Schaub took over the QB position from David Carr. Johnson’s 2007 season was cut short, but in just nine games he caught 60 passes for 851 yards. In 2008 he proved it wasn’t a fluke: in 16 games he caught 115 passes for a league-best 1,575 yards, and finished as the No. 2 fantasy WR. Johnson has an outstanding combination of size, speed, and hands. He also runs good patterns and can gain yards after the catch. If there’s a knock on him from a fantasy standpoint, it’s that he doesn’t catch enough touchdowns. He hasn’t yet sniffed double digits in that category, but when the catches and yards are there, the touchdowns usually come. (Think: Torry Holt.) Lining up across from Johnson is Kevin Walter, who has also benefited from Matt Schaub’s arrival in town. Walter has caught 60+ passes for 800+ yards in each of the last two seasons. Despite putting up decent numbers in 2007 (mostly when Andre Johnson was missing from the lineup), Walter was drafted as a fantasy WR5 or WR6 at best last season, but far surpassed even the most optimistic expectations as his 8 touchdown receptions (which tied him with Johnson) helped land him in the top 20 at his position. Backup WRs: Andre Davis, a former second-round pick by the Browns, is a speed-receiver who has made some big plays (including a 99-yard touchdown reception in 2004) but has been inconsistent throughout his career. Davis was productive during his first three years with the Browns, but a toe injury suffered in his third season may have slowed him for the next two, which he spent with the Patriots and Bills before coming to Houston. Davis has found a niche as a backup with the Texans, but has had some durability issues (including finger injuries in each of the last two seasons). David Anderson was a restricted free agent this offseason. The Broncos signed him to an offer sheet, but the Texans matched the offer, bringing him back to compete with Davis for the WR3 role. Jacoby Jones was the Texans’ third-round pick in 2007. The team hoped that he’d eventually challenge for a starting position, but so far his main contribution has been as a punt-returner. ICON SMI
HOUSTON TEXANS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Matt Schaub Backup: Dan Orlovsky
TIGHT ENDS Starter: Owen Daniels Backups: Anthony Hill [R], James Casey [R] Owen Daniels was a second-day draft pick in 2006. He started immediately, and has improved every season so far. He was the sixth-best fantasy TE a year ago and made his first trip to the Pro Bowl. Daniels is a
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by Maurile Tremblay better receiver than he is a blocker, but for fantasy purposes, receiving is all that matters. The Texans spent two draft picks on tight ends this season, grabbing Anthony Hill in the fourth round and James Casey in the fifth. Hill is a high-upside player with excellent size and receiving skills. He has had a variety of injuries over the course of his college career, including a knee injury that kept him sidelined for nearly all of 2007. So staying healthy may be a challenge for him. Casey is similar to Daniels in his physical traits. He is a versatile player who can line up in the backfield as well as at TE or H-back. He should be active on Sundays as a rookie due to his utility on special teams. PLACE KICKER PK: Kris Brown During his first five years in Houston, Kris Brown hit 70.8 percent, 81.8 percent, 70.8 percent, 76.5 percent, and 76.0 percent on field goals. His numbers have improved the last two years. In 2007 he made 86.2 pecent (26 of 29) and last year he hit a career best 87.9 percent (29 of 33). Brown has the range to hit longer field goals. Over the last two years he is 7 of 8 from 50+ yards, including a long of 57 yards. His kickoffs have also improved in recent years. He has averaged 64 yards and 10 touchbacks a year over the last five years. Both Brown and the offense have improved the last two years, and the Texans subsequently ranked 14th and 12th in kicker scoring. The pieces are still in place to replicate the last two years and possibly improve in 2009.
Since their inception the Texans have struggled to get over the hump defensively. Last season saw them again finish in the bottom half of the league in every important category. The numbers weren’t good in 2008 but the club did find players to fill some holes. With all the offseason attention to the defense, 2009 could be the turning point. Former first-round picks DE Mario Williams, DT Travis Johnson and DT Amobi Okoye will be joined by free agent upgrade DE Antonio Smith and talented rookie pass rusher Connor Barwin to boost a pass rush that totaled only 25 sacks a year ago. Stud MLB
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Matt Schaub 380 251 3043 15 10 31 68 2 Sage Rosenfels 174 116 1431 6 10 11 37 0 Running Back Steve Slaton Ahman Green Ryan Moats Chris Taylor Vonta Leach
Rush 268 74 26 14 1
Yards 1282 294 94 37 1
Wide Receiver Andre Johnson Kevin Walter David Anderson Andre Davis Jacoby Jones
Rec Yards TDs 115 1575 8 60 899 8 19 241 2 13 213 0 3 81 0
Tight End Owen Daniels Joel Dreessen
Rec Yards TDs 70 862 2 11 77 0
TDs 9 3 1 0 1
Rec 50 11 3 0 12
Yards 377 32 14 0 103
TDs 1 0 0 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 22.9 17th Yds 382.1 3rd P-Yds 266.7 4th R-Yds 115.4 13th
DeMeco Ryans will be joined by arguably the most talented OLB in this year’s draft, first-round pick Brian Cushing, to help improve the 23rd rated run defense and provide more big plays. Houston had some youngsters step up for them down the stretch last year as well. Second year players Xavier Adibi at OLB, safety Dominique Barber and corner Antwan Molden are all expected to start or make a significant contribution this year. And finally the resigning of Eugene Wilson upgrades and solidifies the safety position. We can expect considerable improvement from this group and possibly even a Top 12 fantasy finish.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Houston
@Pit 17-38 QB Schaub 25-33-202-2 (rush stats) 2-4 14/4(run) QB Rosenfels dnp (rush stats)
bye @Ten @Jac week 12-31 27-30 17-37-188-3 29-40-307-0 3-12 5-24 30,5,8 dnp dnp
Ind 27-31 dnp
-
18-116 4-8 6 dnp
10-33 8-83 30(rec) dnp
21-33-246-1 4-16 5 16-93 1-3 1,1 12-47
-
(D) dnp
(Q) dnp
dnp
RB Slaton (rec stats)
13-43 3-6
-
RB Green (rec stats)
5-28 4-3
RB Moats (rec stats)
dnp
RB Taylor
0-0
-
6-15
8-22
RB Leach (rec stats)
0-0 1-5
-
0-0 1-5
0-0 1-4
dnp (O) 0-0 1-8
WR Johnson
10-112
-
2-29
3-38
WR Walter (rush stats)
3-41
-
4-15 1-3
8-76
9-131 5 2-36
WR Anderson
14 1-2
-
0-0
5,8 (P) 0-0
1-4
WR Davis
0-0
-
2-60
1-14
1-6
WR Jones (rush stats) TE Daniels
0-0
-
0-0
1-5
0-0
3-33
-
4-71
7-87
5-47
TE Dreessen TE Bruener
0-0 0-0
-
0-0 dnp (O)
0-0 dnp (O)
1-11 dnp (O)
Mia Det Cin @Min Bal @Ind @Cle Jac @GB Ten @Oak Chi 29-28 28-21 35-6 21-28 13-41 27-33 16-6 30-17 24-21 13-12 16-27 31-24 22-42-379-2 26-31-267-0 24-28-280-0 11-16-139-1 dnp dnp dnp dnp 28-42-414-1 23-39-284-0 19-36-255-1 27-36-328-0 4-15 2-1 4-(-2) 1-0 4-7 2-10 4-(-3) 12/3(run) 2,1 6,7,39 (O) (O) (O) (Q) 58,11 (P) 13 43,3 dnp dnp dnp 21-29-224-1 23-38-294-4 13-18-192-1 24-32-275-2 14-24-200-1 dnp dnp dnp dnp 1-15 2-4 2-0 2-2 3,14 60 17 31 15-58 17-80 15-53 16-62 4-7 14-156 21-73 21-130 26-120 24-100 18-66 20-92 1-3 3-9 2-13 8-56 2-17 2-52 3-40 3-15 5-36 5-36 1 20 71 (P) 7,40 (P) 2 8-41 14-62 9-41 dnp 4-19 9-17 13-39 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 1-2 1-3 1-5 2-4 1-7 1-8 1 (P) (Q) (P) 1,2 dnp dnp 3-17 0-0 7-34 0-0 0-0 2-(-1) 2-6 dnp dnp 12-38 3-14 (P) 2 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp (O) (O) 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-1 0-0 1-9 1-9 1-9 3-48 1-3 1-3 1 10-178 11-141 11-143 4-62 7-66 4-55 10-116 7-75 4-55 11-207 2-19 10-148 12 14 31 11 13 43,3 4-98 3-27 5-70 4-47 4-85 3-79 7-93 2-38 6-146 2-8 2-17 1-23 1-7 1-13 7,39 (P) 60 (P) 17 58 0-0 0-0 2-28 2-12 4-46 2-26 1-11 0-0 3-34 1-4 1-65 1-9 6 3 (P) 2-28 1-15 dnp dnp dnp dnp 1-10 0-0 2-22 0-0 0-0 3-58 (O) (O) (O) (D) (P) 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-31 1-45 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-(-5) (P) 4-70 6-66 3-21 11-133 1-13 1-14 3-28 2-25 6-65 4-41 7-111 3-37 2,1 0-0 1-6 0-0 1-13 1-9 2-11 0-0 1-10 1-4 2-9 1-4 0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 0-0 (O) (P)
HOUSTON TEXANS
TEAM DEFENSE
2008 SEASON STATS
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INDIANAPOLIS C
OLTS
Starting QB: An 11-year veteran, Peyton Manning has thrown at least 26 touchdowns every season he’s been in the league and over 4,000 yards in all but two seasons (one of which was his rookie year). Manning is as dependable as they come: he has started 176 consecutive games, and has missed only one snap due to injury in his career. He started slow last season while recovering from a July knee operation, but he played through it and finished strong. While Manning has all the physical tools, his best attribute is his intelligence. The proverbial coach on the field, he is quick to recognize and dissect any look a defense can give him, and he gets the ball to his receivers on time. Backup QBs: Jim Sorgi was the Colts’ sixth-round draft pick in 2004. The bulk of his playing time has come at the very end of the regular season (in 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008) after the Colts had locked up their playoff seed. While Sorgi has been an adequate (if unneeded) backup to Peyton Manning, the Colts drafted Curtis Painter in the sixth round this year to compete with Sorgi. Painter has good size, a strong arm, and solid mechanics, but he is not much of a threat to run the ball. It may take him a few years before he develops the consistency, accuracy, and touch to beat out Sorgi for the number two job, but he has the long-term potential to do so (and possibly become the heir apparent to Manning).
RUNNING BACKS Starter: Joseph Addai Backups: Donald Brown [R], Mike Hart, Lance Ball, Chad Simpson Starting RB: Joseph Addai is a complete player who excels as both a runner and a receiver. He is also a willing and competent blocker. The Colts have not used Addai the way they used to use Edgerrin James; they have limited Addai to fewer than 265 carries each season while using a rotation of RBs to split the workload. Despite the effort to keep Addai fresh, he missed four games with injuries last season and may never have been at full strength. As a result, the running game suffered; the Colts averaged only 3.4 yards per carry last season as a team (their worst since 1996). Reggie Wayne The Colts let Dominic Rhodes go this offseason, but that doesn’t mean that Addai’s share of the workload will increase. First-round pick Donald Brown is expected to fill Rhodes’ role (at a minimum), so Addai should be considered a member of a rotation, not a workhorse stud. Backup RBs: The Colts spent their first-round pick this year on RB Donald Brown out of Connecticut. Brown and Addai should give the Colts a strong one-two punch out of the backfield. Like Addai, Brown is a well-rounded back who can run inside or outside, and is also a fine receiver. Brown is also an intelligent player who should pick up the Colts’ offense quickly. While Addai is probably the favor-
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB WR
Player Name Curtis Painter Donald Brown Austin Collie
Type Draft Draft Draft
2008 Team College College College
2009 Team Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos Player Name RB Dominic Rhodes WR Marvin Harrison
Type Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Indianapolis Colts Indianapolis Colts
2009 Team Buffalo Bills Free Agent
ite to get the majority of the carries this season, that’s not set in stone. Brown is a tougher north-south runner than Addai, and could get progressively more reps throughout the season. Competing for the third RB spot will be Mike Hart, Lance Ball, and Chad Simpson. Hart tore an ACL last season. The team expects him to be full-go during training camp, but it sometimes takes longer than that for a running back to get up to full speed. If he is healthy, Hart might have a role as the Colts’ goal-line back. The Colts like both Ball and Simpson, but the roster is too deep at RB for them to expect much playing time. WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez Backups: Austin Collie [R], Roy Hall, Pierre Garcon Starting WRs: With Marvin Harrison gone, Reggie Wayne is now the veteran leader of the Colts’ WR corps. Wayne has been the Colts’ leading receiver over the past two years, and should get 130+ targets again in 2009. While he lacks top-end speed, Wayne is an exceptional route-runner with good hands and, most importantly, the complete confidence of Peyton Manning. Wayne caught only six touchdowns last season, which dropped him to No. 14 in the fantasy WR standings after two consecutive seasons in the Top 5. But the eight-year veteran has proven his ability to put up big numbers in the Colts’ offense, so a bounce-back season is expected. Across from Wayne will be Anthony Gonzalez, entering his third year. Gonzalez started ten games as a rookie in 2007, when Marvin Harrison was out of the lineup, and had a number of solid outings, including two 100-yard games. In 2008 Gonzalez played out of the slot and became a trusted target on third downs. (On third and fourth downs last season, Gonzalez caught 26 of the 33 balls intended for him – a remarkable 79% catch rate – for 364 yards and three touchdowns.) Gonzalez has excellent quickness and hands and, like Wayne, is a dependable route-runner. Backup WRs: Austin Collie was the Colts’ fourth-round draft pick this season. He has good height and was super productive at BYU, averaging 118 receiving yards per game in 2008. Collie will compete for reps out of the slot position for the Colts. Roy Hall, the Colts’ fifth-round pick in 2007, has an outstanding size-speed combination, but at this point he’s all potential. He’s been set back by injuries during his first two years in the league and has only one career reception. But at 6’2, 229, he makes an enticing redzone target. Pierre Garcon was the Colts’ sixth-round draft pick last season. He is a speedy player who will compete for playing time in the slot, but probably has a better chance at seeing action returning kicks and punts. ICON SMI
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Peyton Manning Backups: Jim Sorgi, Curtis Painter [R]
TIGHT ENDS Starter: Dallas Clark Backups: Jacob Tamme, Gijon Robinson Drafted in 2003, Dallas Clark shared TE duties with Marcus Pollard in his first two seasons before taking over as the starter in 2005. After being slowed by injury in 2006, Clark had somewhat of a breakout season in 2007, catching 58 passes for 616 yards and 11 touchdowns, finishing as the No. 5 fantasy tight end – his first season in the top ten. He then outdid his 2007 performance in 2008, catching 77 passes for 848 yards and finishing as the No. 3 fantasy tight end. Jacob Tamme was the team’s fourth-round draft pick last season; he is a much better receiver than blocker, but saw very little playing time as a rookie. Gijon Robinson spent the 2007 season on the Colts’ practice squad, but was called up to active duty last season. Used as
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by Maurile Tremblay an H-back, Robinson saw action in nearly every game last season and played fairly well, albeit in limited duty.
2008 SEASON STATS
PLACE KICKER PK: Adam Vinatieri
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Peyton Manning 555 371 4002 27 12 20 21 1 Jim Sorgi 30 22 178 0 0 5 8 0
During his first year with the Colts in 2006, Adam Vinatieri went 25 of 28 (89.3 percent) on field goals, for the second highest percentage of his career. In 2007 he made 23 of 29 (79.3 percent) for his second worst percentage of this decade. Last year wasn’t much better at 80.0 percent (20 of 25). Nonetheless, Vinatieri kept his streak alive of scoring at least 100 points every year. It didn’t look promising after he had only 37 points in the first half of the season, but he had 66 points in the second half. The last time the Colts failed to score 100 kicking points was way back in 1994. During that stretch they have scored as many as 157 in a year. Cary Blanchard, Mike Vanderjagt, and now Vinatieri have benefited from a steady supply of scoring opportunities. After ten years in the league, Vinatieri’s career averages are 82.1 percent on field goals and 114.6 points scored per year. TEAM DEFENSE
Rush 155 152 15 10 2
Yards 544 538 45 31 9
TDs 5 6 1 0 0
Wide Receiver Rec Yards TDs Reggie Wayne 82 1145 6 Marvin Harrison 60 636 5 Anthony Gonzalez 57 664 4 Pierre Garcon 4 23 0 Roy Hall 1 9 0 Tight End Dallas Clark Gijon Robinson Tom Santi Jacob Tamme
Rec 25 45 3 4 1
Yards 206 302 30 54 18
TDs 2 3 0 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 23.6 13th Yds 335.5 15th P-Yds 255.9 5th R-Yds 79.6 31st
Rec Yards TDs 77 848 6 19 166 0 10 64 1 3 12 0
the Colts to finish among the Top 12 fantasy defenses last year, but they lacked consistency. They seem destined for a similar finish in 2009.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Indianapolis QB Manning (rush stats) QB Sorgi (rush stats) RB Addai (rec stats)
Chi @Min Jac bye @Hou Bal @GB @Ten NE 13-29 18-15 21-23 week 31-27 31-3 14-34 21-31 18-15 30-49-257-0 26-42-311-2 15-29-216-2 25-34-247-1 19-28-271-0 21-42-229-2 26-41-223-2 21-29-254-0 2-0 1-12 4-8 2-(-2) 1-(-1) 1-1 6 (P) 32 4 7,5 67,22,5 10,19/1(run) 12,9 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 12-44 1-3
15-20 2-13
16-78 1-10 3,2 2-24
RB Rhodes (rec stats)
2-2 4-30
2-5 2-8
RB Simpson (rec stats)
dnp
RB Davenport (rec stats) RB Hart (rec stats) WR Wayne
dnp
dnp
-
(Q) 17-70 8-39
1 dnp
(D) 20-73 4-41 3,1 2-1
dnp
dnp
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
-
1-3
dnp
0-0
0-0
1-2
1-7
0-0
0-0
-
0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
3-74
-
2-24
3-29
-
2-11
1-12
5-65 (Q) 4-50
6-114 65 3-37
9-137
4-40 4 2-37
7-97 5 4-32
-
1-3
5-72
4-27
0-0
-
0-0
0-0
0-0
4-55 12,9 0-0
4-26
0-0
1-2 1-18 8-118 22 3-83 67,5 4-33 (Q) 0-0
WR Harrison
10-86 6 8-76
5-93 32 1-16
WR Gonzalez
5-48
WR Garcon
TE Clark
dnp (Q) 0-0 (Q) 1-8
dnp (O) 4-47
-
dnp (O) 5-81
dnp (O) 2-17
dnp (O) 8-81
0-0
-
2-8
1-2
TE Santi
dnp
5-29
1-8
-
0-0
0-0
TE Tamme
1-6
dnp (O)
dnp (O)
-
4-27 7 dnp
dnp (D) 0-0
dnp (D) 7-94 10,19 0-0
dnp (O) 4-63
0-0
dnp (O) dnp (Q) 2-15
TE Robinson
0-0
0-0
WR Hall
-
17-71 1-3 1 1-0 1-(-4)
2-3
25-73
4-23 2-24
dnp (Q)
17-32 2-10 (Q) 4-15 1-7 (Q) 0-0
@Pit Hou @SD @Cle Cin Det @Jac Ten 24-20 33-27 23-20 10-6 35-3 31-21 31-24 23-0 21-40-240-0 30-46-320-0 32-44-255-1 15-21-125-2 26-32-277-0 28-37-318-0 29-34-364-0 7-7-95-0 2-1 3-(-2) 2-3 2-1 65,2,17 23,10 13,1 5,2,4 3 41,10,1 55 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 22-30-178-0 (P) 5-8 12-34 22-105 16-70 15-57 10-26 dnp dnp 1-4 2-13 4-48 7-31 1-6 2-14 2-55 7/23(rec) (Q) (Q) (Q) 55(rec) 7-28 10-48 7-21 11-35 10-31 20-86 14-27 dnp 2-24 3-26 5-21 2-6 3-12 4-30 6-62 17(rec) 1(rec) 17 1,1 10(rec) (O) 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 7-17 2-4 0-0 1-6 2 (Q) (Q) (Q) dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 0-0 dnp 8-26 (Q) 4-54 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 7-90 (Q) 9-77 10 2-35 (Q) 0-0
2-34
4-46
5-48
7-104
6-44
3-27
2-22
6-95 13 0-0
2-13 0-0
3-78 5 3-27 2 (Q) 0-0
dnp (Q) 5-44
dnp (O) 6-30
dnp 2-24
1-4
dnp (Q) 3-24 2 0-0
0-0
0-0
dnp (Q) 0-0
dnp (P) 0-0
dnp (Q) 0-0
1-2
1-6
7-108 41 dnp (O) 4-38
1-12
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
The Colts finished 2008 with the seven rated scoring defense and were No. 6 against the pass. On the other side of that coin was their 24th ranked run defense and middle of the pack numbers in sacks and takeaways. They addressed the rush defense by adding a pair of 300+ pound tackles in the draft. Second-round pick Fili Moala is a high motor guy capable of dominating between the tackles. He should challenge for a starting job or at least see time in the rotation right away. Fourth rounder Terrence Taylor is a fireplug who will likely contribute on short yardage. The other change aimed at stopping the run will be the insertion of 240-pound second-year pro Phillip Wheeler at SLB. Beyond Moala, Wheeler and the return from injury of corner Marlin Jackson, the lineup remains the same. Four defensive scores helped
Running Back Joseph Addai Dominic Rhodes Chad Simpson Najeh Davenport Mike Hart
1-15 7-31
0-0
3-21
dnp
dnp (Q) 0-0
0-0
1-9
12-142 3 1-8
8-105 1 (Q) 4-51
6-59
1-3
4-29 4 6-69
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
2-6
1-6
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JACKSONVILLE J
AGUARS
Starting QB: David Garrard began his career in Jacksonville spending his first four years as a backup (first to Mark Brunell, then to Byron Leftwich) before he started the majority of the 2006 season when Leftwich was injured. The Jaguars decided – just before the start of the season – to go with Garrard as the starter in 2007, and he rewarded them with an 11-5 season and a playoff win over the Steelers. In 2008, disaster struck along the offensive line (four of the team’s five starters were lost by the conclusion of the first game) and the team regressed to 5-11. In a season in which nearly everything that could have gone wrong did, Garrard was still the #11 fantasy QB, throwing for 3620 yards and 15 touchdowns. With a rejuvenated offensive line, and a new go-to receiver in Torry Holt, Garrard should be able to improve on last year’s numbers. He has a great temperament for a QB, a quick release, good mobility, and enough NFL experience to be comfortable in any situation. Backup QBs: Cleo Lemon has been in the league for six years, mostly as a backup, but he did start seven games for the Dolphins in 2007. David Garrard That season went poorly for the Dolphins and for Lemon, although he did have a 300+ yard game against Baltimore. Lemon saw almost no playing time with the Jaguars last year since Garrard stayed healthy. Lemon is a mobile quarterback with a strong arm, but lacks accuracy and good decision-making under fire. Many observers thought that Todd Bouman outperformed Lemon in last year’s training camp, but the Jaguars stuck with Lemon as their backup (while Bouman landed in Baltimore backing up Joe Flacco and Troy Smith). The Jaguars have brought Bouman back to compete with Lemon once again in this year’s training camp. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Maurice Jones-Drew Backups: Rashad Jennings [R], Chauncey Washington, Alvin Pearman Fullbacks: Greg Jones, Montell Owens Starting RB: Maurice Jones-Drew split time with Fred Taylor in each of his three seasons with the Jaguars so far, and he has never carried the ball more than 200 times in a season. With Taylor headed to New England, Jones-Drew’s workload should increase in 2009. He is a quick runner with exceptional balance and surprising power and toughness. He is also an excellent receiver out of the backfield
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB TE WR WR WR WR
Player Name Todd Bouman Rashad Jennings Zach Miller Jarett Dillard Mike Thomas Tiquan Underwood Torry Holt
Type Free Agent Draft Draft Draft Draft Draft Free Agent
2008 Team Baltimore Ravens College College College College College St. Louis Rams
2009 Team Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos RB TE WR WR WR
Player Name Fred Taylor George Wrighster Jerry Porter Matt Jones Reggie Williams
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville Jaguars
2009 Team New England Patriots New York Giants Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
and can handle blitzing linebackers in pass protection. Jones-Drew averaged 5.7 and 4.6 yards per carry his first two years in the league. Even running behind a completely dismantled offensive line last year, he still averaged over four yards a carry. Throughout his NFL career, Jones-Drew has had a knack for making big plays. He’s scored 38 touchdowns from scrimmage in three seasons. With a revamped OL in 2009 and the backfield more to himself, Jones-Drew is primed for his best fantasy year yet. Backup RBs: Although many people figured Rashad Jennings to go somewhere between the second- and fifth-round in this year’s draft, the Jaguars were able to pick him up in the seventh. He was a two-time conference player of the year at Liberty. He’s a big back (6’1, 230 pounds) with good power, an effective stiff-arm, adequate speed, and outstanding college production (over 4,000 yards and 42 touchdowns). He could see a fair amount of playing time as a rookie since the Jaguars aren’t averse to using a rotation in the backfield to keep MJD fresh. Jennings will compete with Chauncey Washington for the number two role at RB. Washington was the Jaguars’ seventh-round pick last year. He is another back with good size (5’11, 224 pounds). He got a little playing time late last season but is mostly an unknown commodity at the NFL level. Fullbacks: Greg Jones has an outstanding size-speed combination and can play some tailback as well as fullback. He lost the 2006 season due to a knee injury and may not have completely regained his agility since then. Although Jones got only two carries last year, he is a better runner than most fullbacks and is a threat to score in goal-line situations. ICON SMI
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: David Garrard Backups: Cleo Lemon, Todd Bouman
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Torry Holt, Mike Walker Backups: Dennis Northcutt, Mike Thomas [R], Jarett Dillard [R], Troy Williamson Starting WRs: With Matt Jones and Reggie Williams gone, the Jaguars will have a new look at the WR position this year. Former Ram Torry Holt joins the team after 10 productive seasons in St. Louis. Holt has been remarkably durable throughout his career, having missed only two games in ten seasons. He’ll be 33 when the season starts, and last year marked his worst fantasy season as a pro. He caught 64 passes for 796 yards (the least since his rookie year) and just three touchdowns (the fewest in his career). Can a 33-year-old receiver bounce back to fantasy starting material? Initial indications out of the Jaguars’ first mini-camp are good, as Garrard and Holt have established some chemistry right away. Mike Walker is expected to occupy the other starting WR spot. Walker was the Jaguars’ thirdround draft pick in 2007, but missed his entire rookie season after suffering a knee injury in the final preseason game. He started to come on early in 2008, leading the Jaguars with 11 receptions in Weeks 4 and 5 combined. Week 5 marked his first 100-yard game, but a knee injury kept him out of the next four games and when he returned late in the season at less than 100 percent his impact was minimal. He heads into 2009 healthy, and could have a breakout fantasy season. Backup WRs: Dennis Northcutt was the Browns’ secondround draft pick in 2000, and signed with the Jaguars before the 2007 season. He’s been in the league nine years, but has never been a worthwhile fantasy starter (even in leagues that start three WRs). Northcutt has excellent speed and big-play ability, but his career with both the Brown and the Jaguars has been marred by bad drops in key situations. Northcutt will compete with Mike Walker for the starting job opposite Holt. Northcutt has the edge in experience, but he’ll have to develop greater consistency to beat out the more physically talented youngster. Mike Thomas was this year’s fourth-round draft pick – the
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by Maurile Tremblay first of three WRs selected by the Jaguars. He was a four-year starter at Arizona and finished as the Pac-10’s all-time leading receiver with 259 college receptions. Jarett Dillard was the team’s fifth-round pick; he is another four-year starter (at Rice) and holds the NCAA record with 60 college touchdown receptions. Troy Williamson was the seventh overall pick by the Vikings in 2005, but his on-field production has been disappointing. He has track star speed, so he could help the Jaguars if he improves his route-running and concentration. TIGHT ENDS Starter: Marcedes Lewis Backups: Greg Estandia, Richard Angulo Marcedes Lewis became a full-time starter in 2007 continued to improve in 2008. Lewis has great size and athletic ability. He was highly recruited as a basketball player coming out of high school, but chose football and set a few school records at UCLA. Lewis is a complete TE, competent as both a receiver and blocker, but he’s not outstanding in either category. So far, he has been a worthwhile fantasy backup at best. Greg Estandia and Richard Angulo are special teamers and blockers. PLACE KICKER PK: Josh Scobee
TEAM DEFENSE The Jaguars were supposed to make a lot of noise last season but
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs David Garrard 535 335 3620 15 13 73 322 2 Running Back Rush Maurice Jones-Drew 197 Fred Taylor 143 Greg Jones 2
Yards 824 556 13
Wide Receiver Matt Jones Dennis Northcutt Reggie Williams Mike Walker Jerry Porter Troy Williamson
Rec Yards TDs 65 761 2 44 545 2 37 364 3 16 217 0 11 181 1 5 30 1
Tight End Marcedes Lewis Greg Estandia
Rec Yards TDs 41 489 2 10 113 0
TDs 12 1 0
Rec 62 16 13
Yards 565 98 116
TDs 2 0 1
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 18.9 24th Yds 319.1 20th P-Yds 208.2 15th R-Yds 110.9 18th
were instead a huge disappointment. Much of the blame falls on a defense that was 21st in scoring, recorded only 29 sacks and the second lowest takeaway total in the league at 17. This on the heels of the club using first and second round picks on ends Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves who accounted for just seven sacks between them. The coaching staff must be convinced that these two will improve in their second year because the only help for the defense this offseason comes in the form of third-round picks Terrance Knighton at DT and Derek Cox at corner, and free agent Sean Considine at safety. Jacksonville really missed Marcus Stroud and they hope that Knighton can come close to replacing him. Justin Durant will move into the lineup at linebacker replacing Mike Peterson and Considine is projected to claim the starting job at SS. With no impact additions the pressure will be on this group to play much better in 2009.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Jacksonville
@Ten Buf @Ind 10-17 16-20 23-21 23-35-215-2 17-28-165-1 16-22-167-1 3-2 6-32 2-8 1 5-13 7-17 19-107 RB Jones-Drew (rec stats) 4-37 3-25 4-59 2 6 (P) RB Taylor 9-18 14-49 26-121 (rec stats) 1-9 1-5 2-9 (P) QB Garrard (rush stats)
RB Jones (rec stats) WR Jones
0-0 3-13 1(rec) 6-80
0-0
0-0 1-17 4-32
WR Northcutt (rush stats)
2-19
5-50 (P) 3-36
WR Williams (rush stats)
2-17
(P) 4-36
(P) dnp
Hou Pit @Den 30-27 21-26 24-17 23-32-236-0 18-32-200-0 25-34-276-0 7-41 4-12 8-7 16/5(run) 24 30 7-32 5-7 22-125 2-17 6-23 2-23 (P) 1 1,46 10-25 10-19 3-10 3-21 2-6 1-10 (P) 41 0-0 0-0 1-13 2-28 1-15 3-21
bye week -
-
-
-
5-71 16 dnp
2-25
7-69
-
dnp
3-42
-
1-11 1-0
4-46
0-0
4-21
-
0-0
1-8
5-46
6-107
-
dnp (O) 2-11
dnp (Q) dnp
dnp (Q) dnp
1-6 (P) dnp
0-0
dnp (O) 0-0
-
dnp
0-0
-
TE Lewis
3-29
(O) 1-13
(O) 2-21
(P) 0-0
TE Estandia
0-0 (P) 0-0
0-0 (P) 0-0
0-0 0-0
WR Walker WR Porter WR Williamson (rush stats)
TE Angulo
0-0
Cle @Cin @Det Ten Min @Hou @Chi GB Ind @Bal 17-23 19-21 38-14 14-24 12-30 17-30 10-23 20-16 24-31 7-27 25-42-283-0 23-38-229-1 18-25-238-0 13-30-135-1 27-45-317-2 25-35-287-1 19-38-178-1 21-33-238-0 28-41-329-1 14-25-127-2 7-59 6-23 2-10 3-16 5-11 5-10 3-11 5-31 3-9 4-40 5,8 7,10 8 18 (P) 4 30,14 28/2(run) 23 12-29 10-33 11-70 17-66 3-4 12-49 12-55 12-48 20-91 23-78 3-19 2-29 2-21 3-27 9-113 3-22 7-47 4-22 7-71 1-10 1 6,1,8 2,1 4(rec) 14(rec) (P) 8-24 5-12 18-80 12-58 6-20 9-67 13-53 dnp dnp dnp 1-0 1-17 1-2 1-7 1-6 1-6 (P) (P) (P) 4 2 (P) 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp 1-11 1-5 1-6 (Q) (P) 8-117 7-69 5-62 dnp 4-37 8-104 3-34 dnp dnp dnp 8 (Q) (P) 5-49 4-29 1-20 2-28 3-33 2-21 1-5 5-127 8-101 5-35 1-9 (P) 30 28 3-42 2-12 1-6 0-0 3-44 5-55 2-16 4-31 1-22 2-16 5 dnp (O) 0-0
(P) dnp (O) 2-38
2-15
8 0-0
18 dnp
dnp
0-0
1-18
1-23
2-24
1-14
2-39
1-27
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp (O) 0-0
dnp
0-0
dnp (P) 2-33 7 1-10
1-6 1-1
1-3
0-0
10 4-64
(O) 1-19
(O) 4-41
(Q) 2-37
4-43
2-7
6-55
1-0
0-0 (P) 0-0
4-36
0-0 (P) 2-24
1-9
3-64 30 2-26
-
3-34
4-38
0-0
1-24 24 0-0
-
0-0
1-14
0-0
0-0
2-28
0-0
1-1
0-0
0-0
-
1-5
0-0
0-0
1-14
0-0
dnp
2-15
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
After injuring his quadriceps before Week 1, Josh Scobee ended up playing in only eight games in 2007. In half a year’s work, he was 12 of 13 (92.3 percent ) on field goals and 26 of 27 on PATs, for the best numbers of his NFL career. The strong finish did not carry over into 2008. Last year Scobee made only 19 of 25 (76.0 percent) field goals, including three misses from under 40 yards. His biggest strength remains kickoffs, where he has averaged 65.2 yards on kickoffs, and had 11, 20, 21, 12, and 10 touchbacks. After four years near the bottom of the kicker scoring rankings, the Jaguars climbed to 15th in 2005 and then 6th in 2006. In 2007 they slipped back to 19th with Scobee and fill-in John Carney’s combined 109 points, and last year they dropped back down to the bottom at 29th.
2008 SEASON STATS
1-4
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KANSAS CITY C
HIEFS
Starting QB: Scott Pioli left New England to become the doeverything GM for the Kansas City Chiefs, and his first order of business was to get Matt Cassel in a trade. Cassel never started a game in college when he backed up Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. His pro career was following the same path, backing up Tom Brady for four years. He played poorly in the 2008 preseason but secured the No. 2 job and took over in Week 1 when Brady was lost for the season. Cassel struggled early as a starter, but each week he seemed to get better and better. The Patriots just missed the playoffs despite having an 11-5 record. Many thought a QB controversy was brewing when the Patriots put the franchise tag on Cassel. Instead, the Patriots dealt Cassel to the Chiefs for a second-round pick. Now the starting QB for Kansas City, there will be pressure for Cassel to duplicate his 2008 performance in New England. Backup QBs: Tyler Thigpen played surprisingly well for the Chiefs at times in 2008. While somewhat limited as a QB he was able to run Chan Gailey’s pistol offense very effectively. Dwayne Bowe He finished the season as the No. 12 fantasy QB and many thought he would start the season as the No. 1 QB for KC. When the Chiefs traded for Matt Cassel, it signaled the end of Thigpen’s starting days. However, he does have the athleticism and experience to be a quality backup. There was a time when Brodie Croyle was supposed to be the QB of the future in Kansas City. He has struggled to stay healthy during his three years with the Chiefs and has thrown only six TDs and eight INTs. With only Ingle Martin behind him on the depth chart, it appears that Croyle’s job as the No. 3 QB is safe for this year. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Larry Johnson Backups: Jamaal Charles, Kolby Smith, Javarris Williams [R], Jackie Battle, Dantrell Savage Fullback: Mike Cox Starting RB: Larry Johnson started the 2008 season on fire, highlighted by his 198-yard effort against Denver in Week 4. However, his season started to slide after that, and he missed several games due to injury in the middle of the season. He returned in limited duty at first but only scored two rushing TDs over the last half of the season. Earlier in the offseason there were reports of Larry Johnson demanding a trade.
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB TE TE TE WR WR WR
Player Name Matt Cassel Javarris Williams Jake O’Connell Sean P. Ryan Tony Curtis Quinten Lawrence Bobby Engram Terrance Copper
Type Trade Draft Draft Free Agent Free Agent Draft Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team New England Patriots College College San Francisco 49ers Free Agent College Seattle Seahawks Baltimore Ravens
2009 Team Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB TE TE WR
Player Name Damon Huard Tony Gonzalez John Paul Foschi Kevin Robinson
Type Free Agent Trade Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs
2009 Team San Francisco 49ers Atlanta Falcons Oakland Raiders Free Agent
Those talks have died down and it seems like LJ is going out of his way to make a positive impression on the new regime in Kansas City. He should be the lead back in a RBBC for the Chiefs in 2009. If he stays healthy he could be a Top 20 fantasy RB in the new system. Backup RBs: The new regime is expecting a lot from Jamaal Charles this season. Charles could play the Kevin Faulk role for this team and should get plenty of opportunities on passing downs. He is dangerous in space, and has the speed to take defenses by surprise. Kolby Smith has been an effective backup when healthy but presents little upside if pressed into duty. Javarris Williams is the powerful rookie from Tennessee State that the Chiefs drafted in the seventh round. He runs with a low pad level, has good field vision, and shows adequate patience when running the football. Jackie Battle is a tweener that can be used as a receiving back. Dantrell Savage was off and on the Chiefs roster in 2008 and will once again be on the roster bubble. Fullback: Mike Cox is a bruising lead blocker that can be used as an emergency receiver out of the backfield. His fantasy upside is limited as there are better options in the backfield.
ICON SMI
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Matt Cassel Backups: Tyler Thigpen, Brodie Croyle, Ingle Martin
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Dwayne Bowe, Mark Bradley Backups: Bobby Engram, Devard Darling, Jeff Webb, Terrance Copper, Taurus Johnson
Starting WRs: Dwayne Bowe likes to call himself “D-Show” and he could certainly put on a show in 2009. He will be asked to play the Randy Moss role in this new offense. Entering his third year, many inside the organization are expecting a breakout year from the big receiver. He’s gone from the No. 24 fantasy receiver in his rookie season to No. 16 last year. This could be the year that he breaks into the Top 15, and because he’s such a great option in the red zone, getting double-digit TDs isn’t out of the question. Mark Bradley surprised many around the league with his out-of-nowhere performance in 2008. He was certainly on the fantasy radar when he came out of Oklahoma, but injuries and inconsistencies plagued him during his time in Chicago. Signed by the Chiefs in Week 7, it didn’t take Bradley long to make an impact. In his second game with the Chiefs he caught five passes for 42 yards and one TD. With Dwayne Bowe drawing double teams consistently, Bradley should be able to exploit one-on-one coverage. The biggest question with Bradley is whether or not he can stay healthy for an entire season. Backup WRs: The Chiefs signed Bobby Engram to work out of the slot and perhaps be a starting receiver if Mark Bradley is injured or ineffective. Engram is getting up there in age, but is one of the hardest workers in football. A savvy route runner, Engram knows how to find the soft spot in a zone and should help KC keep drives alive with his sure hands. Devard Darling is a reclamation project of sorts since leaving Baltimore last year. He has deep-threat ability as evidenced by his 18.1 YPC in 2007. Jeff Webb was selected in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft but has yet to stay healthy and develop as a consistent WR. Terrance Copper has bounced around from Dallas, New Orleans, and Baltimore and now finds himself in KC. He will be in a fight for a roster spot with Priority Free Agent Taurus Johnson. Johnson is a raw speedster with natural talent and could develop into a solid backup receiver. TIGHT ENDS Starters: Brad Cottam Backups: Sean Ryan, Tony Curtis The Chiefs made plans for life without Tony Gonzalez when they picked Brad Cottam out of Tennessee in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. With Gonzalez now gone to Atlanta it will be time for
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by Cecil Lammey Cottam to shine. He is a big target at 6’7, 270 pounds and moves surprisingly well for such a big man. He does have good hands and can overpower defenders for the football. New Head Coach Todd Haley didn’t feature the TE in his offense in Arizona. In New England the TEs were asked to stay in and block more than go out for passes, so we’ll see if that holds true now that Scott Pioli is in Kansas City. Cottam is very talented but shouldn’t come anywhere near Tony Gonzalez’s stats from 2008. PLACE KICKER PK: Connor Barth, Ryan Succop
TEAM DEFENSE The Chiefs are yet another club in the process of converting to a 34 scheme. Just like all the others they will experience a learning curve and a period of personnel adjustment. One advantage they have is that their DL is set. Last year’s first-round pick Glenn Dorsey should fit very well at one DE and they used this year’s No. 1 on Tyson Jackson to play opposite him. The huge, 320+ pound run-stuffer Tank Tyler should be right at home at nose tackle. Unfortunately, that’s where the good fit ends. Tamba Hali will try to transition to OLB. He may be fine, but it will take time and there are no assurances. The Chiefs
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Tyler Thigpen 420 230 2608 18 12 62 386 3 Damon Huard 81 50 477 2 4 4 13 0 Brodie Croyle 29 20 151 0 0 0 0 0 Quinn Gray 8 7 76 1 0 1 27 0 Running Back Larry Johnson Jamaal Charles Kolby Smith Dantrell Savage Mike Cox
Rush 193 67 35 15 1
Yards 874 357 100 53 -2
Wide Receiver Dwayne Bowe Mark Bradley Devard Darling Will Franklin Jeff Webb
Rec Yards TDs 86 1022 7 30 380 3 17 247 1 7 83 0 5 46 0
Tight End Tony Gonzalez Brad Cottam
Rec Yards TDs 96 1058 10 7 63 0
TDs 5 0 1 0 0
Rec 12 27 10 2 8
Yards 74 272 52 0 19
TDs 0 1 0 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 18.2 26th Yds 308.7 24th P-Yds 195.6 20th R-Yds 113.1 16th
traded for Mike Vrabel to play the other OLB spot, but at 34 he is no more than a stopgap and an extra coach on the field. Derrick Johnson and Zach Thomas will man the ILB positions. Johnson may be fine here but Thomas tried to play ILB in a 3-4 last year in Dallas with less than stellar results. The Chiefs were hurting for talent on defense last year when they finished in the Bottom 4 against the run and pass, in yards and scoring. It may actually get worse before it gets better.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Kansas City QB Thigpen (rush stats) QB Huard (rush stats) QB Croyle
@NE 10-17 dnp
8-12-118-1 13 11-19-88-0
QB Gray (rush stats)
dnp
RB Johnson (rec stats)
22-74 1-12
RB Charles (rec stats)
5-28 2-6
Oak @Atl Den @Car 8-23 14-38 33-19 0-34 14-33-151-1 14-36-128-3 dnp 5-10-37-0 1-6 1-18 4-16 2 15 2-4-17-1 dnp 21-28-160-0 10-21-86-2 1-15 1-(-1) 1-(-1) 10 dnp dnp dnp dnp (O) (O) (O) (O) dnp dnp dnp dnp
12-22
24-121
3-7 1-15
1 7-38 3-24
28-198 5-0 1,16 2-7 2-1
7-2
4-18 4-22
bye Ten week 10-34 - 5-11-76-0 3-21 14(run) - 9-16-96-0 1-0
@NYJ TB 24-28 27-30 25-36-280-0 14-25-164-0 4-20 6-22 19,11 7 dnp dnp
@SD 19-20 27-41-266-0 2-26 30,34,3 dnp
NO Buf @Oak @Den SD Mia @Cin 20-30 31-54 20-13 17-24 21-22 31-38 6-16 19-38-235-1 17-31-240-2 15-22-162-1 17-32-187-0 19-28-171-1 20-41-320-3 19-36-191-0 3-45 3-29 11-48 6-34 10-40 6-57 2-4 6,5 36,2,45 13 1/3(run) 33,8/8(run) 5 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp
-
9-10-63-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
19-67 1-20
7-8-76-0 1-27 3 7-81 2-24
24-92
11-36
17-55 3-18
12-108
10-18
3-9
-
3-17 4-26
5-45 1-4
18-106 (P) 10-46
2 2-5 1-15
1-13 3-12
4-7
2 3-15 3-102
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
3-8
2-12
dnp
(P) dnp
2-22 3-45 36(rec) dnp
0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0
0-0 1-5 3-58 3 2-52 45 (P) 2-14
0-0 1-2 2-27
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
7-96
3-28
10-103
0-0 (Q) 1-2
dnp (O) 0-0
6-44 1 0-0 (Q) 2-27
4-57
2-21 2-14
RB Smith (rec stats)
dnp
1-3 4-19
1-7 1-8
2-9
0-0 1-5
-
10-20 2-5
11-15 2-15
RB Savage (rec stats) RB Cox (rec stats) WR Bowe
0-0
dnp
dnp
0-0
1-0
-
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
0-0
5-57
-
0-0 2-2 7-86
0-0 6-102
in Chicago
4-43 15 0-0
0-0 2-4 7-85
0-0
6-90
WR Bradley
0-0 2-6 5-49 13 in Chicago
dnp
dnp
-
1-8
2-29 7 4-65
WR Darling
1-68
1-10
1-11
0-0
1-9
-
1-11
WR Franklin
dnp (Q) 2-10 dnp
dnp
0-0
1-8
0-0
-
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-42
1-5
1-4
0-0
3-24
3-69 33 0-0
0-0 0-0 1-2 5-39 2 0-0
dnp 1-7
1-15 dnp
1-13 dnp
-
dnp dnp
dnp dnp
dnp dnp
dnp dnp
dnp dnp
dnp dnp
dnp dnp
1-8 dnp
dnp dnp
dnp dnp
dnp dnp
4-35
3-47 10 0-0
3-17
-
6-97
10-113 2 0-0
8-110
0-0
10-113 34,3 0-0
5-39
-
6-79 19 4-34
7-62
0-0
5-73 13 0-0
6-62 4 0-0
7-64 8 0-0
5-53 5 0-0
WR Webb WR Hagans (rush stats) TE Gonzalez
6-55
TE Cottam
0-0
0-0
5-42 11 1-4
1 2-9
0-0
1-8
12-44 2-0 1-(-2) 6-72 9-81 30 0-0
7-53 6,5 3-54 1-8
1-19
1-2
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
The incumbent Connor Barth and rookie Ryan Succop will battle for the kicking job. Barth narrowly lost out to Nick Novak last preseason, but was re-signed for the final 10 weeks after Novak struggled during the first six games. Barth went 10 of 12 (83.3 percent) on field goals and was perfect on 24 PATs. Ryan Succop had a strong career placekicking, punting, and kicking off at South Carolina, although an abdominal muscle tear affected his senior year numbers. He appeared to be fully recovered by year’s end, and the new coaching staff of the Chiefs thought enough of him to select him with the final pick in the draft. After some success during the Dick Vermeil years, Kansas City slipped to 16th in Herm Edwards first year in 2006, and then plummeted to 31st in 2007 and 32nd last year scoring only 79 points. Whoever wins the job may not be very busy.
2008 SEASON STATS
dnp
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MIAMI D
OLPHINS
Starting QB: Last season, many football fans believed that Chad Pennington would start the first half of the season until the Dolphins fell out of contention and then-rookie QB Chad Henne would get some playing time. A funny thing happened on the way to that scenario – Pennington enjoyed a phenomenal season in leading the Dolphins to a division title. Pennington’s arm may not be a cannon, but he proved in 2008 that he can make the difficult throw into coverage and that timing, rather than am strength can make a good deep ball. His ability to spread the ball around the field is secondto-none as seven players had at least 29 receptions on the season. He quickly became a team leader and should be cemented in that role for some time to come. Backup QBs: The Dolphins are wellstocked at the quarterback position. Second-year quarterback Chad Henne is the anointed future starting quarterback. He made a huge impression last season and if Pennington had not emerged, Henne may have received plenty of playing time last year. Henne is a smart, athletic kid with natural leadership ability. Finally, in this year’s Ronnie Brown draft, the Dolphins added an intriguing player in Pat White. With amazing athleticism and natural talent, White fits perfectly into the ‘Wildcat’ formation that the Dolphins utilized so well last year. He can run the ball as well as some NFL backs but also upgrades the passing option from that formation. White has enough talent to emerge as a legitimate starting quarterback but for now, expect plenty of wildcat looks for the rookie. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Ronnie Brown Backups: Ricky Williams, Patrick Cobbs Fullbacks: Lousaka Polite, Chris Brown Starting RB: Last season, Ronnie Brown rebounded nicely from his devastating 2007 injury, rushing for 916 yards on just 214 carries and had 10 rushing touchdowns. He led the ‘Wildcat’ formation that gained so much attention last year and did a great job for an overachieving football team. He still has yet to carry the ball more than 241 times in one season and has yet to show the durability necessary to carry the ball 20 times per game without wearing down. He has great size plus explosive quickness when healthy and his knee should be even stronger this season after exceeding expectations last year. Expect more of the same from Brown in 2009. Backup RBs: Make no mistake about it – Ricky Williams is not the player he once was. He is not going to come in and dominate football games as he did for the franchise when he was almost unstop-
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB TE WR WR
Player Name Pat White John Nalbone Brian Hartline Patrick Turner
Type Draft Draft Draft Draft
2008 Team College College College College
2009 Team Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins
pable in 2002. However, Williams brings a positive attitude to the team, works hard all the time and is more of a second starter than a backup to Ronnie Brown as he’ll get 10+ carries per game. He had eleven games with 10+ carries last year and did have a 100-yard game (and a 98-yard game). Patrick Cobbs is the change-of-pace running back and a threat in the passing game. He caught 19 passes for 275 yards last season. Fullbacks: Lousaka Polite did a good job for the Dolphins last year. He did have 23 carries for 85 yards but his job is to block, and he was solid in that role for the club. Chris Brown is a tight end/fullback project who is still developing. WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Ted Ginn, Greg Camarillo Backups: Davone Bess, WR Patrick Turner [R], Brian Hartline [R], Brandon London, Ernest Wilford Starting WRs: The weakness of the Dolphins offense is the lack of production coming from the receiver position. Ted Ginn is entering his third season. While he improved last year with 56 receptions for 790 yards, he appears to be miscast as a top receiver in the offense. He finished with only two receiving touchdowns, and his slender build is sometimes overmatched by defenders that are more physical. He also had two rushing touchdowns and will get plenty of looks this season. The second receiver position appears to be Greg Camarillo’s to lose right now. He is far from flashy but did catch 55 passes for the team a year ago and has decent size and quickness. His 11.1 YPR is a concern. Backup WRs: One of the better stories from Miami last year was the emergence of undrafted WR Davone Bess from the University of Hawaii. He was an unknown heading into the season, but his quickness and superb underneath route running proved invaluable, as he became the third/slot receiver and a favorite of Chad Pennington. His upside is likely limited (although the same thing was said about Wes Welker), but he’ll continue to get many receptions in key situations and with hard work could emerge as a very nice player. Two rookie receivers Patrick Turner and Brian Hartline will be in the hunt for playing time along with veterans Brandon London and Ernest Wilford, who was a huge disappointment last year. ICON SMI
MIAMI DOLPHINS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Chad Pennington Backups: Chad Henne, QB Pat White [R]
TIGHT ENDS Starter: Anthony Fasano Backup: David Martin, John Nalbone [R] The Dolphins found a player when the franchise traded for TE Anthony Fasano last year. He is a skilled receiving tight end who caught seven touchdowns for the club last year. His downfield blocking is better than advertised and he can get open down field. He finished with 34 receptions and a very strong 13.4 YPR average. At only 25, his best days are still ahead of him. Not to be outdone, veteran TE David Martin also had a strong season. He finished with 31 receptions and 450 yards and scored three times. His average of 14.5 yards per reception was very impressive. Nalbone looks good both as a blocker and a receiver, but he’ll be challenged to acclimate his game coming from the small-school competition encountered at Monmouth.
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST
PLACE KICKER PK: Dan Carpenter
Pos QB RB TE
During his senior season at Montana, Dan Carpenter made 19 of 23 (82.6 pecent) field goals, including 3 of 3 from 50+ yards. When the Dolphins signed him after the draft, Jay Feely and Dave Rayner
Player Name John Beck Boomer Grigsby Aaron Halterman
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins
2009 Team Baltimore Ravens Houston Texans Free Agent
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by Chris Smith were already on the roster. In the end, neither one of them was a Bill Parcells or Steve Hoffman guy. Both were eventually released. Carpenter made 21 of 25 (84.0 percent) field goals and was perfect on his 40 PATs last year. After ranking 23rd in kicker scoring in 2006, Miami dropped to 29th (89 points) during the Cam Cameron experiment of 2007. Carpenter’s 103 points last year brought the Dolphins back to 23rd in kicker scoring. They have not finished in the Top 10 since 2000. With everything in place from last year, it would be reasonable to see Carpenter’s totals improve, although the elusive top ten finish is probably further down the line. TEAM DEFENSE
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Chad Pennington 476 321 3653 19 7 30 62 1 Chad Henne 12 7 67 0 0 0 0 0 Running Back Ronnie Brown Ricky Williams Lousaka Polite Patrick Cobbs Casey Cramer
Rush 214 160 23 12 0
Yards 916 659 85 88 0
Wide Receiver Ted Ginn Greg Camarillo Davone Bess Derek Hagan Brandon London Ernest Wilford
Rec Yards TDs 56 790 2 55 613 2 54 554 1 3 51 0 3 30 0 3 25 0
Tight End Anthony Fasano David Martin Joey Haynos
Rec Yards TDs 34 454 7 31 440 3 2 22 1
TDs 10 4 0 1 0
Rec 33 29 6 19 2
Yards 254 219 24 275 3
TDs 0 1 0 2 1
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 21.6 21st Yds 345.6 12th P-Yds 227.0 10th R-Yds 118.6 11th
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Miami
NYJ @Ari @NE 14-20 10-31 38-13 QB Pennington 26-43-251-1 10-20-112-0 17-20-226-0 (rush stats) 1-6 5,11 QB Henne dnp 7-12-67-0 0-0-0-0 RB Brown 6-23 11-25 17-113 (rec stats) 3-28 2-19 1-9 1 2,15,5,62 RB Williams 10-24 11-28 16-98 (rec stats) 4-15 1-1 2-21
bye SD @Hou Bal Buf week 17-10 28-29 13-27 25-16 - 22-29-228-0 19-25-284-1 24-35-295-1 22-30-314-0 3-3 4-25 4-(-5) 17 53,80 7 2 dnp dnp dnp dnp 24-125 13-50 13-27 14-43 1-8 3-43 1-1 1-5 5 6 13-39 11-46 4-16 7-16 1-0 2-4 2-43 5 3 dnp dnp 0-0 1-3
RB Polite (rec stats) RB Cobbs (rec stats)
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0 1-9
0-0 1-5
3-5
-
0-0
RB Cramer (rec stats)
dnp
0-0
0-0
-
0-0
WR Ginn (rush stats)
2-17 1-2
1-9
5-49
-
7-55
WR Camarillo (rush stats)
3-37
4-49
4-60
-
WR Bess (rush stats)
1-8
2-13 1-13
1-4
WR Hagan WR London WR Wilford TE Fasano
0-0 0-0 dnp 8-84 5 4-53 11 dnp
3-51 dnp 0-0 0-0
TE Martin TE Haynos
0-0 3-138 53,80(rec) 0-0 1-1
1-3 5-64
0-0
dnp
dnp
1-(-1)
(O) 4-48
(O) 7-175
6-68
4-49
6-74
5-35 1-(-5)
-
17 3-25
1-10
2-12
2-13
-
dnp 0-0 0-0 3-47
dnp 0-0 dnp 1-12
7 dnp 0-0 dnp 2-25
3-32
0-0 dnp 1-15 3-66 19 1-21
-
1-25
3-31
dnp
dnp
-
dnp
dnp
@Den Sea Oak NE @StL @Buf SF @KC @NYJ 26-17 21-19 17-15 28-48 16-12 16-3 14-9 38-31 24-17 23-40-281-1 22-36-209-1 16-22-174-0 24-41-341-1 13-23-166-0 23-29-181-0 12-19-156-0 26-34-235-1 22-30-200-0 2-(-1) 2-1 1-7 2-3 3-15 3-0 3-4 2-(-2) 1-2 39 3,2,13/7(run) 20 61,19 11,14,14 27,20 dnp dnp dnp 0-0-0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 20-59 10-39 16-101 10-37 15-48 16-70 10-67 8-32 11-57 3-30 4-27 1-11 1-10 2-18 1-9 5-21 4-15 2 16 3 6-16 12-105 13-49 6-21 12-54 11-40 7-23 12-34 10-50 1-23 2-21 2-6 2-19 2-2 1-11 6-50 1-3 51 13(rec) 4 1-1 2-4 0-0 0-0 3-20 3-7 2-4 5-29 6-17 2-17 1-6 2-3 1-(-2) 0-0 0-0 3-23 1-1 2-12 0-0 0-0 2-44 0-0 1-14 2-10 3-16 1-5 2-14 10 dnp 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 dnp dnp dnp 1-2 (O) 2(rec) 3-38 4-67 4-51 5-88 4-55 1-18 2-6 4-44 2-71 2-42 1-(-2) 1-31 39 40(run) 31(run) 27 11-111 4-21 2-34 6-75 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 1-6 3 (O) 2-28 2-25 3-50 5-87 6-84 9-74 3-25 6-57 6-39
dnp 0-0 dnp 2-37
dnp 0-0 dnp 1-17
dnp 0-0 dnp 0-0
dnp 0-0 dnp 0-0
dnp 1-14 0-0 1-7
4-71
0-0 1-6 dnp 2-17 2 2-20
0-0
1-4
1-6
4-60
1-12
dnp 0-0 2-10 3-36 20 2-20
0-0
0-0
0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp 0-0 0-0 2-20 2-66 61 1-19 19
dnp 0-0 0-0 3-47 14,14 1-11 11 0-0
MIAMI DOLPHINS
The Dolphins were a huge surprise in 2008 and their defense was a big reason. The ninth-best scoring defense also had 40 sacks and 30 takeaways, landing them among the Top 10 fantasy units. The one weakness that showed up last season was at 25th-rated pass defense. The club addressed that shortcoming by adding three potentially new starters in the secondary. Free agency landed Gibril Wilson who is among the league’s best safeties, and Eric Green who was previously a starter in Arizona. They then further solidified the secondary in the draft by using their first round pick on corner Vontae Davis and a second on corner Sean Smith. Davis was arguably the top corner in this draft. He’s a fast, physical playmaker who has the ability to match up with an opponent’s best receiver. Wilson and Davis should step right into the starting lineup while Green will compete with holdover Will Allen at the other corner. A tougher schedule will make it difficult for the Dolphins to improve on last year’s numbers, but they have certainly addressed their needs and should remain very productive. The return of Jason Taylor will be a big plus.
2008 SEASON STATS
dnp 1-10 dnp 3-39 20 1-8 1-3
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MINNESOTA V
IKINGS
Starting QB: One of the most glaring shortcomings keeping the Vikings from a Super Bowl appearance last season was at the starting quarterback position. The Vikings made a bold move this off-season in trading for veteran Sage Rosenfels. The Vikings gave up a fourth-round pick to get him, and then signed him to a two-year, $9 million extension. This appears to be an upgrade for the team, but it is hard to look past the six touchdown passes and 10 interceptions from last season for Rosenfels in limited action. Also of concern is his lifetime TD to INT ratio of only 30 to 29. Still, he is a big, strong passer with decent mobility and has completed over 65 percent of his passes over the past few seasons. He does not have to win games most weeks for the Vikings, just not lose them and he should be just what the doctor ordered in Minnesota. Of course, despite his current stance of being retired, it seems more than likely that Brett Favre will soon be the starting QB in Minnesota. Adrian Peterson Backup QBs: It certainly appears that Tarvaris Jackson is destined to be the backup in Minnesota this season. He had a poor effort in the playoff game against Philadelphia and that likely sealed his fate for the 2009 campaign. However it should be pointed out that he is young and he did manage to toss nine touchdowns against just two interceptions in limited duty. He also had two good games to end the regular season in 2008, throwing for 230+ yards in both games against the Falcons and Giants. He is a talented kid, and it is too early to write him off completely. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Adrian Peterson Backups: Chester Taylor, Albert Young Fullback: Naufahu Tahi Starting RB: Adrian Peterson is a man amongst boys, literally in every sense of the word. He is almost unstoppable at times and only his take no prisoners approach can derail him due to injuries. Peterson rushed for 1,760 yards last season on 363 carries. At 6’2 and 217 pounds, he is a load to tackle in open space as he can run through a defender or around him with his exceptional agility. The only concern in regards to his game in 2008 was the nine fumbles. He will have to cut that number down, but Peterson is only 24 years old and still maturing as a player. Backup RBs: Peterson is one of those rare running backs that come one every few seasons, but the Vikings have a great backup as well. Chester Taylor is a quick, powerful running back in his own right. He is the perfect compliment to Adrian Peterson, spelling him
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB WR WR
Player Name Sage Rosenfels Percy Harvin Glenn Holt
Type Trade Draft Free Agent
2008 Team Houston Texans College Cincinnati Bengals
2009 Team Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos Player Name RB Maurice Hicks WR Robert Ferguson
Type Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings
2009 Team Free Agent Free Agent
when needed and capable of 20+ carries per game if called upon. He has caught 40+ passes in three of the last four seasons. He is a multifaceted running back that could start on a number of other teams around the NFL. Fullback: Naufahu Tahi is there to block for the talented running backs on the roster. He will do his job well. WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Bernard Berrian, Sidney Rice Backups: Percy Harvin [R], Bobby Wade, Aundrae Allison, Glen Holt Starting WRs: Bernard Berrian had a difficult season to breakdown in 2008. He only managed to catch 48 passes, which is a very low number for a WR1. However, he did average 20.1 yards per catch and scored seven times. Some of the blame for the low reception total likely falls on mediocre quarterback play, but the club needs him to improve that total this season. He may be miscast as a primary receiver but would be ideal as the WR2 in an offensive scheme. The other starting receiver currently is Sidney Rice, who caught four touchdowns last season. However, that is taking a ‘glass is half full’ approach to analyzing his season as he only managed to grab 15 total passes on the season with a horrible 9.4 yards per catch. Both veteran Bobby Wade and new rookie Percy Harvin will push for playing time and Rice could slide as low as fourth in the depth chart unless he improves. Backup WRs: The Vikings added a missing ingredient through the draft this year by selecting Percy Harvin in the first round. He has a first step that is second to none and his explosiveness will give defenses nightmares as they try and prepare for the power running attack only to be hit with blinding quickness from Harvin several times per game. He will carry the ball, catch screen passes and cause havoc all over the field. Great pick for the Vikings. He may beat out Sidney Rice for the WR2 position in order to have him on the field making plays more often. Bobby Wade had a productive season in 2008. His statistics were almost identical to his 2007 campaign (53 receptions for 645 yards and two touchdowns), and he will slot into the picture somewhere as well. The other receivers are simply role players who will have a minimal impact. ICON SMI
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Sage Rosenfels Backups: Tarvaris Jackson, John David Booty
TIGHT ENDS Starters: Visanthe Shiancoe Backups: Jim Kleinsasser, Garrett Mills Visanthe Shiancoe had a breakout season for the Vikings last year, setting career highs in receptions, yardage and touchdowns. He finished as the fifth-best fantasy tight end in 2008; his previous high had been 32nd. It is unlikely he will finish that high again in 2009, so expect him to slide back down the ladder this year. However, he is a big, strong target over the middle and it is possible he develops some chemistry with new quarterback Sage Rosenfels and has another solid campaign. Shiancoe is the clear-cut No. 1 tight end with veteran Jim Kleinsasser being nothing more than a blocking tight end at this point in his career. PLACE KICKERS PKs: Ryan Longwell, Taylor Mehlhaff In 1998, Gary Anderson scored an NFL record 164 points for the Vikings. In the nine subsequent years, they averaged only 99 kicking points a year. Last year Ryan Longwell scored 127 points, and the Vikings ranked seventh in kicker scoring for their first Top 10
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by Chris Smith appearance in a decade. Longwell has been relatively consistent since joining the Vikings, hitting 21 of 25 (84.0 percent) field goals in 2006, the 20 of 24 (83.3 percent) in 2007, and 29 of 34 (85.3 percent) last year. He has been perfect from under 40 yards each of the last three years, except for two kicks that were blocked last year. Longwell was at the bottom of the standings on kickoffs in 2006, so he spent the off-season working on them and rebounded the last two years. That makes the Vikings signing of Taylor Mehlhaff, as a potential kickoff specialist, seem a little odd. TEAM DEFENSE
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Gus Frerotte 301 178 2157 12 15 19 7 1 Tarvaris Jackson149 88 1056 9 2 26 139 0 Running Back Adrian Peterson Chester Taylor Naufahu Tahi Thomas Tapeh
Rush 363 101 0 0
Wide Receiver Bobby Wade Bernard Berrian Sidney Rice Aundrae Allison Robert Ferguson
Yards 1760 399 0 0
TDs 10 4 0 0
Rec Yards TDs 53 645 2 48 964 7 15 141 4 10 109 0 3 25 0
Rec 21 45 16 1
Yards 125 399 37 7
TDs 0 2 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 23.7 12th Yds 330.9 17th P-Yds 184.8 25th R-Yds 146.1 5th
Tight End Rec Yards TDs Visanthe Shiancoe 42 596 7 Jim Kleinsasser 6 92 0 Garrett Mills 5 65 0 Jeff Dugan 2 12 0
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Minnesota QB Frerotte (rush stats) QB Jackson (rush stats) RB Peterson (rec stats)
@GB 19-24 dnp
Ind 15-18 dnp
Car 20-10 16-28-204-1 4-(-2) 34 16-35-178-1 14-24-130-0 dnp 9-65 1-1 23 (P) (P) 19-103 29-160 17-77 1-11 4-20 3 (Q) 5-19 4-18 11-44 3-21 1-(-2) 3-22
@Ten 17-30 25-43-266-1 1-0 1-1-8-0
5-21 3-33
NYG 20-19 dnp
(D) (Q) (P) 11-17-163-0 22-36-233-0 16-26-239-1 3-3 8-76 1-(-4) 41,6,11,59 21,17 54 28-165 22-76 21-103 2-16 (P) 67 10-66 1-3 4-10 4-37 5-26 1-19 11(rec) 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-4 1-(-1) 2-4
0-0 2-(-2)
0-0 2-6
(Q) 0-0 2-9
0-0
0-0
RB Tapeh (rec stats) WR Wade
0-0 1-7 0-0
0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
3-42
3-35
7-75
8-64
4-71
5-60
-
3-16
3-24
2-19
4-98
0-0
3-79
5-78
6-110
6-81
-
2-104
0-0
4-122
3-29
2-18
4-81
WR Rice
2-31 23 0-0
0-0
1-6 (Q) 2-23
33 (Q) dnp (Q) 1-13
5-131 1-3 86 (Q) dnp (Q) 0-0
5 (Q) 0-0 (Q) 3-32
1-3 3 0-0
2-22
3-27
99 1-8
2-21
0-0
54 (Q) 1-9
-
49 1-8 8 (P) 0-0
1-(-1)
0-0
dnp
0-0
2-67 59 1-41 1-1 41 1-6 6 0-0
5-38
3-38
1-9 (Q) 1-6 2-22
1-15
WR Berrian (rush stats)
2-12 4 3-46
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
2-16
0-0
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
4-47
1-10
-
1-25 25 0-0
3-4
2-41
3-60
1-20
0-0
0-0
1-20
0-0
7-136 21,17 0-0
2-14
0-0
5-65 11 0-0
1-8
2-40 (P) 0-0
4-68 24 0-0 (P) 0-0
dnp (Q) 1-3
dnp (Q) 0-0
dnp
dnp
-
dnp (D) 0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp (Q) 0-0
1-6
dnp
dnp (Q) 0-0
0-0
0-0
1-9
2-37 1-1 0-0
3-8 2-14
TE Shiancoe
0-0 (P) 3-21
TE Kleinsasser
0-0
1-12
2-38 34 0-0
TE Mills
3-49
0-0
1-10
0-0
2-16 4 0-0 (Q) 0-0
TE Dugan
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0
1-23
1-15
-
Atl 17-24 dnp
0-0
WR Allison (rush stats) WR Ferguson
25-111 1-(-5)
@Min 35-14 dnp
RB Tahi (rec stats)
(P) dnp (Q) 1-5 (P) 1-9
21-32 1-9
Hou GB @TB @Jac Chi @Det 28-21 28-27 13-19 30-12 34-14 20-16 11-18-182-1 15-28-151-3 14-20-138-0 12-20-120-1 16-25-210-1 7-10-70-2 3-0 1-(-1) 2-3 5-2 1-1 8,49,25 3,47 4 99/1(run) dnp dnp dnp 0-0-0-0 dnp 8-10-105-0 2-(-1) 11 25-139 30-192 19-85 17-80 28-131 23-102 3-33 1-(-3) 2-(-1) 1-15 1 29 16 1 7-38 10-29 5-11 9-25 10-46 6-27 3-25 4-84 2-15 2-12 4-19 2-26 47(rec) 3 21 17 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-4 1-3 2-6 1-4
22-121 1-9 1,54 10-34 6-48 1 0-0
RB Taylor (rec stats)
18-80 4-21 28,3 (Q) 1-0
@NO Det @Chi bye 30-27 12-10 41-48 week 19-36-222-0 18-33-296-1 25-40-298-4 2-4 33 86 24,5 0-0-0-0 dnp dnp -
-
-
-
-
dnp
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
In 2008 the Vikings were again a Top 10 defense in any scoring system. They finished above average in scoring, yardage allowed, sacks and takeaways. DE Jared Allen and the DT tandem of Pat and Kevin Williams form three quarters of a line that is devastating against both run and pass. MLB E.J. Henderson returns after a season-ending foot injury. He was extremely productive in 2007, adding 5.5 sacks to his stout run support play. The unit’s only offseason departure was veteran safety Darren Sharper, and the Vikings were prepared for that as last year’s second-round pick Tyrell Johnson will step in. Role players like OLB Chad Greenway and FS Madieu Williams have the talent and instincts to generate big plays alongside the disruptive talent in the front seven. The Vikings unquestionably deserve consideration as the second or third DST off the board, but prospective owners will want to confirm that the ongoing court case against Pat and Kevin Williams ends favorably this summer before drafting them ahead of another top tier defense like Baltimore or the New York Giants.
2008 SEASON STATS
1-5
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NEW ENGLAND P
ATRIOTS
Starting QB: The Patriots’ 2008 season took a turn for the worst in their first game when Tom Brady tore his ACL and was lost for the season. Brady posted 50 TD passes the year before and led New England to a record-setting 589 points scored. With Brady shelved due to his knee injury, the Pats were forced to turn to a backup for an extended period for the first time in the Brady era. Matt Cassel answered the call and put up some impressive numbers later in the season. New England felt confident enough in Brady’s recovery and outlook for 2009 that they traded Cassel in the offseason. Brady will again be transitioning after the loss of another offensive coordinator, but that has not been much of an issue in the past. If Brady is healthy and returns to form, the Patriots have once again stocked the talent pool with a plethora of weapons and an intricate playbook to utilize them. With Brady out of the picture last year, the Pats relied on the run more than they did in season’s past. It’s unlikely the Pats will be looking to chase scoring records again, instead opting to keep Brady upright and Tom Brady on the field. The offense should be more balanced this year. Even so, Brady should be one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league and leading a Super Bowl caliber team. Backup QBs: Kevin O’Connell and Matt Gutierrez remain unproven commodities - much like Cassel was last year. The two have combined for seven career passing attempts. The Patriots have explored veteran free agent options since Brady got hurt but have not pulled the trigger on any of them. At the very least, the team can breathe a little easier with the knowledge that it is possible for a backup to succeed in the Patriots’ offensive system. There was a point early last year when Cassel struggled and O’Connell was rumored to have been placed on a fast-track to start later in the season. New England remains confident in O’Connell’s long-term NFL potential and would probably turn to him if needed. The Pats could still add a veteran quarterback if the price is right and if he seemed like a good fit and a quick learner. RUNNING BACKS Starters: Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris Backups: Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, BenJarvus Green-Ellis Starting RBs: Just to clarify, the most likely outcome in terms of the New England backfield is a running back by committee approach. So no matter who gets tabbed as a starter, Fred Taylor, Sammy Morris,
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB TE TE WR WR WR
Player Name Julian Edelman Fred Taylor Alex Smith Chris Baker Brandon Tate Greg Lewis Joey Galloway
Type Draft Free Agent Trade Free Agent Draft Trade Free Agent
2008 Team College Jacksonville Jaguars Tampa Bay Buccaneers New York Jets College Philadelphia Eagles Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2009 Team New England Patriots New England Patriots New England Patriots New England Patriots New England Patriots New England Patriots New England Patriots
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB RB RB WR WR
Player Name Type Matt Cassel Trade Heath Evans Free Agent LaMont Jordan Free Agent Jabar Gaffney Free Agent Kelley Washington Free Agent
2008 Team New England Patriots New England Patriots New England Patriots New England Patriots New England Patriots
2009 Team Kansas City Chiefs New Orleans Saints Denver Broncos Denver Broncos Free Agent
Laurence Maroney, and Kevin Faulk should all see a decent sized piece of the action. The Pats are notorious for developing custom game plans and schemes based on their opponents, meaning that any of the backs could be the flavor of the week and see more action than the others. They have already shown that some weeks they could abandon the run almost entirely. Taylor comes to town after one of his least productive seasons, due partly to nagging injuries. His YPC fell below 4.0 for only the second time in his 11-year career, prompting his release by Jacksonville. Morris has been very productive with the Pats, maintaining a 4.6 YPC and scoring a TD every other game on average. Backup RBs: Maroney has struggled to stay on the field and has missed 18 games over the past three seasons. He went on a tear late in the 2007 campaign but for the most part has been a 12-carry per game back. Faulk remains a magician in getting seemingly impossible first downs and is still a threat in the receiving game. GreenEllis did fairly well when his number was called last year (based mostly out of necessity), but he likely will not see much action given the stable of veteran backs. The Pats had only one player with over 100 carries in 2008 (Morris with 157), yet they still ranked sixth with a stout 2,278 total rushing yards. Given that whatever they did last year worked effectively, there’s little incentive for New England to due much differently. ICON SMI
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Tom Brady Backups: Kevin O’Connell, Matt Gutierrez
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Randy Moss, Wesley Welker, Joey Galloway Backups: Greg Lewis, Brandon Tate [R], Sam Aiken, Matt Slater Starting WRs: Randy Moss and Wes Welker comprise one of the most formidable receiving tandems in the league, with Moss the deep threat and Welker the underneath water bug that frequently moves the sticks. Moss set a league scoring record in 2007, and Welker has had over 110 receptions in back-to-back seasons as a Patriot (joining Cris Carter and Jerry Rice as the only receivers to accomplish that feat). With Brady leading the offense again, Moss should return to uber-elite status and see his numbers improve from 2008 (although expecting a return to his 2007 totals would be asking a lot). Welker has had at least five receptions in 29 of 35 games with New England, and there is no reason to think that his targets or receptions will drop off much as he has become a steady contributor to the offense. Joey Galloway comes to town for what should be his final rodeo, and with so many other receiving threats, he may have enough in the tank to put up respectable WR3 numbers a la Donte’ Stallworth or Jabar Gaffney the past few seasons. New England frequently utilizes a spread offense, multiple receiver sets, and the shotgun, so Galloway should see a lot of time on the field. Backup WRs: New England acquired Greg Lewis from the Eagles mostly for receiver depth. That and he played very well against the Patriots over the years. Brandon Tate was a first-round talent who fell into the third round due to injury. He probably will miss most if not all of the season and will most likely have to wait until 2010 to be able to contribute, perhaps taking over for Galloway down the road. Sam Aiken had eight catches for 101 yards last season and has seen more action on special teams. Matt Slater appears to be predominantly a kick returner and is another special teams guy. Lewis will likely see the most playing time of the reserves in four-wide formations. It remains to be seen well Aiken or Slater would do in larger roles, as they have not been in on many offensive plays to date. TIGHT ENDS Starter: Ben Watson Backups: Chris Baker, Alex Smith, David Thomas
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by David Yudkin New England had high hopes for Ben Watson since he entered the league several years ago, but he’s struggled to produce, stay healthy, and hold onto the football. His numbers dipped to 22 receptions, 209 receiving yards, and two TDs, leaving him as an after thought in the Patriots offense for most of the season. Considering that more than a third of that production came in a single game against the Jets, Watson’s fantasy owners were left holding the bag for most of the season. With 2009 a contract year for Watson, he will need to revert back to his 2006 form if he wants to stick in New England. With Watson’s production on the decline, the Pats brought in Chris Baker from the Jets to give their TE production a boost. But Baker’s totals last year were even worse than Watson’s, even though he’s shown flashes of being a reliable receiver when given a chance in New York. The Patriots also consummated a trade with the Bucs for Alex Smith. Smith has seen his annual reception total drop each year since he entered the league in 2005. David Thomas has been considered a deep sleeper the past two years but has not seen the ball very often. It’s unlikely the Pats will roster four tight ends, so one of them will probably be shown the door. Considering that the Patriots have been using the tight end spot less and less the past few years, there are several players fighting for limited targets this year.
As a rookie in 2006, Stephen Gostkowski hit 20 of 26 (76.9 percent) on field goals and 43 of 44 on PATs, although two of the missed field goals and the missed PAT were blocked. In 2007 he hit 21 of 24 (87.5 percent). He once again hit 3 of 5 on 40+ yard field goals. After finishing 19th in kicker scoring in 2006, the Patriots jumped back up to second last year thanks to their record setting number of touchdowns. Last year he made 36 of 40 (90.0 percent) field goals, and the Patriots once again ranked second in kicker scoring. Gostkowski has done very well on kickoffs, averaging 64.6 yards with 12, 15, and 17 touchbacks. The Patriots back-to-back Top 5 finishes in kicker scoring is uncommon. Of the teams that achieve that the last two decades, only a third of them remained there the following year. TEAM DEFENSE Despite finishing in the top half of the league in nearly every important defensive category, the Patriots once again spent both dol-
Quarterback Matt Cassel Tom Brady
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 516 327 3693 21 11 74 271 2 11 7 76 0 0 0 0 0
Running Back Rush Sammy Morris 156 Kevin Faulk 83 LaMont Jordan 80 BenJarvus Green-Ellis 74 Laurence Maroney 28
Yards 727 507 363 275 93
Wide Receiver Wes Welker Randy Moss Jabar Gaffney Sam Aiken
Rec Yards TDs 111 1165 3 69 1008 11 38 468 2 8 101 0
Tight End Ben Watson David Thomas
Rec Yards TDs 22 209 2 9 93 0
TDs 7 3 4 5 0
Rec 17 58 0 3 0
Yards 161 486 0 37 0
TDs 0 3 0 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 25.6 8th Yds 365.4 5th P-Yds 223.1 12th R-Yds 142.4 6th
lars and draft picks to improve on defense. All the faces will be new at corner where veterans Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden will be joined by second round pick Darius Butler as the Top 3. First round pick Patrick Chung is an intimidating SS in the Rodney Harrison mold and should claim that job by during camp. Another new starter will be at OLB where there is a 3-man competition to replace Mike Vrabel. This may be the one kink in the Patriots armor as they have no proven replacement. Last season’s third round pick Shawn Crable spent the season on IR with a shin injury while Pierre Woods and Tully Banta-Cain are career backups with limited potential. The club made a run at Jason Taylor but lost out to division rival Miami and the loss of third round LB Tyrone McKenzie to an early knee injury just adds to the concern at LB. New England is very deep in the secondary and second round pick Ron Brace adds quality to an already deep DL. If they can find an answer at LB and stay healthy there, this perennial Top 10 fantasy defense should be right there again.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS New England QB Cassel (rush stats) QB Brady RB Morris (rec stats) RB Faulk (rec stats)
KC @NYJ Mia 17-10 19-10 13-38 13-18-152-0 16-23-165-0 19-31-131-1 4-13 2-7 3-5 10 5 7-11-76-0 dnp dnp 10-53 8-0 9-27 5-34 2-7 1-0 5 1 dnp 3-16 1-6 4-50 2-6
RB Jordan
2-6
11-62
RB Green-Ellis (rec stats)
dnp
dnp
6-22 (D) dnp
RB Maroney
10-51
8-16
WR Welker (rush stats)
6-51
7-72
WR Moss (rush stats)
6-116
2-22
4-25
-
0-0 (Q) dnp (Q) dnp (Q) 1-14
6-51 5 1-9
WR Gaffney WR Aiken TE Watson TE Thomas
10 0-0 dnp (O) dnp (D) 2-24
dnp (Q) 6-55 1-19
bye @SF @SD Den StL @Ind week 30-21 10-30 41-7 23-16 15-18 22-32-259-2 22-38-203-1 18-24-185-0 21-33-267-2 25-34-204-1 4-5 7-29 4-1 7-22 5-20 66 13,27,6 15 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 16-63 10-26 16-138 dnp dnp 4-49 1 4 (D) (D) 7-32 8-48 4-50 13-60 10-60 4-29 3-29 3-6 4-47 5-38 2,2 15(rec) 5-16 dnp dnp dnp dnp (D) (D) (D) (Q) dnp 0-0 13-65 9-16 15-57 1-9 1-8 1 2 6 10-26 dnp dnp dnp dnp (Q) (D) 8-73 9-73 6-63 7-79 7-37
Buf NYJ @Mia Pit @Sea @Oak Ari 20-10 31-34 48-28 10-33 24-21 49-26 47-7 23-34-234-0 30-51-400-0 30-43-415-1 19-39-169-2 26-44-268-0 18-30-218-1 20-36-345-0 9-22 8-62 2-14 2-1 7-14 7-18 2-19 13(run) 19,10,16 25,8,29/8(run) 2 7,20,13,9 15,11,76 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 5-14 8-35 10-45 11-36 14-117 15-88 2-14 1-12 2-45 (D) (Q) 2 1 29 5-9 8-38 8-53 6-73 3-16 6-45 1-1 1-9 4-49 6-52 7-48 5-22 6-66 3-27 21 7(rec) 15(rec) dnp dnp dnp dnp 4-18 12-97 20-78 (Q) (D) (D) (Q) (Q) 49 1,3 26-105 2-9 7-20 2-3 0-0 dnp dnp 1-20 1 1 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp
@Buf 13-0 6-8-78-0 3-19 dnp 24-85
0-0 1-8 20-64 2 dnp
dnp
10-107 1-7
7-108
8-120
4-30
12-134
6-69
7-68
2-26
3-26
8-125
4-45
3-56
13 5-67
11 2-87
1-13
16 7-86 19 1-43
25,8,29 5-88
1-2
4-48
20,9 0-0
76 5-90
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-6
1-16
1-(-2)
0-0
8-88 10 0-0
1-16
1-12
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-2 2 dnp
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
3-26
6 5-69
7-102
6-65
5-53 1-(-2)
-
5-111 1-2 66 3-35
1-4
13,27 0-0
1-17
1-11
4-36
-
0-0
0-0
1-7
0-0
0-0
2-22
1-6
-
2-11
0-0
3-40
1-13
3-14
1-7
1-4
-
0-0
1-13
0-0
1-9
3-29
0-0
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
PLACE KICKER PK: Stephen Gostkowski
2008 SEASON STATS
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NEW ORLEANS S
AINTS
Starting QB: Drew Brees should be one of the first quarterbacks taken in fantasy drafts this year. He is coming off a recordbreaking season where he was one completion away from breaking Dan Marino’s passing yardage record. Brees has one of the deepest groups of receivers in the league and can afford to distribute the ball accordingly. The Saints have made an effort to improve their defense in the offseason, so it is reasonable to presume that 600 pass attempts would be an extreme upper limit. Even if Brees does pass the ball less, he is still capable of being a prolific scorer for your fantasy team. If you like to get a QB early, then one of the safest options you could choose would be Drew Brees. Backup QBs: There is a big drop off from Drew Brees to Mark Brunell and Joey Harrington. The 39-year old Brunell is currently favored to play should Brees miss time, but he is a long way past his best and would not be a decent fantasy option should he get the chance. The reason Brunell is currently the #2 is that the #3 is Joey Harrington. Harrington would probably Drew Brees get an extended run should Brees be out for a significant period of time, but he has been below average at every single one of his NFL stops so far and expecting him to turn into a viable fantasy option in New Orleans is unrealistic. RUNNING BACKS Starters: Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas Backups: Mike Bell, Lynell Hamilton, P.J Hill, Herb Donaldson Fullbacks: Heath Evans, Darian Barnes Starting RBs: Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas offer that rare possibility of two backs from the same team being viable fantasy starters. Pierre Thomas should dominate the carries, while Bush should dominate the receptions. Both had stretches in 2008 which would put them among the fantasy elite. For the first six weeks of the season, Reggie Bush ranked as a RB1 with a reception total that would have shattered the record for a RB were he not to subsequently get injured. Pierre Thomas was arguably the dominant fantasy back between Week 11 and Week 16, recording eight touchdowns, 19 receptions and over a hundred yards a game in combined yardage. Both will be useful to the New Orleans Saints in keeping a balanced offense but will hurt each other as fantasy options. Thomas was clearly not the same back when Bush was fit, and Bush can’t move the ball as well as Thomas on the ground. Bush has an injury history and has to recover from off season knee surgery placing doubts about his long term viability, so a little caution needs to be exercised before drafting Bush too high.
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos RB TE TE
Player Name Heath Evans Dan Campbell Darnell Dinkins
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team New England Patriots Denver Broncos Cleveland Browns
2009 Team New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos RB RB RB TE WR
Player Name Aaron Stecker Deuce McAllister Mike Karney Mark Campbell David Patten
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints
2009 Team Free Agent Free Agent St. Louis Rams Free Agent Cleveland Browns
Backup RBs: Like the quarterback position there is a huge gap between the starters and the backups here. Mike Bell is the name most familiar to fantasy owners following his brief spell as a starter in Denver, but since then he has been average. If any of the younger guys outperform Bell, then you can bet he’ll be looking for another club sooner rather than later. Lynell Hamilton, like Pierre Thomas is an undrafted free agent, but unlike Thomas he’s a big back who could be a nice replacement for Deuce McAllister. P.J Hill is from this years undrafted free agent class and displayed astonishing stupidity by trying to escape from the Police while drunk behind the wheel leading up to the draft. If he makes the final roster then he’ll be worth paying attention to. Herb Donaldson is a hard running back who was also undrafted. Any of these four guys could make the roster and any could be cut. Whichever one does will be valuable to fantasy owners given the injury history of Reggie Bush and the high fantasy output from the Saints offense. Fullbacks: Heath Evans has spent the last three-and-half seasons with the New England Patriots, and like most Patriot backs, got a chance to touch the football, averaging about 25 carries and five receptions a season. He even scored three times in 2007 and was the lead back for New England on at least two occasions when injury knocked out other players. His impact to the Saints is not likely to be as prominent, but he could join the growing list of players the Saints call upon to contribute. Darian Barnes joined the Saints late in 2008 after brief stints with three of the four AFC East teams. He has also played for Detroit, Tampa Bay & Dallas. As a fantasy option he is almost nonexistent. He has not had a carry since 2004 and only five receptions since then. ICON SMI
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Drew Brees Backups: Mark Brunell, Joey Harrington
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Marques Colston, Lance Moore Backup(s): Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem, Adrian Arrington Starting WRs: Marques Colston is a dominant fantasy option and should be one of the first 12 receivers taken in your draft. He overcame a thumb injury which caused him to basically miss half the season, to finish the season with 22 receptions, four TDs and 306 yards from his final three games. As the No. 1 receiver on the No. 1 passing offense in the NFL he actually may be undervalued this season. He is tough, can make any catch and is reliable as a red zone threat. The Saints like to mix their offense up, so for some plays Devery Henderson will start. However, for the majority of plays Lance Moore should be in on the action. Moore has been successfully developed by the Saints going from an undrafted free agent to the 13th ranked receiver in 2008. With 10 touchdowns and almost 80 receptions, Moore caught most fantasy owners off guard. Following a training accident in the offseason, however, which caused severe damage to his shoulder, he could be drafted too early by those not paying attention. If he comes back in time for training camp then his value will still be negated by the return of Colston, but he could still be a nice choice if his value slips. Backup WRs: Devery Henderson is one of the most dangerous receivers in the game. Averaging over 20 yards a catch for the last three seasons, he re-signed with the Saints in the offseason, and more of the same can be expected this season. As a fantasy option his value is limited as he averages two catches a game, but he’s capable of numerous big games a season making him perfect for survivor leagues. Robert Meachem is an inferior version of Devery Henderson, and to avoid the label of first-round bust he must produce something this season. Unlike his rookie season he at least got onto the field in 2008, but after some bright early moments, he once again
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by Andy Hicks lost the trust of the coaching staff. Adrian Arrington was placed on injured reserve in his rookie season, and it remains to be seen whether he can make any impact this year.
2008 SEASON STATS Quarterback Drew Brees
TIGHT ENDS Starter: Jeremy Shockey Backups: Billy Miller, Dan Campbell
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 635 413 5069 34 17 22 -1 0
Running Back Pierre Thomas Deuce McAllister Reggie Bush
Jeremy Shockey faces a crucial year in 2009. Injuries have limited his play in the last couple of seasons, and his style of play lends itself to further injuries. If healthy, he could leap back into the fantasy elite. Despite his injury problems in 2008 he still registered 50 catches. Although he didn’t score, he can usually be relied upon to get a few each season so it could be a pleasant surprise if he is available late in your draft. Even if Shockey is healthy, veteran Billy Miller could still see playing time, but his biggest impact will come if Shockey is out of the lineup. With Shockey hampered or injured he became a favorite target of Drew Brees in 2008 registering 45 catches. Unless Shockey misses time, Miller shouldn’t be a draft consideration. Dan Campbell has briefly registered on fantasy radars during spells with Detroit, Dallas and the Giants, but it would be a shock if that happened this season.
The Olindo Mare experiment failed in 2007. The Martin Gramatica band aid didn’t hold up. The Taylor Mehlhaff experiment failed twice in 2008. Half way through the year, Garrett Hartley won the job in tryouts over Billy Cundiff, Aaron Elling, A.J. Haglund, and Dave Rayner. His high school and University of Oklahoma success carried over when he kicked for the Saints for the final eight games last year. He was perfect on 13 of his field goal attempts and perfect on all 28 of his PAT attempts. On kickoffs he averaged 65.5 yards and had nine touchbacks. The Saints ranked 15th in kicker scoring last year with 119 points. Last year’s scoring feature twice as many PAT attempts as field goal attempts. If that balances out this year, then Hartley could end up in the Top 10.
Yards 625 418 404
Wide Receiver Lance Moore Marques Colston Devery Henderson Robert Meachem David Patten
Rec Yards TDs 79 928 10 47 760 5 32 793 3 12 289 3 11 162 1
Tight End Jeremy Shockey Billy Miller Mark Campbell
Rec Yards TDs 50 483 0 45 579 1 12 121 2
TDs 9 5 2
Rec 31 18 52
Yards 284 128 440
TDs 3 1 4
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 28.9 1st Yds 410.7 1st P-Yds 311.1 1st R-Yds 99.6 28th
did nothing to earn their way off free agent lists during the season. They finished in the bottom third of the league in points against and yardage allowed, were barely average in creating sacks and turnovers and were one of three teams to not score a defensive touchdown. The team looked to get more aggressive in the offseason, so they brought in Gregg Williams to replace Gary Gibbs as defensive coordinator. The Saints also continued to address weaknesses in the secondary, adding CB Jabari Greer and FS Darren Sharper in free agency and drafting physical playmaking CB Malcolm Jenkins with the 14thoverall pick. All three should be significant improvements in coverage over last season’s starters. The Saints aren’t ready to be drafted as a starting defense yet, but an improvement in pass rush from veterans Will Smith and Charles Grant and in pass defense could make this group into a respectable DST2 or match up play. Watch for improvement early in the season.
TEAM DEFENSE The Saints likely weren’t drafted as a fantasy defense last year and
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS New Orleans
TB @Was @Den 24-20 24-29 32-34 QB Brees 23-32-343-1 22-33-216-2 39-48-421-0 (rush stats) 3-(-2) 1-9 1-0 84,42,39 19 6 RB Thomas 10-52 6-8 6-15 (rec stats) 2-11 2-29 3-8 1 5,10 RB McAllister dnp 2-10 dnp (rec stats) (Q) (P) RB Bush 14-51 10-28 18-73 (rec stats) 8-112 7-63 11-75 42(rec) 23/6(rec) WR Moore 2-17 1-7 7-78 WR Colston
3-26
WR Henderson (rush stats)
1-84
WR Meachem (rush stats)
84 dnp
dnp (O) 2-6
1-19
dnp (O) 2-42
2-86
2-12
TE Shockey
1-39 39 6-54
19 5-55 2-22
8-75
TE Miller
0-0
dnp
2-41
TE Campbell
0-0
1-12
dnp
WR Patten
SF Min Oak 31-17 27-30 34-3 23-35-363-1 26-46-330-2 26-30-320-0 1-(-1) 3-6 1-7 5,33,47 17 8,15,2 1-1 0-0 3-18
20-73 1-10 1 10-31 5-7
@Car SD bye 7-30 37-32 week 21-39-231-1 30-41-339-0 1-(-2)6 12,30,1 1-2 3-28 -
6-13
13-65 2-7
9-47 1-6
12-29 7-64
14-27 3-40 3/15(rec) 7-97
9-55 1-5 (P) 3-10
dnp (Q) 2-68
0-0 (P) 3-80
2-99
dnp (O) 4-104 1-7 17 2-31
0-0
47 1-21 (Q) dnp (O) 3-30
dnp (O) dnp (O) 4-61
dnp (D) dnp (D) 3-53
1-6 (Q)
3-39 (P)
3-37 2
7-101 5,33 dnp (O) 1-81
5-31
18-55 4-30 1 dnp (O) 6-90 30 2-56
-
-
-
@Atl @KC GB @TB Atl @Chi @Det Car 34-20 30-20 51-29 20-23 29-25 24-27 42-7 31-33 31-58-422-3 25-36-266-1 20-26-323-0 25-47-296-3 18-32-230-0 24-43-232-2 30-40-351-0 30-49-386-1 2-10 3-(-2) 2-0 1-1 3-(-3) 15,32 47 70,14,16,70 13,20 5,7 2,11 6,3 26,7,9,13 6-26 16-88 15-87 11-34 16-102 22-87 13-77 dnp 5-34 4-56 3-34 1-20 1-7 7-59 3-26 1 4,31 20(rec) 5/7(rec) 42/2(rec) 2 (Q) 5-18 8-18 5-5 3-13 1-0 dnp 9-61 8-40 2-23 1-2 1-3 1-6 5-41 15(rec) 1 3 (P) (P) 2 (P) dnp dnp dnp 3-0 10-80 6-30 dnp dnp 5-32 3-26 2-16 (O) (O) (Q) (Q) 5(rec) (P) (O) 6-76 8-102 5-115 2-15 3-35 5-27 4-36 8-91 32 47 70,14 13 9,13 7-140 3-30 1-70 6-106 3-26 6-84 9-99 7-123 (P) 70 (P) 11 6,3 26 2-33 2-22 1-9 2-33 3-72 0-0 2-96 2-29 1-30 1-(-1) 1-(-3)
3-34
-
1-9
12 0-0
-
dnp
0-0
0-0
1-9
0-0
0-0
dnp
dnp
-
2-35
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
5-50 (P) 4-56
1-6 (P) 7-82
-
2-16 (P) 5-65
6-39
5-57
4-52
-
0-0
3-26
1-8
2-14 1
-
0-0
1-5
4-36 16 dnp
dnp
3-36
dnp
0-0 1-20 20(run) dnp
5-64
1-11
5-37
0-0
3-35
4-38
dnp (O) 3-56
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
PLACE KICKER PK: Garrett Hartley
Rush 129 107 106
7 dnp
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NEW YORK G
IANTS
Starting QB: Although Eli Manning couldn’t replicate his playoff heroics last season, Giants fans should take solace in the fact Manning had his best statistical season. Not only did the Giants win 12 regular season games, but Manning also completed 60 percent of his passes for the first time and averaged 6.8 yards per pass attempt. Manning has been an iron man, starting 16 games for four consecutive seasons. Although his 21 pass TDs was a slight drop off from prior seasons, Manning only threw 10 interceptions for an impressive +11 TD-to-INT ratio. Despite solid growth in 2008, Manning and the entire Giants offense suffered without Plaxico Burress, and he may be irreplaceable as a red zone weapon. With Burress and Amani Toomer gone, Manning must build rapport with a young and largely unproven receiving corps. Expect Manning to produce solid, but not spectacular numbers. He’s a better real-life QB than fantasy passer, but isn’t someone you should shy away from as your QB2. Backup QBs: A year ago the Giants had a lot of bodies competing for the backup roles, but this year things are more established. David Brandon Jacobs Carr, another former first overall pick, has found a home as Eli Manning’s backup. He appeared in three games last year and completed nine of twelve passes for 115 yards and two TDs. Carr always had the ability, but it wasn’t clear whether the pounding he took early in his career would make him perpetually gun shy. Luckily for Carr, the Giants field one of the league’s best offensive lines and, as long as he stays upright, Carr has the vision and downfield accuracy to keep the Giants afloat should Eli Manning be sidelined. The QB3 spot comes down to second-year Andre Woodson versus rookie Rhett Bomar. Both are developmental athletes with good arms. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Brandon Jacobs Backups: Ahmad Bradshaw, Danny Ware, Andre Brown [R], Fullbacks: Madison Hedgecock Starting RB: What a difference a year makes. Last year, skeptics wondered whether Brandon Jacobs’ physical style would keep him in the trainer’s room more than he saw the field. Jacobs missed three games last year, so it remains a concern. But the truth is Giants fans and fantasy owners have to be thrilled with what they got in those
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB RB TE TE WR WR WR
Player Name Rhett Bomar Andre Brown Allen Patrick Travis Beckum George Wrighster Hakeem Nicks Ramses Barden Shaun Bodiford
Type Draft Draft Free Agent Draft Free Agent Draft Draft Free Agent
2008 Team College College Cleveland Browns College Jacksonville Jaguars College College Green Bay Packers
2009 Team New York Giants New York Giants New York Giants New York Giants New York Giants New York Giants New York Giants New York Giants
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB RB RB WR WR
Player Name Anthony Wright Derrick Ward Reuben Droughns Amani Toomer Plaxico Burress
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team New York Giants New York Giants New York Giants New York Giants New York Giants
2009 Team Free Agent Tampa Bay Buccaneers Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
other 13 games. Jacobs ran for 1,089 yards on 219 carries; averaging an impressive 5.0 yards per rush. He was an absolute beast in short yardage, scoring 15 rushing TDs. Armed with a new contract, Jacobs will be expected to do even more in 2009. With his running mate Derrick Ward now in Tampa, Jacobs will have to log more than 219 carries and must get more involved in the passing game this year; he only had six receptions a season ago. Expect Jacobs to be dominant when he’s on the field, but realize that he is a higher risk of missing time than other elite runners because of his physical, attacking style. Backup RBs: A year ago as many fantasy owners thought Ahmad Bradshaw would be Jacobs’ backup. We now know that Ward was not only the RB2, but in reality was a tandem RB1. Ward’s productivity will be hard, if not impossible, to replace. No one should expect Bradshaw to run for 1,000 yards or catch 41 passes, but he will get every chance to log significant work in 2009. Bradshaw has great speed and is a natural complement to Jacobs’ bruising style. Assuming Bradshaw has put his off-the-field issues behind him, there is no reason he can’t build off last year’s 5.3 yards per rush on a heavier workload. Bradshaw hasn’t been used much as a receiver, but looked good in limited opportunities last year (five catches for 42 yards and a TD). Three backs will battle for the third tailback slot. Danny Ware must contend with rookie Andre Brown and free agent Dwayne Wright. Ware has the experience, but Brown is the more compelling option. A rookie fourth round draft pick, Brown has great size (6’0, 224 pounds) and is a three-down back who fell into the second day because of two collegiate foot surgeries. Fullback: Madison Hedgecock has cemented his role as one of the leagues’ most bruising FBs, and will again be out in front for Brandon Jacobs and his backups. Hedgecock has limited offensive potential but is capable of the occasional reception in goal line situations. ICON SMI
NEW YORK GIANTS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Eli Manning Backups: David Carr, Andre Woodson, Rhett Bomar [R]
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith Backups: Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks [R], Ramses Barden [R], Sinorice Moss, David Tyree Starting WRs: The long-time starting tandem of Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer is no more, and it’s unclear who exactly takes their place. The truth is any declaration of who starts this year is premature until we get through the majority of training camp. But for now, we’re going to give the edge to Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith. Hixon was the surprise of 2008, starting seven games for the Giants after projecting as a fringe roster option at the start of the preseason. Hixon is 6’2, 192 pounds and played his college ball at Akron. In his first significant playing time, Hixon caught 43 passes for 596 yards (13.9 yards per reception) and two TDs. There’s no reason Hixon shouldn’t improve on those numbers with a full training camp as a first unit player. Steve Smith’s role is less certain, although he has the pedigree. Coming out of USC as the team’s all-time receiving leader, Smith caught 57 receptions and started four games in 2008 as a second year receiver. Smith is sure handed and makes great cuts; he’s able to get separation despite the lack of a second gear. Backup WRs: Hixon and Smith shouldn’t feel too comfortable in their roles as projected starters, because GM Jerry Reese used first and third round picks in the draft on receivers. The Giants selected UNC’s Hakeem Nicks in the first round, and most expect Nicks to be a long-time starter; the only question being whether he starts in 2009 or not. Nicks is an all around weapon who attacks the ball. He’s not a burner, but projects as an elite possession receiver who already runs routes with NFL precision. The team will let Nicks compete for a role immediately, and it would be surprising if he wasn’t starting at some
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by Jason Wood point this season. Ramses Barden is more of a calculated gamble. He is a monster (6’6, 229 pounds) and physically reminiscent of Plaxico Burress, but Barden is raw and hasn’t been tested against top level competition. He could push for playing time in a year or two, or just as easily never make an impact. Last year’s rookie WR Mario Manningham will also be given a chance to compete, but it’s difficult to handicap his chances because of the Giants aggressive pursuit of the two rookies. TIGHT ENDS Starter: Kevin Boss Backups: Travis Beckum [R], Michael Matthews, Darcy Johnson A lot of people thought Kevin Boss would be outmatched as a fulltime starter once the Giants traded Jeremy Shockey, but Boss proved the skeptics wrong. Boss isn’t the smoothest route runner or the most impressive athlete, but he made plays last season. His 33 receptions for 384 yards weren’t eye-popping, but his six touchdown receptions led the team. Boss should continue to provide Manning with a safety valve in the middle of the field, and he’ll occasionally find a seam in the red zone for a handful of touchdowns. Rookie Travis Beckum is an interesting pick because he’s too small (6’3, 239 pounds) to be an effective blocker at the NFL level, but has above average hands and could play the role of an H-back or slot receiver. Michael Matthews and Darcy Johnson provide blocking services and little else.
Quarterback Eli Manning
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 479 289 3238 21 10 20 10 1
Running Back Brandon Jacobs Derrick Ward Ahmad Bradshaw
Rush 219 182 67
Yards 1089 1025 355
Wide Receiver Steve Smith Amani Toomer Domenik Hixon Plaxico Burress Sinorice Moss
Rec Yards TDs 57 574 1 48 580 4 43 596 2 35 454 4 12 153 2
Tight End Kevin Boss Darcy Johnson
Rec Yards TDs 33 384 6 4 46 2
TDs 15 2 1
Rec 6 41 5
Yards 36 384 42
TDs 0 0 1
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 26.7 3rd Yds 355.9 7th P-Yds 198.6 18th R-Yds 157.4 1st
TEAM DEFENSE
During his first year with the Giants in 2007, Lawrence Tynes struggled. Despite Tom Coughlin’s history with kickers, he stuck with Tynes, who went on to kick the game winner in overtime of the NFC Championship in dramatic fashion. The Giants rewarded him with a new contract after the season. Tynes then suffered a knee injury during the preseason last year, and the Giants signed John Carney. Although Tynes eventually recovered, Carney was performing so well that the coaches opted to stick with the hot leg. Tynes did eventually handle kickoffs in two games and placekicking in one of those, when the coaches felt his stronger leg would be an advantage in windy conditions. With Tynes under contract and Carney a free agent, the Giants head into 2009 with Tynes once again the starting kicker. After two decades with only one Top 10 finish in kicker scoring, the Giants vaulted to first place last year with 149 points.
The Giants were one of the most talented and deep defensive units in the league last season. Were it not for a fluky number of fumble recoveries and only three combined defensive and special teams touchdowns, they would have threatened to finish among the Top 5 DSTs. The offseason saw the team import even more talent. DL Chris Canty, DT Rocky Bernard and OLB Michael Boley were signed in free agency with versatile OLB/DE Clint Sintim added in the draft’s second round. The Giants will also get stud pass rusher Osi Umenyiora back from injury and add talented safety Kenny Phillips to the lineup in an everydown role. Opposing offenses will have trouble holding off a defensive line that includes Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka and Clint Sintim on passing downs, and the back seven has plenty of instinctive ball hawks to create turnovers and them. The Giants deserve strong consideration as a Top 3 DST pick this season and may finish as the top overall fantasy defense in sack and turnover heavy scoring systems.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS NY Giants QB Manning (rush stats) QB Carr (rush stats)
Was @StL Cin 16-7 41-13 26-23 19-35-216-1 20-29-260-0 26-43-289-0 2-(-1) 1(run) 18,10,33 4 dnp 0-0-0-0 dnp 3-(-3)
RB Jacobs (rec stats)
21-116 1-8
15-93 1-2
RB Ward (rec stats)
9-39 2-21
8-58 1-8
RB Bradshaw (rec stats)
0-0
5-52 1-18 31/18(rec) 2-19
WR Smith
(P) 2-15
WR Toomer
2-12
WR Hixon (rush stats)
0-0
WR Burress
(Q) 10-133
bye week -
-
14-35
-
1 9-80 3-26
-
2-2 1-5
-
7-60
-
6-67 10 3-60
5-64
-
3-29
-
3-45
-
dnp
-
3-51 4 0-0
-
WR Moss
1-23
5-81 33 dnp
TE Boss
0-0
0-0
TE Johnson
0-0
0-0
-
NEW YORK GIANTS
PLACE KICKER PK: Lawrence Tynes
2008 SEASON STATS
Sea @Cle SF @Pit Dal @Phi Bal @Ari @Was Phi Dal Car @Min 44-6 14-35 29-17 21-14 35-14 36-31 30-10 37-29 23-7 14-20 8-20 34-28 19-20 19-25-267-0 18-28-196-3 16-31-161-0 19-32-199-0 16-27-147-1 17-31-191-1 13-23-153-1 26-33-240-0 21-34-305-1 13-27-123-0 18-35-191-2 17-27-181-0 11-19-119-0 1-13 3-(-4) 4-(-1) 1-2 2-(-3) 2-(-2) 4-7 1-(-1) 32,23 3 6 2 13,5,11 17,1 1 12,2,10 40 1 4 1-1-5-0 0-0-0-0 dnp dnp dnp 0-0-0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 8-11-110-0 2-(-2) 3-15 5 23 15-136 14-67 17-69 18-47 17-117 22-126 11-73 dnp 21-71 10-52 dnp 24-87 dnp 1-9 1-6 1-6 1-5 3,1 7 26,2 12 3,3 1,1 (P) 1 (Q) (O) 2,1,2 (Q) (Q) 7-40 10-101 4-19 13-37 12-63 17-53 11-41 20-69 10-30 8-39 14-64 15-215 15-77 2-10 2-1 3-50 5-43 2-26 3-27 4-54 4-30 5-75 1-2 1-2 1-(-5) 2-14 17 1 (P) 11-65 0-0 8-28 0-0 5-20 5-38 9-96 4-9 dnp 5-9 3-8 0-0 10-28 1-5 1-16 1-(-2) (Q) (P) (P) (P) 2-27 9-94 4-39 3-45 5-29 1-12 2-17 4-45 2-22 4-47 5-59 3-24 2-20 5 4-64 0-0 3-31 2-39 2-26 5-53 1-9 4-30 5-85 2-25 3-32 2-27 2-16 11 12 40 4-102 1-6 1-6 1-17 0-0 0-0 2-25 6-57 5-71 3-30 6-60 4-71 4-62 1-15 1-11 32 (P) (P) (Q) (Q) 23 dnp 4-58 3-24 3-15 3-34 1-17 3-47 0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 3 6 (P) 17 (Q) (O) 4-45 dnp dnp dnp 1-2 0-0 0-0 2-20 1-7 1-13 0-0 dnp 2-43 23,5 (Q) 2-9 1-24 0-0 4-34 3-30 6-69 0-0 4-48 3-45 1-5 1-23 5-46 dnp 2 13 1 10 4 (D) 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-1 0-0 0-0 1-1 0-0 0-0 2-44 1 1
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NEW YORK J
ETS
NEW YORK JETS
Starting QB: Mark Sanchez is the presumed starter after being selected with the fifth overall pick in April’s draft. He isn’t very experienced at the higher levels of football, with little more than a year’s worth of starting college experience. Still, the Jets felt strongly enough about him to make a bold trade and move up twelve spots to select him. During the draft telecast, he was visibly excited about becoming a Jet, something that will help endear him to the New York fans (at least until his first interception). Assuming he gets into camp relatively on time, it would be a pretty big surprise if he is not able to win the starting gig right away. Even if it does take him a little while to get going early on, it shouldn’t be too long before he’s under center for good. The Jets didn’t make the move to acquire him just to have him sit on the bench. As head coach Rex Ryan said, “We wouldn’t have traded up for Mark if we didn’t think he had the ability to compete for the starting position”. Backup QBs: Until the draft, Kellen Clemens was likely in line to start on the opening weekend for the first time in his NFL career. Jerricho Cotchery With the selection of Mark Sanchez in the first round, however, it appears that Clemens’s starting days may have to wait. He is a former second-round pick so the talent is there, but the Jets are clearly trying to hit a home run with the Sanchez pick – and they’ll give him every opportunity to live up to the hype. Clemens would need to clearly outplay Sanchez in training camp to secure the starting gig. Erik Ainge was due to battle Clemens for the starting gig, though at this point he has really no chance of winning the starting spot. He’ll vie for the backup job, but more than likely his role will be the No. 3 QB this season. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Thomas Jones Backups: Leon Washington, Shonn Greene [R] Fullback: Tony Richardson Starting RB: Thomas Jones is the starting tailback, although he’s expected to share some more of the workload this season. He turned in his best pro campaign a year ago, with his highest yards per carry average since 2003 and career highs in both yards from scrimmage and touchdowns. His fifteen total scores were thirteen more than he had the year before. In fact, his previous career high was just nine. While it’s entirely possible that Jones is about to enter a late career resurgence, history tells us that the number of scores was something of an outlier and that we should expect that number to decrease.
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos Player Name QB Mark Sanchez RB Shonn Greene
Type Draft Draft
2008 Team College College
2009 Team New York Jets New York Jets
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB QB RB RB RB TE WR
Player Name Brett Favre Brett Ratliff Jesse Chatman Marcus Mason Noah Herron Chris Baker Laveranues Coles
Type Free Agent Trade Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team New York Jets New York Jets New York Jets New York Jets New York Jets New York Jets New York Jets
2009 Team Retired Cleveland Browns Free Agent Washington Redskins Cleveland Browns New England Patriots Cincinnati Bengals
The increasing viability of Leon Washington as a complementary back more than a straight backup would seem to be more beneficial to the offense as a whole, and the addition of rookie Shonn Greene could greatly cut into Jones’ goal line work. Jones is still a very important part of the offense, but ironically enough that could be the reason his touches decrease as the team tries to ensure he remains effective late into the season. Backup RBs: Leon Washington proved last season that he is a dynamic complement to Thomas Jones and is capable of taking one the distance from just about any spot on the field. His 5.9 yards per carry average was outstanding, and could earn him more work this season. He’s an outstanding receiver, which should solidify his role as the third down back on the team. The addition of Shonn Greene, an Iowa rookie drafted in the third round, could somewhat cut into the production of both Washington and Jones. New head coach Rex Ryan saw how effective a three-headed running back committee was in Baltimore a year ago, and Greene, at 6’0, 227 pounds could fill the goal line/short yardage role that Le’Ron McClain did for the Ravens. Fullback: Tony Richardson is getting up there in age (he turns 38 during the season) and isn’t an offensive contributor, statistically speaking. He hasn’t had more than twelve carries in a season since 2003 and hasn’t scored a touchdown since 2005. He was a productive receiver for several years, but even that has gone by the wayside as he caught just one pass a year ago. He’ll certainly help in the blocking aspect, but that won’t do much for his fantasy stat line. ICON SMI
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Mark Sanchez [R] Backups: Kellen Clemens, Erik Ainge
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Jerricho Cotchery, Chansi Stuckey Backups: Brad Smith, David Clowney, Wallace Wright, Marcus Henry Starting WRs: Jerricho Cotchery will fill the role of number one receiver somewhat by default after the defection of Laveranues Coles to Cincinnati. Over the last few seasons, the two have been sort of co-number one receivers anyway, so Cotchery at least has some experience as something of a go-to guy. He was expected to elevate his game into the fringes of the elite a year ago, especially after developing a great rapport with Brett Favre during training camp. But for whatever reason, it never really came to fruition for Cotchery. The news this past April that the Jets had contacted the agent for Plaxico Burress also doesn’t speak well about their feeling of Cotchery as the No. 1 receiver, either. Still, for now that’s what he is. After missing his entire rookie season, Chansi Stuckey made a splash a year ago with touchdowns in each of his first three career games. He didn’t come close to maintaining that level of production the rest of the way (zero touchdowns the last 13 games), but he showed enough to convince the Jets that he’s worthy of a starting gig – at least for the time being. He’s not so far ahead of the backups on the depth chart that his spot is set in stone, and he’ll need to turn in a good camp to entrench himself in the starting lineup. Backup WRs: After the presumed starters, there’s something of a muddied field of players following them. Brad Smith has very good skills, but hasn’t been very productive in his limited work over the first three seasons. He’s typically very good once he’s got the ball in his hands, but he’s still something of a raw project the team is trying to mold into a wide receiver. David Clowney caught just one pass last year, his rookie season. The former fifth-round pick played in just three games due to injury, and will look to make more of an impact this year as he is elevated to No. 4 on the depth chart. The Jets’ No. 5 spot will be filled by someone from amongst the group of sixth-round
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by Michael Brown pick Marcus Henry, undrafted free agent Wallace Wright, or perhaps someone not even on the roster yet. TIGHT ENDS Starter: Dustin Keller Backup: Andrew Davie, Robert Myers, J’Nathan Bullock
PLACE KICKER PK: Jay Feely When Mike Nugent was injured during the first game last year; the Jets signed Jay Feely, who kicked for the remainder of the year – even after Nugent was healthy again. Last year Feely made 24 of 28 (85.7 percent) field goals. He has been perfect on PATs the last five years. Twice he has led the league in scoring: in 2002 with Atlanta and in 2005 with the NY Giants. During his first six years in the league, Feely did very well on kickoffs; however they have been a subject of debate the last two years. Last year the Jets ranked 20th in kicker scoring. They ranked near the middle of the NFL in kicker scoring in eight of the nine prior years. The Jets signed Feely to a one-year deal for 2009, after Nugent went to Tampa Bay as a free agent.
Quarterback Brett Favre
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 522 343 3472 22 22 21 43 1
Running Back Thomas Jones Leon Washington Tony Richardson
Rush 290 76 10
Yards 1312 448 65
Wide Receiver Rec Yards TDs Jerricho Cotchery 71 858 5 Laveranues Coles 70 850 7 Chansi Stuckey 32 359 3 Brad Smith 12 64 0 David Clowney 1 26 0 Tight End Dustin Keller Chris Baker
Rec Yards TDs 48 535 3 21 194 0
TDs 13 6 0
Rec 36 47 1
Yards 207 355 4
TDs 2 2 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 25.3 9th Yds 331.7 16th P-Yds 206.4 16th R-Yds 125.2 9th
TEAM DEFENSE New head coach Rex Ryan comes over from the Ravens where he has been the architect of one of the leagues best high pressure defenses. A new coach usually has to make a lot of changes to bring his style of play to a team but the Jets transition won’t be so tough. Not only has New York been using a 3-4 for a couple of years, they have had some success with it. The Jets struggled against the pass in 2008 while finishing middle of the pack in yards and points allowed, but they were among the league leaders in big play production. Totals of 41 sacks, 30 takeaways and five defensive touchdowns landed them among the Top 5 fantasy defenses in many scoring systems. When Eric Mangini left he took a handful of players with him, Ryan answered by bringing some of his players over from Baltimore. Free agents Bart Scott at ILB, Marques Douglas at DE and safety Jim Leonhard will all step right in as starters. Add former Eagle corner Lito Sheppard and the Jets not only filled the holes but probably improved the overall talent. Offense got the attention on draft day, but this is a solid unit. Expect another Top 10 finish.
NEW YORK JETS
Despite being a rookie, first-round pick Dustin Keller was worthy of starting in stretches for most standard twelve team leagues a year ago. He had a particularly strong run in the middle of the season in which he consistently caught a high number of passes in each game. He did nothing to dispel the notion that he is one of the league’s bright young talents at the position, and with the departure of veteran Laveranues Coles, Keller will be relied upon even more heavily to help shoulder the receiving load in 2009. Whether or not it’s a myth, many believe that having a solid tight end greatly helps the progression of a young quarterback. With rookie Mark Sanchez expected to line up under center this season, he could look to Keller even more than Brett Favre did. Sanchez will need to use Keller not only as a threat down the field, but as a safety valve for when the play breaks down in front of him. As of press time, Keller was the only Jets tight end we can say with 100 percent certainty will be on the roster. The remaining tight ends on the roster will likely do nothing more than block for the ground attack. The team will scour the list of available free agents over the summer, either players already on waivers or players who get cut by other teams, to try and fill in a bit more depth at this spot as none of the current TEs (other than Keller) is an impact player in any way.
2008 SEASON STATS
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS NY Jets
@Mia NE @SD Ari bye Cin @Oak KC @Buf StL @NE @Ten Den @SF Buf @Sea Mia 20-14 10-19 29-48 56-35 week 26-14 13-16 28-24 26-17 47-3 34-31 34-13 17-34 14-24 31-27 3-13 17-24 15-22-194-0 18-26-181-1 30-42-271-2 24-34-289-1 - 25-33-189-2 21-38-197-2 28-40-290-3 19-28-201-1 14-19-167-0 26-33-258-0 25-32-224-1 23-43-247-1 20-31-137-1 17-30-207-2 18-31-187-2 20-40-233-3 3-2 2-6 2-5 1-(-1) 2-5 1-(-1) 3-(-2) 1-0 3-1 1-(-1) 1-2 1-27 22,56 2 3,4,13 12,34,2,17,40,24 (Q) 2 18,15 1 7,15 (P) 10,2 2(run) 11 13 RB Jones 22-101 17-70 10-37 18-46 17-65 24-159 14-54 12-69 26-149 30-104 27-96 16-138 10-56 20-78 17-67 10-23 (rec stats) 3-2 2-5 2-17 2-23 3-13 1-0 1-6 6-38 2-15 3-21 2-21 3-12 2-4 3-29 1-1 6 7,1/2(rec) 1 7 13,2,6 1 10(rec) 59,29 17 2 RB Washington 6-9 2-28 1-(-1) 7-26 5-7 3-19 3-67 7-13 12-54 5-18 8-82 2-4 1-1 1-47 3-14 10-60 (rec stats) 2-17 4-22 2-20 4-17 4-22 3-21 3-34 2-42 4-14 2-17 1-2 3-60 6-31 1-7 6-29 11 60/18(rec) 7(rec) 61,4 47 10 RB Richardson 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-3 0-0 0-0 2-15 0-0 0-0 2-13 5-34 0-0 (rec stats) 1-4 WR Cotchery 3-80 1-20 10-76 4-67 8-85 1-0 9-102 6-62 1-18 5-87 6-55 4-40 1-10 4-34 6-81 2-41 (rush stats) 1-8 1-0 56 17,40 (Q) (P) (P) 15 (P) (P) (P) (P) 11 (P) (P) (P) WR Coles 1-5 3-72 6-75 8-105 8-61 4-51 7-64 3-40 1-14 5-38 7-88 2-2 1-5 5-82 5-60 4-88 (rush stats) 1-3 1-6 (Q) (Q) 3 (Q) 12,34,2 (Q) (Q) (Q) 15 (P) (P) (P) (P) 2 (P) (P) (Q) (Q) (Q) 13 (Q) WR Stuckey 2-37 4-43 6-42 2-12 0-0 2-48 3-43 0-0 0-0 1-3 1-8 3-30 4-43 0-0 dnp 4-50 (rush stats) 1-1 22 2 4 WR Smith 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 4-29 0-0 0-0 2-14 0-0 1-8 1-10 2-7 dnp 2-3 0-(-7) (rush stats) 1-17 1-11 4-59 1-1 1-5 1-6 1-17 1-0 1-(-3) (P) (P) (P) (P) (P) (D) (Q) WR Clowney dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 1-26 0-0 dnp (O) (O) (O) (O) (O) (Q) TE Keller 0-0 1-19 4-41 1-24 0-0 1-6 4-38 2-19 6-107 8-87 6-42 7-77 2-14 3-35 1-2 2-24 13 24 1 TE Baker 2-34 0-0 3-26 1-9 1-6 5-42 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-11 0-0 1-7 1-15 1-19 1-12 2-13 (Q) (Q) (P) QB Favre (rush stats)
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OAKLAND R
AIDERS
Starting QB: Believe it or not, JaMarcus Russell was actually playing really good football at the end of the 2008 season. In the final three weeks of the season Russell threw for six TDs and only two INTs. While his rookie holdout held him back in his first season, it seemed like Russell was finally getting comfortable in the Raiders offense by the end of last year. The Raiders have added more playmakers like Darrius HeywardBey and Louis Murphy to an offense in dire need of help at the WR position. Oakland also brought in Jeff Garcia to back up Russell, and perhaps take over, if Russell falters or gets injured. This is the season when the Raiders expect it to all come together for the big QB from LSU. They have a capable offensive line in place, the running backs to keep defenses honest, and now have some legitimate receiving options other than TE Zach Miller. Al Davis wants a vertical offense so we’ll see if Russell can lead this passing game to Top 20 production in 2009. Backup QBs: Jeff Garcia isn’t the same QB he was when he was tearing up the league across the bay in San Francisco. However, he is still a reliable leader that a team can count on in JaMarcus Russell case the starter goes down with an injury. There is a chance that Garcia could be handed the reigns to the offense if JaMarcus Russell struggles to progress further as a QB. Andrew Walter was once thought of as the QB of the future in Oakland and now will be fighting for a roster spot with Bruce Gradkowski. Some think that Gradkowski didn’t get a fair shot in Tampa Bay or Cleveland. Even though he has starting experience in the league he is merely a backup-type QB. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Justin Fargas Backups: Darren McFadden, Michael Bush, Louis Rankin Fullbacks: Oren O’Neal, Luke Lawton, Marcel Reece Starting RB: Justin Fargas didn’t match his production from 2007 largely due to the fact that he had to share time with Darren McFadden. Fargas is still the lead back in the committee although his production may once again slip in 2009. He has been hampered by injuries ever since his early college days at Michigan and his pro career has been no different. Although he’s not missing as many games as before, one can always count on Fargas having a reservation with the training
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB QB RB RB TE TE WR WR
Player Name Type Danny Southwick Free Agent Jeff Garcia Free Agent Gary Russell Free Agent Lorenzo Neal Free Agent Brandon Myers Draft John Paul Foschi Free Agent Darrius Heyward-Bey Draft Louis Murphy Draft
2008 Team Free Agent Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pittsburgh Steelers Baltimore Ravens College Kansas City Chiefs College College
2009 Team Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB RB TE TE WR WR WR
Player Name Marques Tuiasosopo Justin Griffith Ben Troupe Fred Wakefield Ashley Lelie Drew Carter Ronald Curry
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders
2009 Team Free Agent Seattle Seahawks Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Detroit Lions
room for at least a few contests a year. He can be an effective RB, but it will be Darren McFadden’s health that dictates how many carries Fargas gets per game. Backup RBs: The Raiders were excited to select the sensational Darren McFadden in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. His rookie season was full of ups and downs as McFadden got used to running the football at the pro level. His best game was against KC in Week 2 where he had 164 yards rushing and one TD. Near midseason, his body began to break down and the Raiders came to the realization that McFadden could not be their workhorse back. He still has a ton of fantasy potential even though he’s the second back in a RBBC. With his moves in the open field and receiving ability there will be plenty of scoring opportunities for him in 2009. Michael Bush was able to get on the field for the first time in two years after missing his entire rookie season recovering from a broken leg sustained his senior year at Louisville. He impressed immediately and ended the season with a monster performance against Tampa Bay in Week 17 where he ran for 177 yards and two TDs. He is a huge back but runs more like a tailback than a power back. He could be a starter if he was on another team. Louis Rankin is a change-of-pace back that can’t run between the tackles but is dangerous on screen passes. Fullbacks: Oren O’Neal will lead the way for the Raiders ground game in 2009. Luke Lawton is a versatile back that can be used as a goalline back. Marcel Reece is a converted TE/WR/ H-back who gives the Raiders a receiving option from the FB position. None of these players should have a fantasy impact this year. ICON SMI
OAKLAND RAIDERS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: JaMarcus Russell Backups: Jeff Garcia, Andrew Walter, Bruce Gradkowski
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Chaz Schilens, Darrius Heyward-Bey [R] Backups: Johnny Lee Higgins, Javon Walker, Louis Murphy Starting WRs: Chaz Schilens ended the 2008 season with a couple of TD receptions and showed the ability to make the tough catch, take a big hit, and control the football. He has been the most consistent WR in mini-camp. With the seventh pick in the first round many expected the Raiders to take Michael Crabtree or Jeremy Maclin if they were available. However, the Raiders felt that Darrius Heyward-Bey was a better fit for their offense, and it’s hard to disagree. DHB is a huge 6’3, 210-pound WR that ran the fastest 40-time of any receiver at the 2009 Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. He can be a game changer in the NFL with his big-play ability and should be in the starting lineup by the end of training camp. Backup WRs: Johnny Lee Higgins is a good returner that flashed consistency as a receiver at the end of the 2008 season when he had three TD receptions in the final three games. Javon Walker has been a bust for the Raiders since coming over as a free agent from the Denver Broncos. Injuries and inconsistencies have plagued him during his time in silver and black, and that trend should continue this season. Walker had more surgery on his knee that he neglected to tell the Raiders until the start of mini camp. Walker may miss the entire preseason because of this latest surgery and may find himself on the PUP to start the season - or he could just end up getting cut. Louis Murphy has elite speed and an excellent size/speed ratio. He can eat up yards in a hurry with his long stride and has shown the ability to adjust to poorly thrown passes. TIGHT ENDS Starters: Zach Miller Backups: Tony Stewart, Brandon Myers [R] Zach Miller was on the verge of cracking the Top 10 at his posi-
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by Cecil Lammey tion in 2008. He finished the season strongly and ended up as the No. 11 fantasy TE. As the only consistent receiving option in the passing game defenses keyed on Miller early, and his production slipped. With QB JaMarcus Russell playing better and an improved WR corps, it should mean greater statistical output from Miller. PLACE KICKER PK: Sebastian Janikowski The 2005 season was a year to forget for Sebastian Janikowski, with career lows in field goal percentage, long range field goals, and kickoff distance. Then with the limited scoring opportunities, Oakland finished last in kicker scoring with 70 points in 2006. The following season, Janikowski hit only 23 of 32 (71.9 pecent) field goals, but many of the misses were from long range. Despite his accuracy troubles from long distance, he did have a career-high six field goals from 50+ yards that year. In 2008 his numbers were still below average (24 of 30, 80.0 percent); however his six misses either hit the cross bar from 40 and 46 yards or from ranges (57, 58, 59 and even 76 yards) with no expectation of him to convert. TEAM DEFENSE
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs JaMarcus Russell 368 198 2423 13 8 17 127 1 Andrew Walter 49 22 204 0 3 5 19 0 Marques Tuiasosopo 2 1 4 0 0 2 11 0 Running Back Justin Fargas Darren McFadden Michael Bush Justin Griffith Luke Lawton
Rush 219 113 94 2 0
Yards 855 499 419 2 0
TDs 1 4 3 0 0
Yards 52 285 162 85 30
TDs 0 0 0 1 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 16.4 29th Yds 272.2 29th P-Yds 148.1 32nd R-Yds 124.2 10th
Wide Receiver Rec Yards TDs Johnnie Lee Higgins 22 366 4 Ronald Curry 19 181 2 Chaz Schilens 15 226 2 Javon Walker 15 196 1 Ashley Lelie 11 197 2 Tight End Zach Miller Tony Stewart
Rec 10 29 19 9 6
Rec Yards TDs 56 778 1 11 81 0
during free agency the only reinforcements are safety Michael Mitchell, who was a consensus reach in the second round, and a trio of rookie defensive ends who are all developmental guys. Factor in the coaching change at DC which should bring a somewhat less aggressive style, and you have a Raiders club that doesn’t seem likely to turn it around in 2008.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Oakland QB Russell (rush stats) QB Walter (rush stats) QB Tuiasosopo (rush stats) RB Fargas (rec stats)
Den 14-41 17-26-180-0 4-7 8,4 dnp
@KC 23-8 6-17-55-0 1-3 dnp
Atl 0-24 6-19-31-1 2-46
(Q) dnp
(Q) dnp
dnp
Car 6-17 dnp
@Mia @Den KC 15-17 31-10 13-20 15-22-156-0 10-11-152-0 10-28-132-0 3-3 2-37 (Q) (Q) 4 (P) 14-32-143-2 dnp dnp dnp 4-19 (P) (Q) (Q) 1-2-4-0 0-0-0-0 dnp dnp 1-11 22-89 17-57 24-107 18-82 1-9 1-8 1-3 1 dnp 3-13 10-38 7-13 2-1 2-14 3-50 (Q) (Q) 1,1 (P) 8-30 dnp 2-0 0-0 5-43
-
dnp
dnp
18-97 2-12
9-43
dnp
dnp
-
10-35
28-74 2-7
12-24
6-23
(D) 14-42 3-6 (P) 14-55 1-5
(O) 7-20 2-17 (Q) 14-48 7-80
-
(P) 8-30
8-39 3-50
dnp
dnp
(Q) 5-8 1-9
(D) 3-(-2) 3-15
1-0 1-20
0-0 1-5
-
1-2 1-2 2(rec) 0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0
0-0 0-0 1-9
0-0
RB Griffith (rec stats)
0-0 3-39
32 0-0 2-11
-
(Q) 3-9 1-4
dnp
0-0 1-8
0-0
@SD 7-34 9-13-68-2
8-17-61-1 1-0
NE Hou @TB 26-49 27-16 31-24 17-31-242-1 18-25-236-0 14-21-148-1 1-2 56,10 (P) 20,29 3,12 dnp dnp dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
12-50 2-9
15-70
22-93 1-4
6-11
1-0 2-8
12-46 5-41
2-4
12-46 3-68 11 0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
(P) 1-2 2-10 (Q) 27-177 1-6 4,67 dnp
0-0
0-0
0-0 1-7
2-22
0-0 1-3 3-66
0-0 2-13 (Q) 3-56
6-52
dnp
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-84
4-35
-
1-35
0-0 1-18
2-16
0-0
0-0 2-16 0-0
0-0 1-(-2) 0-0
2-18
0-0
84 0-0
1-11
-
3-32
0-0
2-13
0-0
dnp
6-73
0-0 1-1
1-0
2-15
56 2-19
29 dnp
12 dnp
4 2-29
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
1-9
2-10
3-76
0-0
0-0 1-(-2)
0-0
0-0
0-0
(Q) 0-0
10 1-4
(D) 3-52
(D) 3-46
0-0
2-34
-
1-7
2-28
1-7
2-27
dnp
20 dnp
3 dnp
1-11
1-23
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
3-46
4-57
2-56
2-9
3-42
4-67
-
1-7
1-4
1-5
0-0
2-10 (Q)
2-17
1-5
dnp (Q) 8-64 (P) 1-11
dnp (D) 4-70 (P) 0-0
dnp
5-95 63 0-0
(Q) dnp (O) 4-92 4 3-41
(P) dnp
-
(Q) dnp (O) 0-0
(Q) dnp
0-0
5-75 8 0-0
1-11
2-18 (P) 1-23
TE Miller
dnp (Q) 3-37 8 4-34
2-24
0-0
TE Stewart
0-0
0-0
0-0
WR Lelie
@Bal 10-29 15-33-228-1 1-13 2 dnp
dnp
RB Bush (rec stats)
WR Walker
-
@NO NYJ 3-34 16-13 13-35-159-1 17-30-203-0 1-11 8 dnp dnp
dnp
21-164 1-9 19 16-90
WR Schilens (rush stats)
bye week -
dnp
9-46 1-11
WR Curry (rush stats)
SD 18-28 22-37-277-1 2-4 63 dnp
dnp
RB McFadden (rec stats)
RB Lawton (rec stats) WR Higgins (rush stats)
@Buf 23-24 9-19-156-0 1-1 84/1(run) dnp
5-79 (Q) 0-0
0-0 5-60 2-22
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Oakland has finished 31st versus the run for two consecutive seasons and managed to improve only from 26th in points allowed in 2007 to 24th last season. Their defensive statistics from last season paint a dismal picture but there are some things to build on. Only nine clubs were better versus the pass in 2008 and the Raiders pass rush ranked 13th with 32 sacks. The question entering this season is have they done enough to improve or have they actually regressed? Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has moved on and some of the personnel decisions have left many scratching their heads. Both of last year’s big free agent additions are gone. DeAngelo Hall was jettisoned during the season followed by the team’s second-leading tackler Gibril Wilson who was released after the season despite leading the club in takeaways. After being quiet
2008 SEASON STATS
0-0
2-34 0-0
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PHILADELPHIA E
AGLES
Starting QB: Donovan McNabb had gone three seasons without finishing as a Top 10 fantasy QB but that all changed last year, as the Eagles franchise passer threw for a career high 3,916 yards and 23 TDs en route to a seventh place fantasy ranking. It’s hard to believe McNabb’s bounce-back season was almost derailed in a Week 12 benching against the Baltimore Ravens. It’s quite possible, had backup Kevin Kolb played well in the second half, McNabb’s time in Philadelphia might have come to an end. Instead, he played a full 16game season for the first time since 2003, and the Eagles made it to the NFC Championship game for the fifth time in 10 years. As long as he can stay healthy, McNabb is going to be among the better fantasy options. He knows the offense inside and out, Andy Reid loves to throw the ball, and McNabb’s supporting cast appears fortified for a title run. Backup QBs: There are defining moments in life. For Kevin Kolb, one of those moments came at the start of the second half of Week 12 contest against the Ravens last year. McNabb Brian Westbrook had played miserably, and Reid handed the reins over to the young second year signal caller out of Houston. Unfortunately, Kolb struggled in completing 10-of-23 passes with two interceptions and a measly 73 yards. Whether Kolb can successfully execute the West Coast offense remains an enormous question mark, but the Eagles coaching staff appears to have confidence in him. A.J. Feeley, a long-time Eagles backup and emergency starter, rounds out the QB roster. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Brian Westbrook Backups: LeSean McCoy [R], Lorenzo Booker Fullback: Leonard Weaver Starting RB: After two MVP-caliber seasons, Brian Westbrook came back to Earth a bit in 2008. After leading the NFL with 2,104 yards from scrimmage in 2007, Westbrook failed to crack the Top 10 last year with 1,338 yards. He failed to crack the 1,000-yard rushing mark and his receiving totals (54 receptions, 402 yards) marked fiveyear lows. What Eagles fans and fantasy owners need to ask themselves is whether this hearkens to the inevitable fall-off that all great runners endure at some point in their career or whether Westbrook can bounce back behind a rebuilt offensive line. It would be unfair to characterize Westbrook’s 2008 season as disappointing though, considering he finished as the 10th best fantasy back in standard scoring. He had at least 100 yards from scrimmage or a TD in six games. Westbrook certainly remains an above average weapon; it’s just a mat-
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos RB RB TE WR WR
Player Name LeSean McCoy Leonard Weaver Cornelius Ingram Brandon Gibson Jeremy Maclin
Type Draft Free Agent Draft Draft Draft
2008 Team College Seattle Seahawks College College College
2009 Team Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos RB TE WR
Player Name Correll Buckhalter L.J. Smith Greg Lewis
Type Free Agent Free Agent Trade
2008 Team Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles
2009 Team Denver Broncos Baltimore Ravens New England Patriots
ter of whether he can regain his status as an elite difference maker. Backup RBs: Barring the addition of another veteran, the Eagles are dangerously thin at the RB position. The Eagles used a second round pick in the April draft on LeSean McCoy, who will need to be a quick study because the Eagles have few options behind him, particularly if Brian Westbrook gets hurt. At 5’11, 198 pounds, McCoy is a bit undersized but is a well-rounded runner who doesn’t shy away from contact. He’s capable of getting to the second level and, unlike many rookie RBs in this class, has great hands. For now, Lorenzo Booker is the third RB, but he did absolutely nothing to distinguish himself last year, averaging a paltry 2.6 yards per carry. Fullback: The Eagles have had a revolving door at fullback the last few seasons but hope to have solved that problem with the addition of Leonard Weaver. Weaver signed a one-year deal to join the Birds after spending three seasons in Seattle. Weaver played in a similar offense and should assimilate quickly. While a solid blocker, Weaver’s value comes from his ability to make occasional plays on offense. Weaver has averaged 4.5 yards per rush and 9.1 yards per reception thus far in his career, and the Eagles hope to use him in a variety of ways. ICON SMI
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Donovan McNabb Backups: Kevin Kolb, A.J. Feeley
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis Backups: Jeremy Maclin [R], Reggie Brown, Hank Baskett, Jason Avant Starting WRs: The Eagles have not been shy about drafting wide receivers, contrary to popular sentiment. The problem is most of the Eagles choices haven’t panned out, whether it is Todd Pinkston or Freddie Mitchell or most recently Reggie Brown. But the team ended its hard luck last season with the selection of DeSean Jackson. Jackson is small (5’9, 169 pounds) but plays much bigger. Cut from the same cloth as the Panthers’ Steve Smith, Jackson is fearless, has great hands and runs laser-sharp routes. His crisp routes and undeniable after-the-catch ability thrust him into the Eagles lineup faster than expected. Jackson became the first rookie in almost 70 years to open the season with back-to-back 100-yard games and ended the season with 912 yards on 62 catches. If Jackson can correct the inconsistencies and lack of focus he showed at times, he should be a perennial 1,000-yard threat. It’s unclear whether Kevin Curtis will ultimately start opposite Jackson, particularly if Curtis has another setback following a February procedure on the same sports hernia that hobbled him last season. When healthy, Curtis provides Donovan McNabb with another 1,000-yard threat and a sure-handed option that can get yards after the catch. Backup WRs: Donovan McNabb wanted more playmakers and the Eagles listened, trading up to the 19th pick in the first round to select Jeremy Maclin. According to some post draft reports, Maclin was the top ranked rookie WR on a majority of NFL draft boards [ahead of Michael Crabtree]. Whether that’s true or not, Maclin was coveted for his explosive open field abilities. Unlike DeSean Jackson, Maclin isn’t a finished product. He must improve his route running and will need to adjust to the complexity and minutiae that comes with the West Coast offense, but he’ll be on the field quite a bit. It’s just a question of whether he plays in 3WR sets out of the slot or earns a starting role as Jackson did a season ago. Rounding out the corps is a trio of veterans: Reggie Brown, Hank Baskett and Jason Avant. The Eagles probably won’t keep all three in which case Reggie Brown will need to reestablish his value. Technically a starter at times last year, Brown has fallen short of expectations and is no longer viewed as a difference maker. Avant and Baskett are inexpensive, hard-working veterans who have both made huge plays at opportune moments. They’re well suited as backups.
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by Jason Wood TIGHT ENDS Starter: Brent Celek Backups: Cornelius Ingram [R], Matt Schobel Brent Celek has done more for the Eagles than fans had any reason to expect. A fifth rounder out of Cincinnati two seasons ago, Celek was considered a back of the roster prospect. But injuries and inconsistent play from L.J. Smith forced Celek into a more prominent role and he did enough to earn 11 starts in his first two seasons. With Smith now a Raven, Celek is the odds-on favorite to start for the contending Eagles. Celek doesn’t do anything particularly well, but is a smart and attentive player who has found a role making first down catches in the middle of the field. Eagles fans hope that his breakout 10-catch performance in the NFC Championship game is a harbinger of things to come. In case it’s not, the Eagles drafted his likely successor in Cornelius Ingram. Ingram is an uber athletic pass catcher who fell in this year’s draft because he missed the 2008 season with a knee injury. Ingram is a former University of Florida shooting guard and has a higher ceiling than any TE in the Reid era. Veteran Matt Schobel rounds out the roster for now, but the Eagles may look to upgrade as the preseason progresses. PLACE KICKER PK: David Akers, Sam Swank
TEAM DEFENSE The high pressure scheme of Jim Johnson helped the Eagles to perform as one of the most consistent fantasy defenses in the league last season, generating 48 sacks and 29 turnovers, seven combined defensive and special teams touchdowns and solid finishes in points
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Donovan McNabb 571 345 3916 23 11 39 147 2 Kevin Kolb 34 17 144 0 4 13 2 0 Running Back Brian Westbrook Correll Buckhalter Kyle Eckel Lorenzo Booker
Rush 233 76 24 20
Yards 936 369 79 53
Wide Receiver DeSean Jackson Hank Baskett Kevin Curtis Jason Avant Greg Lewis Reggie Brown
Rec Yards TDs 62 912 2 33 440 3 33 390 2 32 377 2 19 247 1 18 252 1
Tight End L.J. Smith Brent Celek Matt Schobel
Rec Yards TDs 37 298 3 27 318 1 2 10 0
TDs 9 2 0 0
Rec 54 26 0 6
Yards 402 324 0 11
TDs 5 2 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 26.0 6th Yds 350.5 9th P-Yds 244.4 6th R-Yds 106.1 22nd
against and yardage allowed. They narrowly edged out Baltimore and Pittsburgh for the top overall finish in the scoring system used for FBG rankings. The Eagles lost veteran leader Brian Dawkins in free agency, but gained veteran CB Ellis Hobbs in a trade with New England and playmaking safety Sean Jones via free agency. The team returns a talented and deep defensive line, led by Trent Cole, who had 59 solo tackles and nine sacks in 2008. Stewart Bradley and Quentin Mikell will anchor the back seven along with a host of playmakers in the secondary. Expect this defense to again put up a solid number of sacks and takeaways and finish among the Top 10 fantasy DSTs.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Philadelphia
StL @Dal Pit 38-3 37-41 15-6 QB McNabb 21-33-361-0 25-37-281-0 24-35-196-1 (rush stats) 1-3 5-20 2-(-2) 5,1,90 6 20 QB Kolb 5-6-53-0 dnp 2-3-18-1 (rush stats) 3-(-3) RB Westbrook 19-91 18-58 5-12 (rec stats) 2-1 6-45 6/1(rec) 1,1/6(rec) RB Buckhalter 2-5 0-0 10-43 (rec stats) 2-15 6-44 20(rec) RB Eckel dnp dnp dnp RB Booker 5-9 0-0 5-11 (rec stats) (P) 2-8 2-5 WR Jackson 6-106 6-110 5-40 (rush stats) 1-1
@Chi 20-24 25-41-262-1 2-(-5) 22 (Q) dnp dnp
2-10
8-85
WR Avant
2-102 90 dnp (O) 3-45
(Q) 16-66 2-24 1 dnp 2-7 1-(-3) 5-71 2-35 22 1-10
dnp (O) 2-28
dnp (O) 2-24
dnp (D) 4-29
WR Lewis
5-104
3-36
1-4
1-5
WR Brown (rush stats)
dnp
dnp
0-0
6-79
(Q) 1-10
(P) 0-0
TE Celek
(D) 5-39 5 2-15
1-19
0-0
dnp (D) 3-21
TE Schobel
0-0
dnp
dnp
0-0
WR Baskett WR Curtis
TE Smith
Was @SF bye Atl @Sea NYG @Cin @Bal Ari @NYG Cle @Was Dal 17-23 40-26 week 27-14 26-7 31-36 13-13 ;7-36 48-20 20-14 30-10 3-10 44-6 17-29-196-0 23-36-280-1 19-34-253-0 28-43-349-1 17-36-194-1 28-58-339-3 8-18-59-2 27-39-260-0 19-30-191-0 26-35-290-1 26-46-230-0 12-21-175-0 1-4 6-25 2-6 3-35 1-2 1-7 4-24 5-20 2-8 3-4 (P) 2,2 (P) 3(run) 22,1 10,7,2 4 5,2,5,8 40 14,10 4,1/1(run) dnp dnp dnp dnp 0-0-0-0 dnp 10-23-73-2 0-0-0-0 dnp 0-2-0-1 dnp 0-0-0-0 3-12 3-(-3) 2-(-2) 2-(-2) 12-33 dnp 22-167 20-61 13-26 14-60 14-39 22-110 33-131 16-53 12-45 13-50 6-51 6-42 6-35 3-33 3-11 2-(-5) 3-20 6-72 3-14 6-71 2-12 9 (Q) (O) 16,39 (P) (P) (P) (P) (Q) 1,9/5,2(rec) (Q) 30/40(rec) (Q) (P) (P) (P) 2-0 18-93 4-0 2-2 2-21 1-3 2-16 dnp dnp 6-55 1-2 10-63 7-85 2-29 1-6 1-44 2-18 3-59 1 (D) (D) (P) (P) 4(rec) dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 6-27 1-2 9-28 0-0 8-22 0-0 1-5 0-0 3-0 dnp dnp dnp 4-21 0-0 dnp dnp dnp 1-1 1-8 6-98 3-72 2-20 4-61 4-66 5-47 6-76 0-0 5-77 2-14 2-46 2-13 1-1 1-3 3-24 2-3 1-12 1-6 2-(-9) 1-7 (P) 9(run) (P) (P) 5 0-0 4-38 1-8 1-25 1-7 2-74 1-8 5-42 2-16 3-15 dnp 0-0 2 7 (O) (Q) dnp dnp 3-45 6-83 3-25 7-64 2-12 5-59 2-42 4-45 dnp 1-15 (D) (Q) 2 14 (P) (D) (P) 1-3 1-17 0-0 dnp 2-25 3-32 2-23 4-25 1-9 5-101 2-16 0-0 (Q) 10 (P) 8 1-22 3-38 0-0 2-16 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-7 1-10 1-5 0-0 10 (P) 4-84 dnp dnp 1-22 1-7 1-0 0-0 0-0 dnp dnp 4-47 1-13 1-6 (O) (Q) 22 (P) 3-26 1-2 2-29 dnp 3-36 3-15 1-3 3-32 6-44 2-13 7-49 dnp (Q) 2 (P) (O) (P) 4 (P) (P) (D) 0-0 0-0 2-28 6-131 0-0 3-25 3-26 1-6 0-0 2-9 1-8 3-30 1 dnp dnp dnp 2-10 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 0-0
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
After three straight sub-par years, David Akers rebounded in 2008. He hit 82.5 percent (33 of 40) on field goals. Within the seven missed kicks, the two short attempts were blocked and three were from 50+ yards. Akers made 10 of 15 field goals from 40+ yards, after having made only two of 10 the year before. His 65.8 yard average on kickoffs and 17 touchbacks were both career highs. Akers played in all 16 games the last three years after missing four games due to injury in 2005. After five consecutive years in the Top 10 in kicker scoring, the Eagles sagged into the 20s during 2005 through 2007 before finishing third last year.
2008 SEASON STATS
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PITTSBURGH S
TEELERS
could once again not be the leading fantasy back on his team. Backup RBs: Mewelde Moore was a fantastic pickup for the Pittsburgh Steelers even though his signing originally went unnoticed. Moore helped fill in for an injured Willie Parker and was the Steelers best receiving back. He scored six TDs on the year and was able to Starting QB: Ben Roethlisberger already has two Super Bowl make several big plays throughout the year. He should once again rings in his short career, but other than 2007 he really hasn’t been be the third down back who can put up bigger numbers if his role is much of a fantasy force. He threw for 32 TD passes in 2007, and expanded because of injury. Rashard Mendenhall was the Steelers many expected him to repeat his performance and throw for at least first-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft and some 25 TDs in 2008. With the league’s best defense expected him to take over for Willie Parker by Roethlisberger didn’t have to carry the team and the end of his rookie season. Instead Mendenhall only threw for 17 TDs. Pittsburgh hopes to have ended up missing the rest of the season after an improved pass protection this year because its QB injury in Week 4. When Mendenhall did play he was battered each and every week behind one of did not stand out which led to some inside the the league’s worst offensive lines. His athletic abilorganization questioning his motivation. A bigity, size, and strength allowed him to make plays ger role is there for the taking so we’ll have to out of nothing. However, that week-in and weeksee if Mendenhall can prove the doubters wrong out type of beating will certainly take a toll in the and live up to his high draft status. At the very long run. The Steelers lost WR Nate Washington least the Steelers would like to see him become a to the Titans in free agency, but they expect Limas goalline threat. Justin Vincent hasn’t looked the Sweed to be a more than adequate replacement. same since his freshmen season at LSU and will The same passing game formula should once again be on the roster bubble in training camp. be in place for the 2009 season which makes Ben a Fullbacks: Carey Davis is more of a nice QB2 or bye-week QB in fantasy leagues. traditional FB who can block effectively and Backup QBs: Charlie Batch has proven to catch a few passes. The Steelers drafted the be a capable backup for Big Ben and is the perfect next Fuamatu-Ma’afala when they selected game manager that will not throw the game away. He Frank “the Tank” Summers in the 2009 NFL Ben Roethlisberger missed all of last season with an injury and Byron Draft. Summers is a big back that can pick up Leftwich took over as the No. 2 QB. Leftwich left tough yards between the tackles and has surprising speed. We could for a starting opportunity in Tampa Bay, which means Batch should be the see Summers end up being the goalline vulture for the Steelers runbackup to Big Ben once again. Dennis Dixon is an athletic playmaking ning game now that Gary Russell is no longer on the team. QB that ran the spread option at Oregon. Dixon is working on becoming a better passer but could be asked to play some Wildcat QB for the WIDE RECEIVERS Steelers in 2009. Mike Reilly is a record-setting QB that played at Central Starters: Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes Washington, but he is a project QB that could take several years to develop. Backups: Limas Sweed, Mike Wallace [R], Shaun McDonald, Dallas Baker, Martin Nance RUNNING BACKS Starter: Willie Parker Starting WRs: Hines Ward is one of the toughest WRs in the Backups: Mewelde Moore, Rashard Mendenhall, Justin Vincent game today, and every Sunday he gives his full effort. He finished Fullbacks: Carey Davis, Frank Summers [R] 2008 with another 1,000 yard season (the fifth of his career) and once again led the Steelers in targets on the year. He doesn’t appear to be Starting RB: Willie Parker’s days as the feature back for the slowing down and could have a couple of more seasons with similar Steelers are close to coming to an end. He started off the 2008 season production. Santonio Holmes made huge strides as a receiver in his with a bang in a game against Houston where he had 138 yards rushthird year. Holmes’ season was capped off by an incredible gameing and three TDs. The rest of his season was marred with injuries winning TD catch that helped him win the Super Bowl MVP. He was and inconsistencies. He ended up with the lowest rushing yards, yards targeted over 100 times on the season and proved to be a trustworthy per carry, and attempts since his rookie year. He did have a big game receiver for QB Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers are expecting him against San Diego in the playoffs (146 yards and two TDs), but when to increase his production, and he could perhaps crack 1,000 yards Willie plays a tough run defense he cannot rise to the occasion. He receiving in a season for the first time in his career. lost goalline opportunities to Gary Russell, and he lost third downs Backup WRs: Nate Washington is gone, but the Steelers are hopto Mewelde Moore. If Rashard Mendenhall had stayed healthy, he ing that Limas Sweed can take his game to the next level. Sweed was might have lost even more carries. This season is shaping up to be a singled out by Head Coach Mike Tomlin for having inconsistent hands, three-headed committee, and while Willie Parker will be the starter, he and it’s something that really struck a nerve with the young receiver. He is NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED a huge target, but he doesn’t have the deep speed to challenge a defense. With better concentration Sweed could turn into a nice red zone option Pos Player Name Type 2008 Team 2009 Team for the Steelers. In the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft the Steelers RB Frank Summers Draft College Pittsburgh Steelers selected Mike Wallace from Ole Miss. He has the footwork and speed to TE David Johnson Draft College Pittsburgh Steelers develop into a No. 2 WR but is raw and is still learning the intricacies of WR Mike Wallace Draft College Pittsburgh Steelers WR Jayson Foster Free Agent Denver Broncos Pittsburgh Steelers the position. Shaun McDonald was signed to compete as a slot receiver WR Shaun McDonald Free Agent Detroit Lions Pittsburgh Steelers and to contribute as a returner. Dallas Baker has size and long arms but hasn’t shown much progress as a route runner. Martin Nance was Big Ben’s favorite target when they were at Miami (OH). He is a large receivNOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST er but is too slow in and out his breaks to get open consistently. ICON SMI
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Ben Roethlisberger Backups: Charlie Batch, Dennis Dixon, Mike Reilly
Pos QB RB RB WR
Player Name Byron Leftwich Gary Russell Verron Haynes Nate Washington
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers
2009 Team Tampa Bay Buccaneers Oakland Raiders Atlanta Falcons Tennessee Titans
TIGHT ENDS Starters: Heath Miller Backups: Matt Spaeth, David Johnson [R], Sean McHugh
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by Cecil Lammey Heath Miller missed a couple of games for the first time in his pro career, and his production slipped from his usual Top 10 status. He caught one more pass than he did in 2007, but he also had four fewer TDs. As long as he can stay healthy for all 16 games his production should slightly increase from 2008. Miller is a great option in the red zone and has the athletic ability to do some damage in the deep middle of the field. He is also very savvy and knows how to push for extra yardage and move the chains. Matt Spaeth didn’t have any TD catches in 2008 but still presents a huge target for his QB. PLACE KICKER PK: Jeff Reed
TEAM DEFENSE Pittsburgh is the birth place of the 3-4 zone blitz defense. It’s an aggressive attacking style of play which at its best, forces offenses to react to the defensive scheme rather than the other way around. By its design the zone blitz is meant to create a lot of big plays. Thus over the years the Steelers have been one of the most consistently productive options in the fantasy game. The 2008 season was no exception as Pittsburgh sported defensive player of the year James Harrison, and was once again among the Top 3 fantasy defenses in any scoring system. It’s hard to beat a unit that finishes first in yards, scoring and pass defense while coming in second versus the run, recording
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Ben Roethlisberger 468 280 3308 17 15 34 101 2 Byron Leftwich 36 21 303 2 0 4 7 1 Dennis Dixon 1 1 3 0 0 2 -3 0 Running Back Rush Willie Parker 210 Mewelde Moore 140 Gary Russell 28 Rashard Mendenhall 19 Carey Davis 12 Najeh Davenport 2
Yards 791 588 77 58 35 5
TDs 5 5 3 0 0 0
Wide Receiver Hines Ward Santonio Holmes Nate Washington Limas Sweed
Rec Yards TDs 81 1043 7 55 821 5 40 631 3 6 64 0
Tight End Heath Miller Matt Spaeth Sean McHugh
Rec Yards TDs 48 514 3 17 136 0 3 24 0
Rec 3 40 1 2 5 0
Yards 13 320 -2 17 27 0
TDs 0 1 0 0 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Pts 21.7 20th Yds 311.9 22nd P-Yds 206.3 17th R-Yds 105.6 23rd
51 sacks, 29 takeaway and three defensive scores. There were no immediate impact additions over the offseason, but every starter is returning except ILB Larry Foote. That change only happened because Lawrence Timmons is an upgrade. Some will make an argument for Baltimore as the first defense off the board but the Steelers have more depth and are a can’t-miss option.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Pittsburgh
Hou @Cle @Phi Bal @Jac bye @Cin NYG 38-17 10-6 6-15 23-20 26-21 week 38-10 14-21 QB Roethlisberger 13-14-137-0 12-19-186-0 13-25-131-1 14-24-191-1 26-41-309-1 - 17-28-216-0 13-29-189-4 (rush stats) 2-17 1-0 4-6 2-3 2-2 2-(-1) 1-3 16,13 11 (P) (P) 38 1,48,8 (Q) 2,50 65 QB Leftwich 0-4-0-0 0-0-0-0 4-7-60-0 dnp dnp 3-3-34-0 dnp (rush stats) 2-0 16 QB Dixon dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp (rush stats) RB Parker 25-138 28-105 13-20 dnp dnp dnp dnp (rec stats) 4,13,7 (O) (O) (D) (D) RB Moore 0-0 0-0 1-6 8-13 17-99 20-120 19-84 (rec stats) 3-37 3-17 5-14 2-10 13,2/2(rec) 32 RB Russell dnp dnp dnp dnp 6-25 4-0 1-8 (rec stats) 1-(-2) RB Mendenhall (rec stats) RB Davis (rec stats) RB Davenport (rec stats) WR Ward
10-28
0-0
0-0 1-10 dnp
1-2
0-0 1-11 1-1
dnp
dnp
9-30 1-6 8-15 1-(-1) dnp
6-76 16,13 2-19
5-59 11 5-94 1-10
4-34
2-57
3-32
3-61
WR Washington (rush stats)
0-0
0-0
5-51
38 2-23 1-8
WR Sweed TE Miller
dnp 3-26
dnp 2-33
dnp 4-63
dnp 2-8
WR Holmes (rush stats)
@Was 23-6 5-17-50-1 1-1 1(run) (P) 7-10-129-0 1-(-1) 5 dnp
Ind SD Cin 20-24 11-10 27-10 30-42-284-3 31-41-308-0 17-30-243-0 1-(-1) 3-13 (P) 3/8(run) dnp dnp dnp
@NE 33-10 17-33-179-1 3-6 19,11 dnp
Dal @Bal @Ten Cle 20-13 13-9 14-31 31-0 17-33-204-0 22-40-246-0 26-40-331-2 9-14-110-1 5-17 4-21 3-14 6 (P) 4 31,21 (P) dnp dnp dnp 7-12-80-0 1-8 8(run) dnp dnp dnp 1-1-3-0 2-(-3) 12-25 14-47 18-29 23-116 2-9 1-2 (P) 34 5-22 7-16 3-28 4-23 4-36 2-20 1-10
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
21-70
dnp
25-115 1-4
14-37
16-87
1 (P) 4-(-2) 3-45
1-(-1) 5-33
15-56 4-41
(Q) 12-67 2-9
0-0
(D) 24-57 6-48 1,1 0-0
2-10
3-5
3-1
4-6
1-1
0-0
4-21
(P) dnp
(P) dnp
2 dnp
1 dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
3 dnp
dnp
dnp
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp (D) 1-3
-
dnp (O) 0-0
0-0 1-4 0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-6
0-0
1-2
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0 1-0 dnp
0-0 (Q) 0-0
4-60 16 5-89
3-30
3-39
11-124
1-37
8-107
3-30
5-63
5-84
5-37 11 2-28
1-2
dnp
dnp (Q) 9-116 (P) 4-29 1-(-1)
3-82
3-21
2-57 1-6 50 1-11 2-13
1-65
5 2-59 1-(-6)
3-30
2-14
1-12 1-4
19 3-41
4-58
4 5-76 1-6
31 3-38
1-13
0-0 dnp (O) 6-55
0-0 3-26
0-0 8-69
0-0 5-55
1-4
0-0 3-20 6 1-6
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-15
2-25 4-44 3 0-0 (Q) 0-0
0-0
0-0
1-7
0-0
0-0
-
7-90 8 4-65
-
(P) 6-94
-
TE Spaeth
1-6
0-0
0-0
0-0
48 dnp 5-45 1 0-0
TE McHugh
dnp (O)
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
-
65 3-28 3-52
0-0 0-0
-
1-6
0-0
1-6
0-0 dnp (O) 6-53
-
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-2
0-0 4-60
0-0
7-109 21 5-93
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Jeff Reed hit a career best 92.0 pecent (23 of 25) on field goals in 2007. It was a big turnaround from 2006 when he hit only 74.1 percent on field goals, the second lowest percentage of his career. He again did well last year, making 27 of 31 (87.1 percent) field goals. He was perfect on field goals under 40 yards in 2007 and missed only one from that range last year. Reed had always managed to kick fairly well at Heinz Field, a place that has probably cost some kickers their job. Over the last three years, however, 10 of his 13 missed field goals have been at home. Last year he missed a PAT, his first miss since 2003. The Steelers have ranked 18th, 25th, and 18th the last three years in attempted kicking points, limiting Reed’s fantasy value.
2008 SEASON STATS
1-11 1-14 8-26 4-54 6-70 3-31
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SAN DIEGO C
HARGERS
Starting QB: Philip Rivers has led the Chargers to three playoff appearances in his three years as a starter. Rivers is known for his quick release and accuracy, but he has also shown fine leadership skills. His surrounding talent makes things easier on him since opposing teams have to focus on containing LaDainian Tomlinson. Rivers has an unorthodox throwing motion with a low release point, but it hasn’t presented any problems for him. Rivers does a particularly good job of recognizing the blitz and making quick decisions. He shows exceptional toughness (as demonstrated when he played in the 2007 AFC Championship game against the Patriots with a torn ACL), and has become a vocal leader of the team. With the running game ineffective at times in 2008, the Chargers became more of a passing team, and Rivers finished as the No. 3 fantasy QB (FBG scoring). A healthy LaDainian Tomlinson may drop Rivers back down the fantasy standings a bit, but the Chargers have become Rivers’ team as much as Tomlinson’s. Backup QBs: The Chargers traded for Billy Volek early during the 2006 regular season and he rose to No. 2 on the depth chart shortly thereafter. Antonio Gates Volek has started 10 games in his NFL career and has averaged 279 passing yards per game in those starts. Volek has decent, but not elite, arm strength and accuracy. He has above-average experience and past production for a backup quarterback. When pressed into duty in the playoff game against the Colts in 2007, Volek led the Chargers on a game-winning touchdown drive. Charlie Whitehurst, entering his fourth year in the league, was the Chargers third-string quarterback for most of the past two seasons; he has a good arm, mechanics and mobility. RUNNING BACKS Starter: LaDainian Tomlinson Backups: Darren Sproles, Gartrell Johnson [R] Fullback: Jacob Hester, Mike Tolbert Starting RB: In 2006, LaDainian Tomlinson led the league in rushing with 1,815 yards, set NFL records for rushing touchdowns (28) and total touchdowns (31), and was named league MVP. He started slow in 2007, but rebounded to score 15 times the last 11 games, and won the rushing title for the second consecutive season. His 2008 season, however, was marked by injury and disappointment. While Tomlinson did not miss a game, the toe injury he suffered in the first game slowed him during the first half of the season and he ended up averaging just 3.8 yards a carry – the lowest since his rookie year. When healthy, Tomlinson has excellent vision, lateral quickness, acceleration, body control, patience, power, speed, balance and toughness. However, he will turn 30 before the season starts and has a lot of mileage on him. His last two seasons have been progressively less productive than his record-setting 2006 season, and the trend may continue as he winds down his career.
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos Player Name RB Gartrell Johnson WR Demetrius Byrd
Type Draft Draft
2008 Team College College
2009 Team San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos Player Name TE Scott Chandler
Type Free Agent
2008 Team 2009 Team San Diego Chargers Free Agent
Backup RBs: Darren Sproles is a nifty, undersized runner with great acceleration and quickness. He was a more effective runner than Tomlinson last season (5.4 versus 3.8 YPC), and the Chargers put the franchise tag on him for the 2009 season. Sproles showed terrific athleticism and an electric spark whenever his number was called last year. Nonetheless, while the Chargers will find a way to get Sproles the ball in the open field in certain personnel packages, he is viewed as a change-of-pace back rather than an every-down back. So even if Tomlinson is injured, Sproles would likely share the workload with rookie fourth-round pick Gartrell Johnson or with last year’s third-rounder, Jacob Hester. Johnson is a bruising runner from Colorado State whose running style has been compared to that of Marion Barber. Fullbacks: UDFA Mike Tolbert began 2008 as the Chargers’ starting fullback. After an exceptional training camp and preseason, he became less effective during the regular season before suffering ankle and shoulder injuries that significantly limited his playing time over the second half of the season. Last year’s third-round pick Jacob Hester took over fullback duties from Tolbert and proved to be a more effective lead blocker than Tolbert. Hester was inconsistent as a blocker, but generally used position and leverage to seal off his defender from the running lane. Hester can also play halfback (he averaged 5.0 yards per carry last season), but the drafting of Gartrell Johnson means that he will probably stay at fullback. ICON SMI
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Philip Rivers Backups: Billy Volek, Charlie Whitehurst
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Vincent Jackson, Chris Chambers Backups: Malcom Floyd, Craig Davis, Legedu Naanee, Kassim Osgood Starting WRs: Vincent Jackson had teased fantasy owners with strong finishes in 2006 and 2007, but waited until 2008 (his fourth year in the league) to put together a true breakout season. He has an outstanding combination of size and speed, and with Antonio Gates struggling through injuries all year, Jackson became Philip Rivers’ favorite target last season. Jackson is both a red zone threat and a deep threat. Lining up across from Jackson is Chris Chambers, whom the Chargers traded for before the midway point in 2007. Chambers was plagued by dropped balls with the Dolphins earlier in his career, but has been a reliable, sure-handed receiver since coming to the Chargers. He got off to a fast start in 2008, scoring five touchdowns in the first five games before he was slowed by an ankle injury. Chambers had a quiet second half of the season, when he was outshone not only by Vincent Jackson, but also by Malcom Floyd. Chambers enters the 2009 season healthy and his starting job should be safe, but as the Chargers get their younger WRs more playing time and more targets, Chambers’ production may suffer. Backup WRs: Malcom Floyd is a big receiver with excellent hands and overall athleticism. He adjusts well to the ball in the air, and like Vincent Jackson, is both a red-zone threat and a deep threat. He gained Philip Rivers’ trust over the second half of the 2008 season, and may have earned a bigger role in the offense in 2009. While he struggles against tight man coverage, he is a good fit as a third receiver who can exploit coverage by a defense’s weaker defensive backs. Challenging Floyd for playing time will be the Chargers’ first-round pick from 2007, Craig ‘Buster’ Davis. Davis has shown flashes in prior years’ training camps and has made occasional plays in games. When he’s been on the field he’s performed well enough, but his availability has been compromised by almost constant nagging injuries. Legedu Naanee may be ready for a step up in playing time. He is a big, versatile receiver with decent run-after-the-catch ability. Kassim Osgood is a special teams ace.
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by Maurile Tremblay
TIGHT ENDS Starter: Antonio Gates Backups: Brandon Manumaleuna, Kris Wilson Antonio Gates struggled through last season, nursing a toe that had been dislocated during the 2007 playoffs, a bruised hip suffered in the first game of 2008, and a high ankle sprain suffered later in the season. He lacked the explosiveness out of his cuts that he had shown in previous seasons, but still ended up with 704 receiving yards and a team-high eight receiving TDs. Gates has good size (6’4, 260) and – when healthy – excellent quickness on underneath routes, as well as a knack for shielding defenders from the ball with his body. Heading into 2009, the hip and ankle should be fine, but the toe may not ever heal 100 percent. Gates has a high pain threshold and will play through injuries that might sideline other players; and as he proved last season, a wounded Gates can still be a Top 5 fantasy tight end. But to be considered a top-flight fantasy stud, Gates will have to show during training camp that he can cut and push off of his toe without difficulty. Gates’ primary backup, Brandon Manumaleuna, has good hands but lacks the speed to get downfield. He is primarily a blocker, and occasionally a check-down receiver. Kris Wilson is another effective blocker, but tends to be used as more of an H-back.
After connecting on 80.0 percent on field goals in his rookie season, Nate Kaeding jumped to the top of the class the next three years. He hit 87.5 percent (21 of 24) in his second year, 89.7 percent (26 of 29) in 2006, and 88.9 percent (24 of 27) in 2007. Last he made 27 of 32 (84.4 percent) field goals. That pulled down his career average to 86.1 percent putting him second on the all-time accuracy list behind Mike Vanderjagt. Kaeding also was 6 of 9 from 50+ yards. After missing one PAT his rookie season, Kaeding has been perfect since. During his career, the Chargers have ranked 7th, 10th, 12th, 2nd, and 10th in kicker scoring. Kaeding scored 607 during his five years in the NFL, most in the league during that span. TEAM DEFENSE The Chargers entered last season with grand expectations but their
Quarterback Philip Rivers
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 478 312 4009 34 11 31 84 0
Running Back Rush LaDainian Tomlinson 292 Darren Sproles 61 Jacob Hester 19 Mike Tolbert 13 Wide Receiver Vincent Jackson Chris Chambers Malcom Floyd Legedu Naanee Craig Davis
Yards 1110 330 95 37
TDs 11 1 1 0
Rec Yards TDs 59 1098 7 33 462 5 27 465 4 8 64 0 4 59 0
Rec 52 29 12 13
Yards 426 342 91 171
TDs 1 5 1 1
Team Per Game Stats Pts 27.4 2nd Yds 349.0 11th P-Yds 241.1 7th R-Yds 107.9 20th
Tight End Rec Yards TDs Antonio Gates 60 704 8 Brandon Manumaleuna 15 127 2 season began to unravel right out of the gate. They were without their best ILB Stephen Cooper for the first four games and were never able to recover from the loss of Shawne Merriman in Week 1. The end result was a very forgettable season in which San Diego posted lousy numbers across the board. Merriman returns from the knee injury and the club used their first round pick on Larry English to help insure that they won’t have a repeat. English will compete with Shaun Phillips for playing time at OLB opposite Merriman and gives the club some much needed depth in case there is a setback. The other important offseason additions are free agent ILB Kevin Burnett and DE Vaughn Martin, whom they selected in the fourth round. Burnett will likely start alongside Cooper and provide a significant upgrade while the 330+ pound Martin will contend for playing time at DE this season. (He could also play some nose tackle down the road.) Last year’s starting strong safety Clinton Hart will be pushed by rookie sixth-round pick Kevin Ellison. This is a much better club than last year’s numbers would suggest.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS San Diego QB Rivers (rush stats) RB Tomlinson (rec stats) RB Sproles (rec stats) RB Hester (rec stats)
Car @Den NYJ @Oak 24-26 38-39 48-29 28-18 17-27-217-0 21-33-377-1 19-25-250-1 14-25-180-2 1-(-1) 3-(-1) 3-12 44,5,24 66,15,48 1,27,6 9 21-97 10-26 26-67 20-106 3-15 2-14 3-20 2-9 (Q) 2,2 (Q) 13,41 (P) 2-3 7-53 5-38 6-12 2-72 2-39 1-5 66(rec) 0-0 0-0 1-3 0-0
RB Tolbert (rec stats)
3-6 3-35
1-1 2-68
WR Jackson (rush stats)
3-47
6-73
0-0 4-17 1(rec) 3-74
1-11 1-14 3-52
5 1-44
4-83
1-27
2-42
WR Floyd
44 0-0
15,48 0-0
27 0-0
0-0
WR Naanee WR Davis
0-0 dnp
1-6 0-0
0-0 3-43
0-0 0-0
4-61 24 (P) 3-15
4-61 (P) 0-0
2-25 6 1-5
5-58 9 (P) 0-0
WR Chambers (rush stats)
TE Gates TE Manumaleuna
@Mia NE @Buf @NO bye KC @Pit Ind 10-17 30-10 14-23 32-37 week 20-19 10-11 20-23 13-28-159-0 18-27-306-0 22-29-208-1 25-40-341-1 27-36-316-2 15-26-164-2 24-31-288-0 1-(-1) 1-(-1) 1-(-1) 1-5 2-15 17 49,4,1 14,12 12,12,14 5,8 39,1 12-35 20-74 14-41 19-105 22-78 18-57 21-84 5-22 3-44 6-26 5-65 4-39 3-45 3-30 (P) (P) 12(rec) (P) 3 6-24 2-9 1-1 1-6 3-15 1-0 2-21 1-23 1-8 1-5 3-45 3-15 1-9 2-13 (P) 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-16 1(rec) 0-0 5-15 0-0 1-0 0-0 2-4 0-0 3-37 (P) (P) (P) 2-56 5-134 4-42 4-60 5-83 2-25 2-57 1-31 4 (P) 12 14 39 3-30 dnp dnp 5-47 0-0 3-21 6-61 1-1 17 (D) (D) (Q) (P) dnp 3-75 4-65 1-21 4-76 2-29 2-54 49 14 5 0-0 1-6 2-7 0-0 0-0 1-8 0-0 1-16 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp (D) (O) (O) 1-12 4-35 4-55 6-96 8-66 2-10 3-28 (P) 1 12 8 0-0 1-4 1-8 1-7 0-0 1-17 3-29
Atl 16-22 17-30-149-0 4-18 14-24 5-42 3 0-0
1-28 3-19 dnp
Oak @KC @TB Den 34-7 22-21 41-24 52-21 10-22-214-0 34-48-346-1 21-31-287-0 15-20-207-0 5-19 2-12 3-(-3) 4-11 8,59,18 4,10 11,15,5,32 12,13 25-91 15-39 21-90 14-96 6-35 2-20 3 6 1,4,14 9-30 0-0 2-3 14-115 3-34 4-11 3-46 2-17 8,18(rec) 32(rec) 2/13(rec) 7-18 1-9 0-0 8-37 1-13 3-24 2-19 4 dnp dnp 0-0 0-0
(D) 0-0
(D) 5-148
(P) 7-111
59 0-0
(D) 6-89 1-8 10 2-28
(P) 2-27
1-2
3-50
0-0 dnp
1-19 (P) 0-0 dnp
5-67 4 0-0 dnp
dnp (O) 2-29 dnp
dnp (D) 1-8 dnp
3-27
0-0
7-78
0-0
1-14
4-43 15,5 1-11 11
3-49
0-0
5-59
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
PLACE KICKER PK: Nate Kaeding
2008 SEASON STATS
2-47 2-30
2-17 12
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SAN FRANCISO 49
ERS
Starting QB: After excellent performances to close out the 2007 and 2008 season, Shaun Hill should be the starter come opening day. He has a career win-loss record of 7-3 and received his chance to start once Mike Singletary took over the head coaching role in late October of 2008. His record as a fantasy option is just as impressive, with stats good enough to rate as a Top 6 fantasy QB for the final half of 2008. That was under the Mike Martz offense however. With Jimmy Raye running the show in 2009, we should expect a more balanced offense with the run game as the prime beneficiary. Hill does still present himself as a reasonable option if he falls far enough in fantasy drafts and with the 49ers grabbing Michael Crabtree in the first round, Hill could be a pleasant surprise. Backup QBs: It is unlikely the 49ers will carry four QBs on the roster. As all of the probable backups have significant negatives, it could be anyone of the three guys that misses out. Alex Smith is a former No. 1 draft pick, who renegotiated his contract to remain with the 49ers after two-injury depleted seasons that followed the gut-wrenching disappointment of his first two years as a pro. However, Smith Frank Gore is in the best position to take over should Hill fail or get injured. Damon Huard is a journeyman who after failing in Kansas City gets an opportunity to provide veteran leadership to his inexperienced rivals. If he were to play, it would be wise not to expect too much. Nate Davis was selected in the fifth round of the 2009 draft and offers significant upside if he adapts to the demands of the NFL. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Frank Gore Backups: Glen Coffee [R], Michael Robinson, Thomas Clayton Fullbacks: Moran Norris, Zak Keasey Starting RB: Frank Gore will be looking to rebound from consecutive seasons of decreasing production. With new offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye promising to play tough physical football, this should play right into the hands of Frank Gore owners. As one of the more natural runners in the NFL, the talent of Frank Gore has never been in question and he’ll be one of the few backs who should play on all downs. The 49ers
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB QB RB RB RB RB TE WR WR
Player Name Nate Davis Damon Huard Glen Coffee Jamel White Kory Sheets Moran Norris Bear Pascoe Michael Crabtree Brandon Jones
Type Draft Free Agent Draft Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Draft Draft Free Agent
2008 Team College Kansas City Chiefs College Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agent Detroit Lions College College Tennessee Titans
2009 Team San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB QB QB RB RB TE WR TE
Player Name J.T. O’Sullivan Jamie Martin Kirby Freeman David Kirtman DeShaun Foster Sean P. Ryan Bryant Johnson Billy Bajema
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers San Francisco 49ers
2009 Team Cincinnati Bengals Free Agent Free Agent Seattle Seahawks Free Agent Kansas City Chiefs Detroit Lions St. Louis Rams
will seek to protect Gore from burning out and drafted Glen Coffee in the third round to ease his workload. Those who are thinking about taking Gore with a first round pick this year might be concerned about his lack of touchdowns. That may change with the 49ers seeking a more balanced approach in 2009. Backup RBs: Frank Gore owners may look in this direction, especially those who lost him to injury during the fantasy playoffs in 2008. At the head of the queue should be rookie Glen Coffee. The rookie from Alabama probably hasn’t developed enough physically to handle a full workload, but should be competent in relief of Gore. He is a solid runner who has been well coached and should get the nod ahead of the established veterans in Michael Robinson and Thomas Clayton. Robinson averaged about one carry a game last year with the now departed DeShaun Foster as the preferred choice. He was slightly better as a receiver. Clayton enters his third year as a 49er, most of which has been spent battling to stay on the roster. Fullbacks: Moran Norris comes back to the 49ers after spending the 2008 season as a Detroit Lion. Norris offers little to fantasy owners with 11 career rushing attempts and an average of around three receptions a year during his eight years in the NFL. Zak Keasey has offered even less to the fantasy world with three receptions and two rushing attempts in three years. In the most recent incarnations of the 49er offense the fullback has rarely seen the ball. This could change under the Jimmy Raye offense, but it would be wise to take a wait and see approach first. ICON SMI
SAN FRANCISO 49ERS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Shaun Hill Backups: Alex Smith, Damon Huard, Nate Davis [R]
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Isaac Bruce, Michael Crabtree [R] Backups: Josh Morgan, Brandon Jones, Jason Hill, Arnaz Battle Starting WRs: The top of the WR depth chart is uncertain following the drafting of Michael Crabtree with the 10th overall pick. If Crabtree signs quickly then the path for him becoming a starter will almost certainly be made easier. Crabtree was the consensus No. 1 WR in the draft by a large margin. Crabtree is NFL ready, a dynamic playmaker and hard worker. Other teams that rated him as a diva may eventually regret that decision. Opposite Crabtree is likely to be Isaac Bruce, at least in the early part of the season. Despite turning 37 this year, Bruce demonstrated in 2008 that he still had the legs and desire to perform well. Bruce almost retired in the off season but decided to stick with the 49ers in early April. It would be a surprise however to see Bruce perform even to last year’s standards. The absence of Mike Martz will hurt Bruce the most. The 49ers will attempt to pass the ball far less and have a deep group of promising young receivers to call on. Backup WRs: Josh Morgan, Jason Hill and Arnaz Battle have all started at some stage in recent years for the 49ers. Morgan and Hill are still young enough to regain a starting role, but Battle could struggle to win a roster spot. Morgan both impressed and frustrated the coaching staff with his inconsistency, but he flashed some big-play ability and if he improves he could be one to watch out for this year. Hill finds himself in a difficult position. He clearly has potential to become a starting receiver and caught 30 balls once Mike Singletary took over as coach. Others however look to have the edge right now and he’ll need a bit of luck to appear on fantasy radars this year. A player who’ll definitely be involved somewhere is the former Titan Brandon Jones, who signed a five-year contract as a free agent. It’s hard to imagine him in a starting role, but he could find his niche as a No. 3. TIGHT ENDS Starter: Vernon Davis Backups: Delanie Walker, Bear Pascoe [R]
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by Andy Hicks The performance of Vernon Davis as a receiver was a massive disappointment for the 49ers in 2008. He had three games with zero catches and only one reception in seven others. This could be the result of Mike Martz using the position ineffectively, or it could be Davis’ numerous demonstrations of immaturity. The most significant incident resulted in Davis being sent to the locker room by coach Singletary during a game for causing a totally unnecessary 15-yard penalty. Davis has always excelled as a blocker, but this year he will need to demonstrate the receiving ability that saw the 49ers spend a high first-round pick on him in 2006. He has looked the part on occasions and if he puts it all together will be a steal for fantasy owners with patience. Backup Delanie Walker has promise to be a capable fantasy tight end but was another victim of Mike Martz’s scheme. He shouldn’t appear on fantasy radars barring Vernon Davis being absent for one reason or another. Bear Pascoe was drafted in the sixth round by the 49ers and will primarily be used as a blocker, although he is a capable receiver if needed.
2008 SEASON STATS Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Shaun Hill 288 181 2046 13 8 24 115 2 J.T. OSullivan 220 128 1678 8 11 30 145 0 Running Back Frank Gore DeShaun Foster Michael Robinson
PLACE KICKER PK: Joe Nedney
Yards 1036 234 50
Wide Receiver Isaac Bruce Bryant Johnson Jason Hill Arnaz Battle Josh Morgan Dominique Zeigler
Rec Yards TDs 60 833 7 45 546 3 31 319 2 24 318 0 20 319 3 5 97 0
Tight End Vernon Davis Delanie Walker Sean Ryan Billy Bajema
Rec Yards TDs 31 358 2 10 155 1 3 15 0 2 34 0
TDs 6 1 0
Rec 43 16 17
Yards 373 133 202
TDs 2 1 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 21.2 22nd Yds 311.1 23rd P-Yds 211.2 13th R-Yds 99.9 27th
However, the 49ers stood pat during the offseason, adding no impact defenders in free agency or the draft. Instead, the team will look for inspiration from motivational defensive-minded head coach Mike Singletary. The potential for an improved pass rush exists if Justin Smith and Manny Lawson can be more consistent on passing downs and Patrick Willis and Nate Clements give the 49ers a pair of playmakers in the back seven. Realistically, this team isn’t a sleeper in the making and is unlikely to become a surprising match up play during the bye week portion of the NFL schedule. Owners can safely ignore them as a fantasy option on draft day.
TEAM DEFENSE San Francisco finished outside the Top 20 in most leagues last season. Some may see reason to be optimistic based on the 49ers’ 12th-best yardage allowed figure and the high likelihood of a major improvement from the six fumble recoveries they managed last year.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS San Francisco QB Hill (rush stats)
Ari 13-23 dnp
@Sea 33-30 dnp
Det 31-13 dnp
QB O’Sullivan 14-20-195-1 20-32-321-0 16-23-189-0 (rush stats) 2-1 4-32 8-32 3 6,24 RB Gore 14-96 19-61 27-130 (rec stats) 4-55 5-38 4-32 41 2 4 RB Foster 4-11 0-0 2-1 (rec stats) 1-12 RB Robinson (rec stats) WR Bruce (rush stats)
@NO 17-31 dnp
18-36-257-2 2-0 5 16-82 2-31 1-9 1-2
NE 21-30 dnp
Phi 26-40 dnp
@NYG 17-29 dnp
Sea bye 13-34 week 15-23-173-0 2-20 2 14-29-130-3 17-30-199-2 16-28-256-2 13-21-131-1 6-23 3-31 4-27 16,6,5 30 12-54 19-101 11-11 18-94 4-24 3-16 3-50 7-65 16(rec) 6 dnp 3-4 0-0 1-1 -
@Ari StL @Dal @Buf NYJ @Mia @StL Was 24-29 35-16 22-35 10-3 24-14 9-14 17-16 27-24 19-40-217-2 15-20-213-0 21-33-303-1 14-23-161-0 28-39-285-1 30-46-233-0 18-34-216-3 21-30-245-1 2-12 3-5 1-0 4-0 1-8 3-17 4-45 4-8 31,18 2,2/1(run) 18,9 12 4,3 3,48 9/2(run) dnp 0-1-0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 1-(-1) 23-99 1-6 0-0
18-106 2-8 5,1 (P) 10-17 2-40
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
2-19
5-54
3-49
0-0 2-26 3-47
3-9 2-14 4-49
3-8
4-153
1-5 1-12 2-28
-
0-0
-
1-12
WR Johnson
3-48
6 1-25
0-0
0-0
3-30
-
3-17
0-0
5 0-0 (Q) 0-0
6,5 3-27
WR Hill (rush stats)
6-78 3 0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
3-38
-
7-84
4-56 2 3-33
WR Battle (rush stats) WR Morgan
1-16
4-44
7-120
1-9
3-39
2-42
2 3-26
-
0-0
1-8
3-22 1-18 1-18
1-10
2-13
1-25
WR Zeigler TE Davis
dnp 3-51
dnp 0-0
dnp 1-17
dnp 1-19
dnp 0-0
dnp 6-75
5-86 30 dnp 1-5
0-0 (P) dnp 4-29
TE Walker
0-0 (P) 0-0 0-0
0-0
3-44 24 dnp 0-0
1-21
1-8
0-0
0-0
2-53
-
dnp 0-0
dnp 0-0
dnp 0-0
2-7 0-0
dnp 0-0
dnp 0-0
-
dnp (O) 4-54 31 1-22 1-18 18 1-4 (P) dnp 0-0
dnp (O) dnp (O) 0-0 1-2 2 dnp (D) 0-0 0-0
TE Ryan TE Bajema
0-0
-
3-11 2-54 1-20 1-(-3)
14-26 1-6
24-66 3-23
0-0 1-9 9(rec) 0-0 3-7 (P) 8-125
0-0
5-67
18 4-56
12 1-16
1-22
dnp (O) dnp (O) 2-31 1-47 0-0 (P) 0-0 0-0
14-52 3-13 4(rec) 16-35 1-8
dnp
dnp
(Q) 18-76 5-25
(Q) 12-36 2-17
2-5 1-13 6-70
5-8 4-33 7-71
7-61
11-58 1-6 (P) 9-44 3-20 1 1-2 2-43 2-8
5-41
3 4-60
2-43
5-55 1-(-4) (P) dnp (Q) dnp (Q) 0-0 0-0
6-49 3 4-39
2-14
2-6
0-0 (P) dnp (P) 2-44 3-29
dnp (O) 0-0
dnp
0-0 5-31
0-0
1-15
1-10
0-0
0-0
0-0 0-0
0-0 1-5
1-8 0-0
0-0 0-0
dnp 1-29
0-0
1-2
2-55 48 (P) 0-0 1-17
SAN FRANCISO 49ERS
Joe Nedney posted his second-highest point total ever last year, as he hit 29 of 33 (87.9 percent) in field goals and was perfect on 34 PATs for 121 points. That added up to a 14th place finish in kicker scoring for San Francisco Despite having an accurate year (89.5 percent on field goals), Nedney scored only 73 points in 2007, and the 49ers ranked 32nd in kicker scoring. It was a big drop off from 2006 when he was 29 of 35 (82.9 percent) on field goals with 29 PATs. In 2005, Nedney was voted co-MVP by the 49ers, after he scored the bulk of their points. He still has the range to hit long field goals, with at least one 50+ yarder every year he’s played since 1998. Nedney played in all 16 games each of the last three years. That is noteworthy considering his track record, including several year ending injuries.
Rush 240 76 19
4-28 1-9 9 dnp 3-50 0-0 3-18
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SEATTLE S
EAHAWKS
Starting QB: The 2008 campaign was really a wash for Matt Hasselbeck as he hobbled through the season with a back injury that forced him to miss nine games and throw for only 1,216 yards and five TDs. Of course, injuries were handed out like candy in Seattle last year as only two offensive skill position (T.J. Duckett and John Carlson) players saw action in 16 games. Assuming the Seahawks in general will have better luck in that department in 2009, Hasselbeck (for the superstitious among us, he has played 16 games in each of the last three odd numbered years) has the potential for an excellent season. On the field, the veteran combines a cerebral calmness with a good arm and generally makes the correct play. He has three Top 6 fantasy campaigns (again, all in odd numbers years) and has a very good set of receivers (now led by newcomer T.J. Houshmandzadeh). Hasselbeck has appeared fully healthy in the early team camps and has shown good rapport with his new WR. Backup QBs: Here we find a QB that is very dissimilar from Hasselbeck in that Seneca Wallace is about five inches shorter and 15 Matt Hasselbeck pounds lighter, possesses an extremely strong arm and excellent running ability, and can sometimes make poor decisions while utilizing improper technique. That aside – Wallace has generally been very good in relief of Hasselbeck and is entrenched in that role. However, their flirtation with taking Mark Sanchez solidifies the belief that Seattle does not envision Wallace as a starting caliber player. Sixth rounder Mike Teel has good intangibles and leadership qualities and a very strong arm. He needs some work on his accuracy and hasn’t shown much ability to progress through his reads. Teel does not appear ready to play this season, but he should stick with the team over 2008 undrafted free agent Jeff Rowe. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Julius Jones Backups: T.J. Duckett, Justin Forsett, Devin Moore [R], Tyler Roehl [R] Fullbacks: Owen Schmitt, Justin Griffith Starting RB: In a bit of a surprise to observers, OC Greg Knapp said in mid-April that he was happy with Seattle’s current crop of backs. He added that the team’s zone scheme has a history of giving guys “career best seasons” and pointed out Warrick Dunn’s 1400-yard season in 2004 and Justin Fargas’ 1000-yard campaign in Oakland.
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB RB RB TE TE WR WR
Player Name Mike Teel Devin Moore Tyler Roehl Justin Griffith Cameron Morrah John Owens Deon Butler T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Type Draft Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Draft Free Agent Draft Free Agent
2008 Team College College College Oakland Raiders College Detroit Lions College Cincinnati Bengals
2009 Team Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos RB RB TE WR WR
Player Name Leonard Weaver Maurice Morris Will Heller Bobby Engram Koren Robinson
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks
2009 Team Philadelphia Eagles Detroit Lions Detroit Lions Kansas City Chiefs Free Agent
Of course, the timing of these comments was dismissed by most as a pre-NFL draft smokescreen. However, the Seahawks backed up those words by passing completely on the position in the draft. That leaves Julius Jones as the team’s primary back. Last season, Jones split time with Maurice Morris and amassed an unimpressive 698 rushing yards while scoring only two TDs, which was disappointing considering his on-paper skill set of great speed and good vision. After similar lackluster performances in Dallas, the 2009 campaign would appear to be Jones’ last chance to be considered a starting back. Backup RBs: T.J. Duckett has been ridiculed by some this offseason for his paltry 2.8 yards-per-carry average from 2008. That is bad, but he did excel as a short-yardage back. In 30 carries with three or fewer yards needed for a first down, Duckett converted for 23 first downs or touchdowns. That’s a nice ratio, especially considering the injury woes suffered by the offensive line and the struggles the running game experienced in general. Based on his eight scores in a down season for the Seattle offense, a resurgent Seahawk offense could mean doubledigit scoring opportunities for Duckett this year. Justin Forsett is a nice prospect that (after being drafted by the Seahawks in the seventh round in 2008) accumulated no rushing or receiving stats while bouncing from Seattle to Indianapolis and then back to Seattle, but he did show his quickness and cutting ability in punt and kick returns. Assuming the Seahawks do not sign another veteran, Forsett should get a few touches in relief of Jones. Devin Moore and Tyler Roehl are a pair of undrafted free agents with decent chances of sticking on the roster. Fullbacks: The Mohawk-wearing Owen Schmitt definitely plays with intensity and has broken a few of his own facemasks while blocking. After the departure of Leonard Weaver, most expected Schmitt to easily assume the starting role, but the signing of veteran Justin Griffith signals that there will be competition. Griffith, while still not fully healthy with a knee injury, has familiarity with the staff due to his prior relationship with new HC Jim Mora during their time with the Falcons. Griffith could have more fantasy value as Schmitt is more of a blocker than a receiver, but neither player will be a force. ICON SMI
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Matt Hasselbeck Backups: Seneca Wallace, Mike Teel [R], Jeff Rowe
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Deion Branch Backups: Nate Burleson, Ben Obomanu, Deon Butler [R], Jordan Kent, Logan Payne, Courtney Taylor Starting WRs: On paper, the Bengals have an excellent pair of complementary WRs in T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch. Houshmandzadeh arrives as a free agent from Cincinnati, where he put up multiple highly-productive seasons (over 90 catches in each of the last three years and over 70 in each of the last five). He has shown to be a reliable redzone target (21 total TDs in 2006 and 2007) and has already meshed with Matt Hasselbeck in that arena during minicamp. Houshmandzadeh doesn’t have great speed, but he is an excellent route runner and uses his size and football smarts to create separation in tight quarters. He is not afraid of working in traffic (which has lead to a few nagging injuries) and has great hands. He is an excellent possession receiver and will be a reliable target for Seattle. Branch, on the other hand, excels as a deep threat. He can explode on the snap and create separation with his quickness and burst. Branch’s only real problem is his health. He has been plagued by injuries in his seven-year career (only one 16-game season) and underwent offseason surgery to clean up his surgically repaired knee. The team fully expects him to be healthy for training camp, but the litany of injuries is a worry. Backup WRs: Here’s another Seahawk that was bitten by the injury bug in 2008. Nate Burleson was set to build upon a quality
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by Clayton Gray 2008 campaign (nine TDs) when, in the opening game, he was lost for the year with a knee injury. When the Seahawks run three-WR sets, Burleson will be in that package, so it’s conceivable he will get a large number of starts. However, with the arrival of Houshmandzadeh, Burleson’s targets will not match the 95 he saw in 2007. However, he should be able to create mismatches against nickel corners. Ben Obomanu worked in Branch’s starting job (while Branch rehabbed), but he looks like a WR4 at best. Deon Butler has an opportunity to return kicks, but barring injury, he won’t work into the regular WR rotation. Courtney Taylor has been the talk of minicamp, but he’ll have to beat out Jordan Kent and Logan Payne for the WR5 spot. TIGHT ENDS Starter: John Carlson Backups: Cameron Morrah [R], John Owens
PLACE KICKER PKs: Olindo Mare, Brandon Coutu Brandon Coutu and Olindo Mare will compete for the second straight year. After struggling on field goals for two years, hitting 26 of 36 (72.2 percent) in 2006 and 10 of 17 (58.8 percent) in 2007, Mare rebounded last year making 24 of 27 (88.9 percent). He did not have any lingering issues from the groin and hip injuries suffered the year before. Although Mare won the job last year and did very well, the Seahawks also opted to keep Coutu on the roster. Coutu did well consistently throughout his career at Georgia. He hit 53 of 66 on field goals. His long field goal each of the last three years was over 50 yards. He did not miss a single PAT attempt.
Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Seneca Wallace 242 141 1532 11 3 16 78 0 Matt Hasselbeck209 109 1216 5 10 11 69 0 Running Back Julius Jones Maurice Morris T.J. Duckett Leonard Weaver
Rush 158 132 62 30
Yards 698 574 172 130
Wide Receiver Bobby Engram Koren Robinson Deion Branch Courtney Taylor Billy McMullen
Rec Yards TDs 47 489 0 31 400 2 30 412 4 9 98 0 7 124 0
Tight End John Carlson
Rec Yards TDs 55 627 5
TDs 2 0 8 0
Rec 14 19 0 20
Yards 66 136 0 222
TDs 0 2 0 2
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 18.4 25th Yds 274.1 28th P-Yds 163.6 29th R-Yds 110.5 19th
TEAM DEFENSE Aside from a Top 10 finish in sacks, Seattle was well below average in every major defensive category last season, including Bottom 10 finishes in both points and yardage allowed. Under new head coach Jim Mora and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, the team will try to ramp up their aggressiveness this season. It may be difficult for the team to follow up on its 35 sack season without OLB Julian Peterson, who was dealt to Detroit for DL Cory Redding. The status of defensive end Patrick Kerney is also a question, given the multiple surgeries the veteran has undergone in the past 12 months. The Seahawks will replace Peterson with fourth overall pick Aaron Curry who was the consensus best outside linebacker in the draft. Even a fully healthy Kerney and productive Curry aren’t likely to improve this defense enough to make them roster worthy in fantasy leagues.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Seattle QB Wallace (rush stats)
@Buf 10-34 0-0-0-0
SF 30-33 dnp
StL 37-13 dnp
(D) QB Hasselbeck 17-41-190-1 18-36-189-2 12-20-172-0 (rush stats) 1-12 2-19 20 10 RB Jones 13-45 26-127 22-140 (rec stats) 2-17 3-14 1-4 27 29 RB Morris 6-31 dnp dnp (rec stats) (O) (O) RB Duckett 0-0 2-3 19-79 1 4,1 RB Weaver 2-9 5-27 2-5 (rec stats) 2-17 WR Engram
dnp (O) dnp
dnp (O) dnp
dnp (O) dnp
WR Taylor WR McMullen
dnp (O) 2-19 dnp
dnp (D) 2-20 3-48
(Q) dnp (D) 1-11 4-76
TE Carlson
4-52
6-78
2-38
WR Robinson (rush stats) WR Branch
bye week -
@NYG 6-44 3-6-20-0
GB 17-27 dnp
-
(P) 11-21-105-1
(Q) dnp
-
17-61 1-13
-
dnp
@TB @SF Phi 10-20 34-13 7-26 12-23-73-1 15-25-222-0 13-29-169-0 2-6 1-2 2 43,62 90 dnp dnp dnp
(Q) 12-44
(O) 7-42 1-(-5)
(O) 6-9 2-22
(O) 10-41 1-4
4-16 2-13 (P) 2-9
6-56 2-12
11-16
8-43
1-11 1-6
1-(-1)
2-4
1-(-1)
dnp
0-0 1-5 (P) 5-63
-
(Q) 4-14
-
1-(-1)
3-14 3-20
0-0 1-6
-
8-61 (P) dnp
0-0
1-8
8-1 1 2-13 4-116 43,62(rec) 3-40
2-23
2-23
4-31
-
(Q) 3-31 (P) dnp 0-0
(P) dnp (Q) dnp 0-0
-
0-0
4-22 6
(P) dnp (Q) dnp dnp (O) 3-11 2
-
-
@Mia Ari 19-21 20-26 21-38-185-0 dnp 2-9 3 (P) dnp 17-29-170-3 4-17 (O) 13 (P) 16-88 10-19 2-2 1-(-5)
(Q) 3-20
Was 17-20 dnp
@Dal 9-34 dnp
14-103 3-10 4(rec) 1-4
6-10 3-23 3-20
4-16
1-3 1-9
5-32 1-4
(Q) 2-30
1-0 2-14 (P) 2-34
3-2 3-27 13(rec) 5-5 1,2 dnp
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Despite a history of not relying heavily upon rookies, we entered the 2008 season expecting then-HC Mike Holmgren to use John Carlson often. The rookie was a second round selection (fairly high for a TE) and had little competition. Those expectations were realized as Carlson played a huge role in the offense and ended the season as Seattle’s top pass catcher. Of course, that’s a low number for a teamleading receiver, but Carlson did show to have great all-around ability for a tight end. He catches well, runs nice routes, and is an underrated blocker. Cameron Morrah was taken in the seventh round and is a very one-dimensional player. He has fairly soft hands and good quickness, but he lacks enough size and strength to even be an adequate blocker. John Owens is the anti-Morrah with great blocking ability but hands of stone.
2008 SEASON STATS
NE @StL NYJ @Ari 21-24 23-20 13-3 21-34 20-28-212-0 15-25-226-0 18-25-175-0 24-43-250-2 3-47 2-3 3-(-3) 3-14 14,10,4 2 30,2 12-24-103-2 22-38-287-1 dnp dnp dnp dnp 2-11 2-10 4,10 (P) (P) (D) (Q) (Q) (Q) 2-21 11-37 dnp 4-18 0-0 2-6
14-39 2-19
15-86
29-116
15-45 3-26
3-4
1-2
3-14
3-5 1-1
6-13 1 2-9 4-30
4-45
4-27
3-46
6-65
6-50
5-38
2-11
1-14
3-49
0-0
2-28
3-38
3-40
(P) dnp (Q) dnp dnp
4-105 1-(-4) 90 (P) dnp (O) dnp dnp
3 (P) dnp (Q) dnp dnp
(P) 4-54 (P) 1-7 dnp
(P) 1-11 (P) 1-6 dnp
(P) 5-56
(P) 4-88 14,4 0-0 dnp
(P) 5-76
(Q) 2-6
0-0 dnp
2-35 dnp
(Q) 6-90 30,2 0-0 dnp
1-13
2-30
5-54
3-39
2-14 10
6-105
8-69 10
5-76
2-12 2
0-0 dnp
2-14
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ST. LOUIS R
AMS
ST. LOUIS RAMS
Starting QB: First off, this is not Dick Vermeil’s offense anymore – not even close. The last couple of years, the Rams have been nothing more than a shell of that once vaunted attack. After the debacle that was the 2008 campaign, a change was obviously needed. New HC Steve Spagnuolo will install the West Coast offense and has already stated that the team will rely heavily upon stud back Steven Jackson. This is both good and bad news for Marc Bulger. Obviously, Bulger has the physical potential to excel as a fantasy QB (he has three Top 10 finishes (2003, 2004, and 2006) as a fantasy QB), but he has struggled with injuries in recent seasons. In his seven years in the NFL, Bulger has played only one 16-game season (2006). The changes in the offense (along with the lack of multiple, high-quality receiving options) will not afford Bulger the opportunities to finish in the Top 10 again, but those moves (along with the upgraded offensive line) will certainly help him stay on the field. Early reports from minicamp indicate Bulger is picking up the offense and has the full confidence of the new coaching staff. Backup QB: Kyle Boller spent five years in Baltimore as their off-and-on starter (he started 42 Steven Jackson games as a Raven). He has good size and athleticism and possesses a very strong arm. However, he lacks consistency and seems unable to read through his progressions with any regularity. He simply lacks the intangibles necessary to excel at this level. Boller is a solid option as a backup QB, but his shortcomings will prevent him from mounting a significant challenge to any starting job. Keith Null was taken in the sixth round and is a very intelligent passer with excellent accuracy on intermediate and short throws. He does, however, lack arm strength and faces a big adjustment from the spread offense he ran at West Texas A&M. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Steven Jackson Backups: Antonio Pittman, Ken Darby, Chris Ogbonnaya [R], Sam Gado Fullback: Mike Karney
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB QB RB RB TE WR WR WR
Player Name Keith Null Kyle Boller Chris Ogbonnaya Mike Karney Billy Bajema Brooks Foster Laurent Robinson Tim Carter
Type Draft Free Agent Draft Free Agent Free Agent Draft Trade Free Agent
2008 Team College Baltimore Ravens College New Orleans Saints San Francisco 49ers College Atlanta Falcons Houston Texans
2009 Team St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB RB RB RB RB TE TE WR WR WR WR WR
Player Name Trent Green Brian Leonard Dan Kreider Richard Owens Travis Minor Anthony Becht Dominique Byrd Dane Looker Dante’ Hall Drew Bennett Joel Filani Torry Holt
Type Free Agent Trade Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams St. Louis Rams
2009 Team Free Agent Cincinnati Bengals Arizona Cardinals Free Agent Free Agent Arizona Cardinals Arizona Cardinals Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jacksonville Jaguars
Starting RB: After an enormous 2006 campaign (over 2,300 total yards and 16 total TDs), Steven Jackson has struggled with multiple issues the last two years. He has missed eight games in two years due to various muscle injuries (quadriceps and groin). The offensive line has had a tough time both staying healthy and opening running lanes. Obviously, there are no contract issues, so Jackson will fully participate in camp. He claims his injury issues were caused at least partially by his extremely low body fat and is beefing up a bit. The blocking has been improved by signing center Jason Brown, fullback Mike Karney, and tight end Billy Bajema and by drafting tackle Jason Smith with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. These changes should afford Jackson the opportunity to challenge for the top fantasy RB spot as he has a full package of talents: speed, quickness, power, vision, and very good hands. Backup RBs: Antonio Pittman is a speedy back who can make a single cut and then pick up nice yardage. He can fill in as a spot starter, but is more suited as a change of pace RB. Ken Darby has been on two teams in his two years as a pro and is just a reserve player. Chris Ogbonnaya was taken in the seventh round. He has nice size, but is a little slow and couldn’t even outrush QB Colt McCoy in 2008. Sam Gado will be lucky to make the final roster. Fullbacks: Mike Karney has good size and is generally a good blocker. As the only natural fullback in St. Louis, he will be counted upon as the lead man for Jackson. Karney is best when he doesn’t have to make quick adjustments. ICON SMI
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Marc Bulger Backups: Kyle Boller, Keith Null [R]
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Donnie Avery, Keenan Burton Backups: Laurent Robinson, Derek Stanley, Brooks Foster [R] Starting WRs: Not too long ago, the Rams were stocked at the WR position with Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt consistently turning in dominant fantasy seasons. Well, the veterans are gone, and Donnie Avery is now St. Louis’ top receiving threat. Avery flashed excellence in his rookie season, and he has the elite speed, acceleration, and hands that are required to be a WR1. Of course, he was helped by having Holt playing across from him, so it remains to be seen if Avery is capable of anchoring a WR corps. The Rams obviously believe in him, and we expect Avery to lead them in receiving. Keenan Burton will get the first shot at starting opposite Avery. Burton lacks elitelevel speed, but he has good quickness and can make plays after the catch. Still, he is a work in progress and will need to hold off newsigned Laurent Robinson. Backup WRs: Many thought Laurent Robinson would immediately slot into the WR2 spot when he signed this offseason, but the Rams did not promise him a starting job. He opened minicamps as the team’s third receiver and could excel in that role. If Keenan Burton falters, Robinson could easily move up the ladder. He has nice speed and is very athletic, but his technique often breaks down in traffic. Derek Stanley is a quick, undersized player that is more suited to the role of returner than receiver. Brooks Foster brings size to the table but struggles with consistency. TIGHT ENDS Starter: Randy McMichael Backups: Joe Klopfenstein, Billy Bajema, Daniel Fells With the outflow of WRs this offseason, Randy McMichael could be called upon often in the St. Louis passing game. While he isn’t as dangerous in the passing game as he once was, McMichael is still
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by Clayton Gray a force in the middle of the field. Joe Klopfenstein is an adequate backup, but he is neither strong enough to be a powerful blocker nor agile enough to separate from coverage. Billy Bajema is a good blocker with only seven career receptions. PLACE KICKER PK: Josh Brown While Josh Brown’s field goal percentages fluctuated, his scoring during his first four years with Seattle remained remarkably consistent: 114, 109, 110, and 111 points. In 2007 he had his highest scoring year with 127 points. He hit 28 of 34 (82.4 percent) on field goals. Brown got plenty of field goal opportunities in his first year with the Rams in 2008, going 31 of 36 (86.1 percent). He was perfect on kicks under 40 yards for the second straight year. He has the leg to hit long field goals, as evidenced the last four years by going 17 of 26 from 50+ yards. He has hit a 54+ yard field goal in each of his six years as a pro. This year the offense will again be under the guidance of a new offensive coordinator, Pat Shurmur who spent the last seven year’s as Philadelphia’s quarterback coach. TEAM DEFENSE
Quarterback Marc Bulger Trent Green
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 440 251 2720 11 13 14 41 0 72 38 525 0 6 3 4 0
Running Back Steven Jackson Antonio Pittman Ken Darby Travis Minor Brian Leonard Wide Receiver Torry Holt Donnie Avery Dane Looker Keenan Burton Dante Hall Derek Stanley
Rush 254 78 32 13 2
Yards 1043 295 140 29 7
TDs 7 0 0 0 0
Rec 40 18 19 5 0
Yards 379 132 183 35 0
TDs 1 0 0 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 14.5 31st Yds 287.2 27th P-Yds 184.2 26th R-Yds 103.1 25th
Rec Yards TDs 64 796 3 53 674 3 23 271 2 13 172 1 12 105 0 6 119 1
Tight End Rec Yards TDs Randy McMichael 11 139 0 Joe Klopfenstein 11 123 0 Daniel Fells 7 81 0 Anthony Becht 6 39 0
Louis what Gibril Wilson was for the New York Giants and Brian Dawkins was for Philadelphia in similar schemes. The official FBG DST rankings have the Rams as the consensus worst fantasy pick this season, but don’t be surprised to find them under consideration as a
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS St. Louis QB Bulger (rush stats) QB Green (rush stats) RB Jackson (rec stats)
@Phi 3-38 14-26-158-0
@Sea 13-37 18-31-184-1
Buf 14-31 dnp
bye week -
dnp
NYG 13-41 20-32-177-1 1-9 45 dnp
21 dnp
17-32-236-1
-
14-40 3-34
13-53 7-37
23-66 5-62
-
RB Pittman (rec stats)
0-0
1-6 1-(-2)
0-0
24-110 5-78 29 (P) dnp
RB Darby (rec stats) RB Minor (rec stats) RB Leonard
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0
0-0 (P) dnp
dnp
6-76 45 0-0
(O) 1-21
(P) 2-29
WR Burton (rush stats)
0-0
0-0
WR Hall (rush stats) WR Stanley (rush stats)
3-13 1-(-4) dnp
2-13 1-0 dnp
WR Holt WR Avery (rush stats) WR Looker
dnp (P) 1-9
@Was Dal @NE Ari 19-17 34-14 16-23 13-34 15-26-136-0 14-19-173-0 18-34-301-1 16-33-186-2 1-(-1) 4-(-2) 3-32 42 (P) 69 80,3 dnp dnp dnp dnp
-
dnp
25-160 2-16 8,1,56 dnp
(O) dnp
-
(O) dnp
(O) 0-0
(Q) 19-83 3-22 (P) 0-0
1-(-1) 2-20 dnp
0-0
-
5-15 2-17 dnp
0-0
-
2-3 1-(-2) 0-0
4-8
2-7
dnp
dnp
4-37
4-65
-
5-23
3-51
3-28
3-24
3-22 1-37 37(run) 2-37
-
4-73 1-(-5)
dnp
-
dnp (O) dnp
6-163 1-(-1) 69 0-0
6-58 3 3-26
-
5-65 1-7 42 dnp 1-4
-
(D) 0-0
-
0-0
1-21 21 dnp (O) 1-8 dnp
(O) 0-0 2-13 dnp
22-79 3-32
dnp
7-17 (Q) 10-12 4-15 dnp
@NYJ 3-47 6-13-65-1
5-10-70-1 1-3 dnp (D) 13-28 2-38 (Q) 4-32 dnp (Q) dnp
@SF 16-35 34-53-295-2 2-5 2 dnp (P) dnp (O) 14-95 3-4 (P) 7-26 8-83 0-0
Chi 3-27 2-2-11-0
Mia @Ari Sea SF @Atl 12-16 10-34 20-23 16-17 27-31 16-35-149-3 22-37-228-1 19-32-207-0 19-36-227-1 19-32-230-0 2-(-5) 1-3 (P) 3 31 30 16 16-30-219-4 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 2-1 dnp 21-94 19-64 24-91 32-108 30-161 1-16 4-3 4-36 2-11 4-54 (O) (Q) 3(rec) (P) 6 4,2 (P) 9-8 6-25 4-26 0-0 dnp 2-12 3-11 2-41 (P) 7-10 2-8 0-0 4-29 5-15 3-20 3-29 1-5 5-57 2-9 0-0 0-0 dnp dnp 0-0 1-4
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
4-64 31 6-61 2-11
4-55
6-90
5-56
5-40 16 0-0
1-5
5-60
4-84
3-30
5-61
2-29 1-13
9-93
1-14 1-(-5)
0-0 1-2
2-18
dnp
2-21
4-46
6-52
(P) 2-27
1-9
0-0
2-41 1-0
0-0
1-28
2-8 2 2-13
2-15
1-23
1-5
1-5
(P) 1-20
4-47
1-4
dnp
dnp
dnp
(P) dnp
(Q) dnp
dnp
1-30 1-3 30 dnp
dnp
0-0
0-0
1-80
1-12
3-21
0-0
0-0
1-6
0-0 1-0
dnp
dnp
80 dnp 1-3
(P) dnp 0-0
(P) dnp 1-5
dnp 0-0
dnp 0-0
dnp 2-37
dnp 2-25
dnp 1-6
dnp 1-29 0-0 (P) 0-0
-
dnp 2-10
dnp 0-0
dnp
2-26 1-8 (P) dnp
(Q) dnp 0-0
-
dnp
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-26
3-18
2-25
0-0
1-12
0-0
0-0
-
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-3
1-8
1-11
1-5
1-5
1-7
0-0
TE McMichael TE Klopfenstein
5-77 0-0
2-24 0-0
2-12 0-0
TE Fells
dnp
dnp
TE Becht
0-0
0-0
ST. LOUIS RAMS
The Rams were a terrible fantasy option last season. They finished well below the league average in points against and yardage allowed while scoring only one touchdown. That could change quickly under the direction of new head coach Steve Spagnuolo, who will bring the distinctive brand of pressure and aggression he learned under longtime Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson. That philosophy should meld well with a defense that has never lacked talent. Defensive ends Leonard Little and Chris Long are both capable pass rushers. DT Adam Carriker has the ability to be a penetrating force inside, but has never been used in that role. Will Witherspoon should be more productive as a free-flowing WLB and rookie James Laurinaitis could thrive at MLB in this scheme. The secondary has two solid playmakers in CB Ron Bartell (three interceptions and 19 pass breakups in 2008) and safety O.J. Atogwe, who could be for St.
2008 SEASON STATS
1-8 1-5
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TAMPA BAY B
UCCANEERS
Starting QB: The Buccaneers enter training camp without a clear cut starter at QB. The battle seems to be between two veterans and an upstart rookie. Veteran signal callers Byron Leftwich (who likely has the inside edge) and Luke McCown will try to hold off rookie Kansas State rookie QB, Josh Freeman for the starting job. If you’re not familiar with Freeman, he’s 6’5, 250 pounds and he can throw the heck out of the football. The Buccaneers thought highly enough of him to trade up at the 17th overall pick and make him their first selection in the 2009 draft. New Bucs coach Raheem Morris, who is a rookie in his own regard, is itching to pencil in Freeman as the starter. Morris is very aware of Freeman’s talent from his stint as defensive coordinator with Kansas State in 2006. The experience and depth the team has at QB will bring a healthy competition to determine the starter, but make no mistake, Freeman is Morris’ guy. Backup QB: The Buccaneers have five QBs on their current roster – Byron Leftwich, Luke Antonio Bryant McCown, Josh Freeman, Josh Johnson and Brian Griese. The early thinking is that Josh Johnson and or Brian Griese will be off the team by the time training camp begins. Leftwich is a proven quality backup QB in the league. He had minimal game action last season with Pittsburgh, but he engineered drives and kept the team more than afloat while starter Ben Roethlisberger rested his injuries. Luke McCown did not have a single pass attempt in 2008, but this will be his third year with the team and he does have NFL game experience that other QBs on the roster don’t have. McCown also had a 7.3 yards-per-attempt average in five games in 2007, including an impressive 91.7 QB rating. RUNNING BACKS Starting RB: Derrick Ward Backup RBs: Earnest Graham, Clifton Smith, Cadillac Williams Fullbacks: B.J. Askew, Jameel Cook Starting RB: The Buccaneers released several veteran players in the offseason, including long-time RB, Warrick Dunn. These moves freed up cap space and opened the door for the team to sign free agent RB Derrick Ward. Last year Ward rushed for 1,000 yards with the
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB QB RB TE WR WR
Player Name Josh Freeman Byron Leftwich Derrick Ward Kellen Winslow, Jr Sammie Stroughter Joel Filani
Type Draft Free Agent Free Agent Trade Draft Free Agent
2008 Team College Pittsburgh Steelers New York Giants Cleveland Browns College St. Louis Rams
2009 Team Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB RB RB TE WR WR WR
Player Name Jeff Garcia B.J. Askew Warrick Dunn Alex Smith Anthony Mix Ike Hilliard Joey Galloway
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Trade Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2009 Team Oakland Raiders Free Agent Free Agent New England Patriots Free Agent Free Agent New England Patriots
Giants, who boasted a three-RB approach. The thought is that if he can rush for 1,000 yards as one of three backs, what can he do if he is the featured back? The early understanding is that Ward will team with Earnest Graham to give the Bucs a solid one-two punch at RB, but Ward is bigger and has more talent than Graham. Ward was the first unrestricted free agent signing by new coach Raheem Morris and GM Mark Dominik. Don’t be surprised to see Ward have a solid grasp on the No. 1 spot on the depth chart by the time the season begins. Backup RBs: With Warrick Dunn out of the picture and Derrick Ward in place as a key free agent acquisition, the Buccaneers will have Earnest Graham and second-year pro Clifton Smith fulfilling backup duties at the RB position. Graham is a capable, yet slightly injury prone back who is coming off a disappointing season compared to his breakout 2007 campaign that included 10 rushing TDs. Smith stepped in as the team’s return man in his rookie season and earned a special teams Pro Bowl selection for his efforts. The Bucs also have Cadillac Williams buried on the depth chart, but he is coming off two serious knee injuries and it remains to be seen if he’ll bounce back to anything close to his once dominant form. Fullbacks: Not much to see here. B.J. Askew and Jameel Cook are fortunate to combine for two touches in a game. ICON SMI
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
QUARTERBACKS Starting QB: Byron Leftwich Backup QBs: Luke McCown, Josh Freeman [R], Josh Johnson, Brian Griese
WIDE RECEIVERS Starting WRs: Antonio Bryant, Michael Clayton Backup WRs: Dexter Jackson, Maurice Stovall, Sammie Stroughter [R] Starting WRs: The Buccaneers released veteran Joey Galloway in the offseason and re-signed rising star Antonio Bryant and veteran Michael Clayton. Bryant is coming off a stellar 2008 season that saw him really blossom in the second half, catching five of his seven TDs after week 12. He had six games of at least 100-yards receiving in 2008, which was fifth-highest among all WRs. Bryant is expected to be a major contributor in the offense once again. In releasing Joey Galloway, Tampa Bay will turn to veteran Michael Clayton, who is mostly known for his impressive rookie season that resulted in a Top 15 fantasy ranking among all WRs. He hasn’t come close to the top 25 since then, but 2008 marked the most receptions (38) since his 80catch rookie season. Clayton will likely be the teams third down field option behind Bryant and newly signed TE Kellen Winslow Jr. Backup WRs: Depth is not something the Bucs have a lot of in their receiving corps this year. Expect the passing game to be centered on Antonio Bryant, Kellen Winslow, Michael Clayton and even the duo of RBs Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham. Second-year speedster Dexter Jackson figures to have more of a role in 2009. Fourth-year WR Maurice Stovall rounds up the depth chart, but he has not had more than ten catches in a season in his three year career. TIGHT ENDS Starting TE: Kellen Winslow, Jr. Backup TE: Jerramy Stevens, John Gilmore The Buccaneers bolstered their TE position by trading for and signing standout TE Kellen Winslow, Jr. Winslow figures to be a major contributor in the Bucs offensive plans – provided he rebounds from a less than acceptable 2008 season that included five missed games due to assorted injuries. When healthy, Winslow is a very dependable target that will add a new facet to the Buccaneers offensive game plan that didn’t exactly feature the TE in previous seasons. Look for Winslow to rebound as a top five fantasy TE in 2009. Veteran Jerramy Stevens will occupy the team’s backup TE role behind Kellen Winslow Jr.
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by Jeff Haseley Stevens, who has been a primary receiving TE in prior seasons will take a back seat to Winslow, but don’t be surprised if they both see the field at the same time during red zone opportunities. His presence should result in an improvement compared to last year’s dismal red zone production. The Bucs also have veteran John Gilmore, who is coming off his best year of his seven-year career.
2008 SEASON STATS Quarterback Jeff Garcia Brian Griese
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 376 244 2712 12 6 35 148 1 184 110 1073 5 7 5 -1 0
Running Back Warrick Dunn Earnest Graham Cadillac Williams Clifton Smith B.J. Askew
PLACE KICKER PKs: Matt Bryant, Mike Nugent
TEAM DEFENSE The Bucs were a Top 5 fantasy performer last season on the strength of solid finishes in most of the major defensive categories. They forced 30 turnovers, scored seven combined defensive and special teams touchdowns and ranked in the Top 10 in both yardage allowed and points against. The offseason was full of turnover for this unit as longtime defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin left to join his son at the University of Tennessee and soon-to-be Hall of Fame WLB Derrick Brooks was released. The Tampa-2 playbook used for more than a decade has gone with them, and Jim Bates will install his own
Yards 786 563 233 40 14
Wide Receiver Antonio Bryant Ike Hilliard Michael Clayton Joey Galloway
Rec Yards TDs 83 1248 7 47 424 4 38 484 1 13 138 0
Tight End Jerramy Stevens Alex Smith John Gilmore
Rec Yards TDs 36 397 2 21 250 3 15 147 1
TDs 2 4 4 0 2
Rec 47 23 7 4 13
Yards 330 174 43 24 66
TDs 0 0 0 0 0
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 22.6 19th Yds 341.0 14th P-Yds 226.2 11th R-Yds 114.8 15th
distinctive brand of 4-3. Also gone are veteran OLB Cato June and CB Phillip Buchanon. The Bucs added former Buffalo OLB Angelo Crowell to bolster the front seven and will try former starting SS Jermaine Phillips at the WLB position vacated by Brooks. Bates has been very successful in most of his many NFL stops, but there are enough question marks throughout this defense to make it unlikely that the Bucs will return to the top five in any scoring system. Expect no more than solid DST2 upside from this crew in 2009.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Tampa Bay QB Garcia (rush stats)
@NO 20-24 24-41-221-1 1-1 2 (P) dnp
Atl 24-9 dnp
RB Graham (rec stats)
10-91 3-27
RB Williams (rec stats)
dnp
(Q) 18-31-160-0 1-(-1) 5 12-49 3-21 17 15-116 1-12 68 dnp
RB Smith (rec stats) RB Askew (rec stats)
dnp 0-0 3-20 (Q) 3-43
QB Griese (rush stats) RB Dunn (rec stats)
WR Bryant (rush stats) WR Hilliard (rush stats) WR Clayton (rush stats)
9-54 1-11
(Q) 6-45 2 dnp
GB 30-21 dnp
38-67-407-3 15-30-149-3 4-0 4,1 9 5-31 16-63 4-27 2-23
11-74 3-13 10-59 5-21
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0 3-1
0-0 2-18
0-0
(Q) 22-115 3-18
(Q) 13-37 4-21
(Q) 1-0 2-8 (Q) 17-42 4-22
(Q) dnp (Q) 19-62 5-29
dnp
Min @Det NO @Car @Atl SD Oak 19-13 38-20 23-20 23-38 10-13 24-41 24-31 23-30-255-0 13-18-165-0 9-23-119-0 24-38-321-0 dnp 21-34-232-2 17-33-257-1 6-21 1-(-1) 7-42 2-6 6-45 3-10 36,24 39 50,15 (Q) 71/7(run) (Q) 58 (P) dnp dnp dnp dnp 26-37-269-1 dnp dnp (Q) 14-90 5-37 13 (P) dnp
(O) 22-74
(Q) 10-49 3-13
20 (Q) 12-40 7-50
9-20 4-19
10-37 2-4
-
(D) 20-53 4-65 (Q) 1-3
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
-
(Q) dnp
16-27
4-20
14-59 1-0
8-27
(Q) 0-0
8 0-0
9-22 1-6 4 0-0
0-0
1-3
0-0
3-9 1-9
0-0
4-48
9-200
8-108
1-2 1-9 1-1 1-5 1 6-127
12-78 5-37 9,8 0-0 (Q) 1-0 1-4
50,15 2-20
20 3-29
71 4-24
2-20
-
dnp
5-11 2-47 1 dnp
23-52 2-13 1 dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
-
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
dnp
-
10-138
(D) 4-39
(O) 7-58
(O) 1-13
(O) 6-115
(O) 6-45
(Q) 8-115
-
4-41
6-57
2-21
4-29
1-6 1-0
47 (P) 1-4
3-23
24 6-55
-
1-(-1)
2-51
3-63 1-13 39 0-0
1-6
4 5-54
3-30
(Q) 3-23
-
(Q) 3-36
36 (P) 0-0
(P) 3-29
1-15
3-41
2-23
2-87
(Q) dnp
(Q) dnp
1-4
58 0-0
TE Stevens TE Smith
2-19
2-20
TE Gilmore
0-0
2-41 5
2-18 dnp
12-16
@Den Car Sea @Dal @KC bye 13-16 27-3 20-10 9-13 30-27 week 13-17-93-1 15-20-173-0 27-36-310-0 27-43-227-0 31-43-339-1 1-6 3-6 2-8 2-7 7 2 47 24 13-19-88-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp -
20-111 1-3 1 dnp
(Q) 6-56 (Q) dnp
WR Galloway
@Chi 27-24 dnp
dnp (O) 5-61 1 3-33 1-3
3-28 1-4
7 3-26
2-29
dnp (O) 0-0
dnp (O) 1-12
dnp (O) 2-10
dnp (Q) 4-55
3-38 (Q) 3-16
2-26 9 1-9
1-11
3-43 2 1-7 (P)
2-25
2-39
2-20
0-0
0-0
(Q) 4-57 1-1 (Q) 1-22
4-21 1-(-1) 1-1 2-9 1 (Q) 5-59 1-9
3-77
-
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
-
6-84
5-33
2-27
2-21
2-28
-
dnp (D) 1-4
2-29 24 dnp (Q) 0-0
2-21
2-12 3 4-40
0-0 (Q) 1-6
1-20
1-2
0-0
0-0
1-5
1-12
0-0
0-0
-
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Matt Bryant is coming off back-to-back solid seasons with the Bucs. In 2007 he made 28 of 33 (84.8 percent) field goals and added 34 PATs. The 118 points placed Tampa at 10th in kicker scoring. Last year he made 32 of 38 (84.2 percent) field goals plus 35 PATs, for a total of 131 points and a 4th-place ranking. After a strong 2006, Mike Nugent took a step backwards in 2007 with the Jets, hitting only 80.6 percent (29 of 36) on field goals – although three of the misses were from 50+ yards. Last year he suffered a thigh injury during the first game, and subsequently watched Jay Feely from the sidelines for the rest of the year. Although he was healthy enough to kick again later in the season, the Jets opted to continue using Feely who was kicking well at that time. Nugent to test out free agency, and was signed by the Bucs. Whoever wins the job will be relying on scoring opportunities provided by an offense starting anew.
Rush 186 132 63 8 7
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TENNESSEE T
ITANS
Starting QB: Kerry Collins took over for an injured Vince Young in Week 1 of the 2008 season and never looked back. Collins led the team so effectively that even when Young came back he did not get the starting job back. While he didn’t put up huge numbers the team won 13 games and Collins did a good job of managing the flow of the game. The Titans signed Collins to a two-year, $15-million dollar deal in February and are looking to him to once again lead the team to the playoffs. Tennessee did not rest on their laurels when it came to their offense in the offseason. They signed WR Nate Washington to a free agent contract, and in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft they selected WR Kenny Britt from Rutgers. They also drafted WR Dominique Edison in the sixth round and signed WR Dudley Guice as an undrafted free agent. These players will help upgrade the position and help Collins put up better numbers in 2009. Backup QBs: Vince Young was once thought of as the QB of the future in Tennessee but entering the 2009 season he will be in a fight for his job. Reports have indicated that Young Chris Johnson may finally be serious about his career and has re-dedicated himself this offseason. Chris Simms was on the roster last year, but he switched places with former Denver backup Patrick Ramsey. Ramsey’s skill set is very similar to Kerry Collins and there are some that have speculated that he could end up being the No. 2 QB and not Vince Young. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Chris Johnson Backups: LenDale White, Chris Henry, Javon Ringer [R], Quinton Ganther, Rafael Little Fullbacks: Ahmard Hall, Casey Cramer Starting RB: Chris Johnson was everything that the Titans had hoped for – and more! He immediately made an impact and provided the type of big-play threat that the running game had been missing. He finished the season with almost 1,500 total yards and 10 TDs which made him the 11th ranked RB in fantasy football. He could have easily been Top 10 – maybe Top 5 – had he not lost carries and goalline opportunities to LenDale White. Johnson may be unproven carrying the full load but he looked good last season and the Titans may be moving away from White. He is an electric playmaker that has the ability to take it to the house on any play. He doesn’t need a lot of carries to produce and defenses certainly have to gameplan for him because of his rare ability. This season he could
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos QB RB TE WR WR WR WR
Player Name Patrick Ramsey Javon Ringer Jared Cook Dominique Edison Kenny Britt Mark Jones Nate Washington
Type Free Agent Draft Draft Draft Draft Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Denver Broncos College College College College Carolina Panthers Pittsburgh Steelers
2009 Team Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos QB WR WR WR
Player Name Chris Simms Brandon Jones Justin McCareins Roydell Williams
Type Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent Free Agent
2008 Team Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans Tennessee Titans
2009 Team Denver Broncos San Francisco 49ers Free Agent Washington Redskins
see an increase in receptions and rushing attempts although he will more than likely still lose out on goalline carries to White. Backup RBs: LenDale White can bust off 80-yard TD runs, but he doesn’t consistently do enough with the carries that are outside of the red zone. He has a proven nose for the endzone as evidenced by the 15 rushing TDs that he scored in 2008. White is in a contract year and is reportedly taking his offseason conditioning seriously. As long as Chris Johnson is healthy, White shouldn’t get more than 180 carries with a good percentage coming at the goalline. Chris Henry has gone from second round pick to on the roster bubble in only two short seasons. Javon Ringer had an amazing 380 carries for Michigan State in 2008 and could be in line to take LenDale White’s job. Quinton Ganther is a good special teams player that doesn’t do much with any carries he receives. Rafael Little could be used as a Darren Sproles type of player in this offense but is buried in the depth chart and coming off an injury. Fullbacks: Ahmard Hall is a battering ram that plays fullback. He has decent hands and caught a pair of TD passes out of the backfield in 2008. He could duplicate his 2008 performance (around 150 yards receiving and two TDs), but it’s not likely that his production would increase much if at all. Casey Cramer comes back to the Titans after spending a year with Miami. ICON SMI
TENNESSEE TITANS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Kerry Collins Backups: Vince Young, Patrick Ramsey
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Justin Gage, Nate Washington Backups: Kenny Britt [R], Lavelle Hawkins, Justin McCareins, Chris Davis, Mark Jones, Paul Williams, Dominique Edison [R], Dudley Guice [R] Starting WRs: Justin Gage is a big target that has flashed playmaking ability since he came to the Titans in 2007. He finished the 2008 season with a bang, and had over 100-yards receiving in each of his final two games. Kerry Collins targeted him 74 times they failed to connect 40 times so Gage finished the season with only 34 receptions. The Titans need him to play with consistency, so defenses will honor the pass instead of just stacking the line of scrimmage to stop the run. Nate Washington comes over from Pittsburgh, and the Titans are hoping that he can become the same deep threat for Kerry Collins that he was for Ben Roethlisberger. Washington only scored three TDs in 2008, but all came on a hot streak in the first half of the season where he had at least 57 yards receiving and a TD in three consecutive weeks. Like Gage, Washington needs to drop fewer passes in order to improve his game. Backup WRs: The Titans have a ton of backup WRs with potential and they are hoping that one or more come out of this group as solid starting options. With their first round pick in 2009 they selected WR Kenny Britt from Rutgers. He is a big and physical target that has plenty of speed but also drops too many passes. Lavelle Hawkins has great body control and leaping ability but didn’t play his way on to the field much in 2008. Justin McCareins could be on the roster bubble with the number of quality WRs currently behind him on the depth chart. Chris Davis and Mark Jones are return men that won’t see many receptions. Paul Williams is a big and athletic player that can’t seem to seize any opportunity to move up. Dominique Edison and Dudley Guice are both hard-working rookies that have the skills to reach the starting lineup if they fulfill their potential. TIGHT ENDS Starters: Bo Scaife Backups: Alge Crumpler, Jared Cook [R] Bo Scaife had great chemistry with Vince Young, but when Kerry
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by Cecil Lammey Collins took over in Week 1 against Jacksonville, he didn’t miss a beat. He is targeted most often when Tennessee needs to sustain drives, eat clock, and keep the chains moving. Scaife signed his franchise tender at the end of April and will have more competition for playing time then he did last year. Alge Crumpler came over from Atlanta last season but failed to be much of a fantasy factor with only one receiving TD and no games with more than 38 yards receiving. Jared Cook is perhaps the most athletic TE in the 2009 draft class. His athleticism is on par with Vernon Davis, and Tennessee will be looking for ways to exploit that. Cook will never be known as a good blocker, but he can make plays with his run after the catch ability. PLACE KICKER PK: Rob Bironas
Quarterback Kerry Collins Vince Young
Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs 415 242 2676 12 7 25 49 0 36 22 219 1 2 8 27 0
Running Back Chris Johnson LenDale White Quinton Ganther Ahmard Hall
Rush 251 200 9 8
Yards 1228 773 61 21
TDs 9 15 0 0
Wide Receiver Rec Yards TDs Brandon Jones 41 449 1 Justin Gage 34 651 6 Justin McCareins 30 412 0 Lavelle Hawkins 7 68 0 Chris Davis 2 31 0 Paul Williams 1 7 0 Tight End Bo Scaife Alge Crumpler Craig Stevens
Rec 43 5 6 13
Yards 260 16 43 138
TDs 1 0 0 2
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 23.4 15th Yds 313.6 21st P-Yds 176.2 27th R-Yds 137.4 7th
Rec Yards TDs 58 561 2 24 257 1 1 9 0
TEAM DEFENSE There was plenty to like about the Titans defense in 2008. They were among the Top 10 in every important category including second in points allowed and third in takeaways. This unit returns ten starters, but the one who isn’t coming back may be the most important. Albert Haynesworth was the most dominating interior lineman in the league last year and will be missed greatly. That said, it’s not as if the club has not prepared. Last year’s second round pick Jason Jones will step into the lineup after a solid rookie year. He gained experience while
seeing significant action in the rotation and may well have been part of the reason Tennessee didn’t break the bank to keep Haynesworth. They also used a second this year on DT Sen’Derrick Marks and picked up Jovan Haye in free agency to add veteran depth. The Titans lowest mark last year was a ninth rated pass defense, so they nabbed Ryan Mouton in the third round to bolster the corner position. This was a Top 5 defense in 2008, and despite the loss of Haynesworth, they should finish in a similar position this season.
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Tennessee QB Collins (rush stats) QB Young (rush stats) RB Johnson (rec stats) RB White (rec stats) RB Ganther (rec stats) RB Hall (rec stats)
Jac 17-10 2-2-65-0 1-0
@Cin Hou Min 24-7 31-12 30-17 14-21-128-0 14-26-189-1 18-35-199-0 3-30 6-2 11 9 12-22-110-2 dnp dnp dnp 1-4 7 (P) (O) (O) (O) 15-93 19-109 16-74 17-61 3-34 2-12 2-5 3-14 7(rec) 1,6 15-40 18-59 16-49 11-13 1 dnp (Q) 0-0 1-2
1 dnp (Q) 3-9
@Bal 13-10 17-32-163-2 1-(-1) 11 dnp (P) 18-44 2-4
bye @KC Ind GB @Chi @Jac NYJ @Det week 34-10 31-21 19-16 21-14 24-14 13-34 47-10 11-18-123-0 24-37-193-0 18-37-180-0 30-41-289-0 13-23-230-1 21-39-243-0 11-18-127-0 2-(-2) 2-(-2) 1-8 4-(-1) 2-(-2) 1-12 10,12 (P) 13,56,38 6 0-0-0-0 dnp dnp dnp dnp dnp 1-1-54-0 2-(-2) -
3-4 1-0
-
2,1 0-0
1 (P) 0-0
0-0
-
1-1
0-0 1-5
0-0 1-8
-
18-168 2-4 66 17-149 1-7 6,2,80 2-11
19-77 4-19 16 10-13 1-1 1,1 0-0
1-6 1-15
0-0 2-5
WR Jones (rush stats) WR Gage
1-5
2-26
2-21
3-34
3-54
-
0-0
4-40
2-25
dnp dnp 0-0
dnp 0-0 dnp
0-0 1-21 dnp
3-37 (P) dnp 0-0 dnp
dnp (D) 0-0
-
0-0
dnp (Q) 4-90
5-92
WR McCareins (rush stats) WR Hawkins WR Davis WR Williams
5-59 11 2-9
0-0 1-10 dnp
-
dnp (Q) dnp (Q) 2-11 dnp 0-0
1-6 (Q) 2-30 (Q) 1-13 dnp 0-0
6-105
1-6
3-17
7-72
-
3-48
TE Crumpler
1-4
2-16
3-26 9 2-26
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
2-15 11 0-0
-
TE Stevens
-
TE Scaife
-
24-89 6-72 3 8-77
0-0 (P) 1-3
4-36 1-7 0-0
14-8 2-15
17-64 4-24
10-46 3-15
10-14 1-6 2 0-0
14-52
1-(-1)
1-(-1)
0-0
8-82
(P) 2-23
0-0
4-147 56,38 dnp (Q) 0-0 dnp 0-0
(P) 0-0 3-40 (P) 0-0 1-6 6(rec) 4-40
16-125 2-9 6,58 23-106 6,2 3-23 0-0 2-53
Cle @Hou Ten @Ind 28-9 12-13 31-14 0-23 14-23-155-2 15-33-181-1 20-29-216-0 1-2-0-0 2-5 28,9 34 dnp dnp dnp 9-13-55-0 5-25 (Q) 19-136 13-65 16-69 dnp 4-30 2-2 2-1 25 21 24-99 8-26 15-48 7-25 1-2 3 (Q) 1 (Q) 0-0 dnp 0-0 4-27 (Q) 3-3 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-3 1-28 1-5 2-11 28(rec) 2-18 3-51 0-0 2-13
1-37
1-6 1-28 2-40
4-43
2-43
2-18 9 1-20
0-0 dnp dnp
0-0 dnp dnp
3-36 1-4 0-0 dnp dnp
1-8
2-19
3-42
4-47 12 0-0
3-76
5-104 34 6-55
1-4 dnp dnp
2-26 dnp dnp
5-44
4-26
2-28
2-38
4-35
0-0
10-78 10 3-35
1-14 dnp dnp (P) 3-40
1-11
dnp dnp dnp
0-0 0-0 1-7
3-11
4-26
1-8
1-8
1-8
2-22
1-20
0-0
3-30
dnp
0-0 (P)
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-9
TENNESSEE TITANS
After spending several years in the AFL and in various NFL teams’ training camps, Rob Bironas finally landed a starting job with the Titans four years ago. After modest results his first two years, he had a breakout season in 2007. Bironas made 35 of 39 (89.7 percent) field goals and added 28 PATs. He improved his long range accuracy, going 9 of 10 from 40-49 yards and 4 of 5 from 50+ yards. Along the way, Bironas broke the single game NFL record by hitting 8 of 8 field goals in the game at Houston. Last year he hit 29 of 33 (87.9 percent) field goals and added 40 PATs. After missing two PATs his first year, he has been perfect since. His strong leg on kickoffs averaged 67.2 yards and had 22 touchbacks last year. The Titans ranked 21st, 21st, and 26th in kicker scoring from 2004 to 2006. The last two years they have ranked 4th and 7th.
2008 SEASON STATS
dnp
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WASHINGTON R
EDSKINS
Starting QB: Jason Campbell can’t catch a break. After learning a seventh playbook in nine seasons last year, 2009 was supposed to be different. He was entrenched as the Redskins starter and would be running the same offense in consecutive seasons. The Redskins young WR tandem of Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly would be a year older and hopefully ready to contribute after uneven rookie seasons. The team would benefit from playing a last-place schedule. Yet, entering training camp no one would blame Campbell for doubting his future with the team. The Redskins flirted with Jay Cutler, and they apparently coveted rookie Mark Sanchez. Even though neither became Redskins, the message was clear: Jason Campbell isn’t the franchise. But as fate would have it, Campbell remains the team’s best QB and its only real chance at a successful passing attack. And were it not for the team’s aggressive pursuit of alternatives, there is a lot to like about Campbell. At 6’5, 223 pounds he has great size, athleticism and the arm to make every throw. He started all 16 games in 2008 and completed a career high 62.3 percent of his passes, Chris Cooley and was only intercepted 1.2 percent of the time. Give credit to Campbell for not throwing a tantrum and demanding a trade. It remains to be seen whether he can be a great quarterback, but he’s clearly shown the capacity to be a great teammate. Backup QBs: Todd Collins will be 38 in November and will need to hold off Colt Brennan for the backup job. Collins is a steady, intelligent veteran with starting experience, but isn’t going to rock the boat or lobby for the starting job. Brennan, on the other hand, would love a shot at the starting gig. He enters his second season with a better understanding of the playbook and, hopefully, a sturdier frame. Brenna was an ultra productive collegiate passer at the University of Hawaii but was considered a developmental pro prospect because he played in a gimmicky offense in college. While Brennan doesn’t have the strongest arm, he has a quick release and is fearless. RUNNING BACKS Starter: Clinton Portis Backups: Ladell Betts, Rock Cartwright Fullback: Mike Sellers, Eddie Williams [R] Starting RB: Clinton Portis is the Rodney Dangerfield of All Pro running backs. It seems that every year he’s the forgotten man among elite runners, as fantasy owners expect his play to fall off. And yet, every year Portis delivers. Last year was no exception, as Portis finished with 1,487 rushing yards (fourth in the NFL), caught 28 passes and scored nine touchdowns on route to his fifth career Top 10 fantasy finish. Entering his eighth season, Portis is only 28 years old and has shown no signs of slowing down. He logged 342 carries last year and averaged a
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS ADDED Pos RB TE WR WR
Player Name Marcus Mason Eddie Williams Marko Mitchell Roydell Williams
Type Free Agent Draft Draft Free Agent
2008 Team New York Jets College College Tennessee Titans
2009 Team Washington Redskins Washington Redskins Washington Redskins Washington Redskins
NOTABLE SKILL POSITION PLAYERS LOST Pos Player Name Type TE Devin Frischknecht Free Agent WR John Halman Free Agent
2008 Team Washington Redskins Washington Redskins
2009 Team Free Agent Free Agent
solid 4.3 yards per rush despite playing behind a banged up offensive line. Portis ran for 100-yards and/or scored in 10 games last year. As long as the Redskins offensive line can stay healthy, and Jim Zorn can get the passing game to approximate league norms, there is no reason why Portis shouldn’t produce at, or close to, Top 10 results yet again. Backup RBs: In six of seven seasons, Ladell Betts has run for less than 400 yards and has only scored 11 rushing TDs in his career. At 30 years old, some may be surprised to see Betts remains Clinton Portis’ main backup. And yet, it’s what Betts did. In 2006, subbing for an injured Portis, Betts ran for 1,154 yards including six 100-yard games. He’s a straight ahead rusher who grinds out the hard yardage and doesn’t mind contact. That kind of mentality is contagious. Another veteran, Rock Cartwright, rounds out the tailback rotation. Cartwright is a bowling ball (5’7, 223 pounds) who makes his living returning kicks and only had six offensive touches in 2008. Considering the team signed Shaun Alexander last season, it’s entirely possible Washington will look to add another veteran. Fullbacks: Mike Sellers caught seven touchdowns on 12 receptions during the 2005 season, which may go down as one of the biggest statistical anomalies in leagues history. Since then, he’s caught 47 passes and ran 44 times, but his great value is as a punishing lead blocker. The Skins drafted Eddie Williams in the seventh round. He will have a chance to make the final 53-man roster. ICON SMI
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
QUARTERBACKS Starter: Jason Campbell Backups: Todd Collins, Colt Brennan, Chase Daniel [R]
WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: Santana Moss, Antwaan Randle El Backups: Devin Thomas, Malcolm Kelly, Billy McMullen, James Thrash Starting WRs: After consecutive subpar seasons, Santana Moss proved that he’s still a difference maker. Moss stayed healthy last year and caught 79 receptions for 1,044 yards to go along with six touchdowns. It was only Moss’ third 1,000-yard season in eight, and it ended what looked like a steady decline. No longer the burner, Moss has evolved his game and is now primarily a guy who makes his living catching short and intermediate passes and generating yards after the catch. Moss remains the team’s best pass catcher, but would be served well by the continued development of Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. Opposing defenses are able to keep a lid on Moss in most cases because they don’t respect Antwaan Randle El as a threat. Randle El is arguably one of the least productive starting WRs in the league. Randle El has never had more than 53 receptions or 728 yards and last year’s four TD catches were a career high. He can make the easy grabs but doesn’t make plays on the ball. In spite of limited productivity, Randle El remains the team’s second best option sadly. Backup WRs: Last year the Redskins took a big step toward improving an anemic receiving corps with the selections of Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly. Both were highly regarded prospects and are expected to be the foundation of the Redskins WR corps for years to come. Unfortunately, neither player distinguished himself as a rookie. Thomas caught 15 receptions for only 120 yards, but has the size (6’2, 215 pounds) to be a red zone threat provided he can show a better understanding of the playbook this year. Kelly battled injury and only caught three passes last year; but is a polished route runner with good hands. The good news for both second year players is that Washington needs them to contribute and would be more than happy to see them win starting spots sooner rather than later. TIGHT ENDS Starter: Chris Cooley Backups: Todd Yoder, Fred Davis
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by Jason Wood Chris Cooley had his best and worst season in 2008. The good news is he caught a career high 83 passes and 849 yards. The bad news is Cooley somehow managed only one TD in those 83 receptions. How did that happen? Consider it a fluke as evidenced by 27 TDs he scored in his first four seasons. Cooley is a smooth route runner with excellent hands. Although Cooley isn’t much of a blocker, he’s on the field in most downs and distances and is Jason Campbell’s security blanket. Fred Davis is another offensive-minded TE who came out of USC with an abundance of self confidence but needs to do a lot more as a second year player if he wants to show up in the box scores. Todd Yoder is the savvy veteran blocker of the group. His job is helping to open holes for Clinton Portis.
2008 SEASON STATS Quarterback Atts Comps Yards TDs INTs Rush Yards TDs Jason Campbell 506 315 3245 13 6 47 258 1 Running Back Clinton Portis Ladell Betts Mike Sellers
PLACE KICKERS PKs: Shaun Suisham, Dave Rayner
Yards 1487 206 24
Wide Receiver Santana Moss Antwaan Randle El Devin Thomas James Thrash Malcolm Kelly
Rec Yards TDs 79 1044 6 53 593 4 15 120 0 9 81 1 3 18 0
Tight End Chris Cooley Todd Yoder Fred Davis
Rec Yards TDs 83 849 1 8 50 1 3 27 0
TDs 9 1 0
Rec 28 22 12
Yards 218 200 98
TDs 0 0 1
Team Per Game Stats Ctgry Avg Rnk Pts 16.6 28th Yds 320.0 19th P-Yds 189.1 23rd R-Yds 130.9 8th
overall. Not surprisingly, Washington threw a truckload of money at the problem this offseason by signing DT Albert Haynesworth. Haynesworth will clog the middle on rushing downs and may be asked to draw blockers in the nickel package. His presence should help veteran DE Andre Carter and first-round draft pick Brian Orakpo, who is likely to play SLB on base defensive downs but put his hand down in the nickel. An improved pass rush could send the big play numbers skyrocketing in the back seven, where MLB London Fletcher is an above average zone defender and safeties LaRon Landry and Chris Horton have both shown an ability to generate big plays in coverage. The team’s three top cornerbacks, DeAngelo Hall, Carlos Rogers and Fred Smoot are also capable of cashing in on the mistakes of opposing quarterbacks. Despite last season’s poor finish in some leagues, don’t be afraid to roster Washington as a backup.
TEAM DEFENSE The value of the Washington defense in your league in 2008 was dependent on scoring system. They were among the best in the league in yardage allowed and points against, likely making them a Top 10 defense in leagues that favored those stats. The Redskins however, managed only 24 sacks, 18 takeaways and one touchdown, landing them among the bottom dwellers in leagues based on big plays. That included FBG official scoring, in which the Redskins finished 27th
2008 WEEK BY WEEK STATS Washington QB Campbell (rush stats) RB Portis (rec stats) RB Betts (rec stats) RB Sellers (rec stats) WR Moss (rush stats)
@NYG NO Ari 16-7 29-24 24-17 15-27-133-0 24-36-321-0 22-30-193-0 3-1 4-26 12 67 2,17 23-84 21-96 21-68 2-3 2-19 8,9 3 1-0 6-25 4-23 1-11 2-8 0-0
1-3 1-4 (P) 7-75
11-32
0-0
0-0
(P) 1-5
0-0
1-7 1-16
WR Thrash
0-0
1-8
WR Kelly TE Cooley
dnp (O) 1-7
2-8 3 dnp (D) 4-28
TE Yoder
0-0
1-6 (Q) 5-72 (P) 0-0
0-0 (Q) dnp (Q) 7-72
TE Davis
dnp
1-6
2-4 2 0-0
WR Thomas (rush stats)
29-145 2-13 4 9-44 1-7
(P) 8-145
7-164 1-27 67 4-53
17 3-23
@Phi 23-17 16-29-176-0 6-14
0-0
12 7-73
WR Randle El (rush stats)
5-37
0-0 1-1
@Dal 26-24 20-31-231-0 4-3 3,2 21-121 2-14
StL Cle @Det Pit bye Dal @Sea NYG 17-19 14-11 25-17 6-25 week 10-14 20-17 7-23 18-26-208-0 14-23-164-0 23-28-328-0 24-43-206-2 22-34-162-1 20-33-206-0 23-38-232-1 2-19 2-1 3-(-2) 1-5 1-22 6-32 5-38 18 50 2 8 21-129 27-175 24-126 13-51 15-68 29-143 11-22 1-14 1-8 1-6 7-73 2-6 2-16 1-15 3,2 3 (Q) (Q) (P) (Q) (Q) (Q) 7-32 dnp dnp dnp 1-1 5-7 1-3 2-18 2-27 4-22 (O) (O) (O) (P) 1 (P) 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-5 0-0 2-15 4-30 1-20 2(rec) 2-22 4-75 9-140 2-14 5-29 4-72 4-55
3-34
5-87
18 4-56
2-28
0-0
0-0
1-9
3-14
-
3-14
0-0
2-19
0-0
1-29
1-5
-
(P) 0-0
0-0
dnp
dnp
5-57
4-32
dnp (O) 8-78
-
0-0
8-109 18 1-3
dnp (O) 6-74
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-14 (P) 0-0
dnp
4-36 1-5 2 0-0
50 3-47
(Q) 3-22
-
(P) 1-24
2-18 8 (Q) 0-0
-
dnp (P) 7-47
-
0-0
-
0-0
4-37
@Bal @Cin Phi @SF 10-24 13-20 10-3 24-27 21-37-218-2 17-28-167-0 18-33-144-0 18-30-156-0 2-11 2-21 2-28 4-39 5 10 6 11-32 25-77 22-70 29-80 3-14 1-6 1-11 (Q) 1 (Q) 4 6-3 2-7 7-23 1-6 3-57 5-43 2-7 2-16 2-14
2-0 1-14
0-0
0-0
4-48
7-72
5-28
6-68
5-47
10 1-9
(P) 1-11
3-16
0-0 1-8
1-17
6 0-0
5 3-26
0-0
0-0 1-29 29(run) 1-4
0-0
0-0
0-0
1-8
2-12
0-0
0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
5-54
6-71
1-12
6-51
4-28
6-57
1-4
3-25
0-0
0-0
0-0
dnp
dnp
dnp
0-0 (P) 1-15
1-6
0-0
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
After more John Hall injury woes, Shaun Suisham was brought in for the final five games of 2006, and actually provided some stability at the position. In 2007, his first full season in the NFL, Suisham made 29 of 35 (82.9%) field goals, including 11 of 15 from 40+ yards. Last year was not a banner year for Suisham however, as he missed the most field goals in the NFL, going only 26 of 36 (72.2%). With some of the blame attributed to the holder, the team felt that Suisham had enough potential to re-sign him for this year. They also signed the journeyman Dave Rayner to provide competition. Rayner’s last full season was 2006 with Green Bay. In 2007 he played part of the year for Kansas City and later in the year as a kickoff specialist for San Diego. In 2008 he surfaced in Cincinnati for two games, filling in for the ailing Shayne Graham. Despite last years misses, Suisham has the better field goal numbers of the two, while Rayner has the better kickoff numbers
Rush 342 61 6
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when his season was ended in Week 1. Judging by Matt Cassel’s 2008, people who take a chance on Brady before we see how his knee looks in regular season action will be rewarded. He’s still the most likely QB to lead the position in fantasy scoring in 2009. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
Rodgers might not finish No. 2 again with a healthy Peyton Manning (and possibly Brady), but he’s a bona fide fantasy stud QB. He plays in an offense stocked with talented receivers that does not lean on a running back in the red zone, he showed he’s a threat to run it in close to the goal line (to the tune for four rushing TDs), and he showed he can play through a tough injury when he only missed two series after separating his throwing shoulder.
ICON/SMI
Carson Palmer, Cincinnati
LaDainian Tomlinson
Gut From the
by Sigmund Bloom
W
hile this magazine and our website are both heavily based on statistics and historical analysis, one can’t fully succeed on numbers alone. There are times when you just know something is going to happen. It can’t be figured or mathematically explained, but you know it is coming. Yes, sometimes, you just have to follow your gut. Well, we asked our veteran staffer Sigmund Bloom to empty his guts. At
first, he balked while explaining that he has a decade-long streak of not throwing up. Well, after we clarified our question, he was eager to write out some thoughts on many players.
All of the people that want a secure stud QB will have locked up a Top 7 or 8 option by the time Palmer comes off the board, which will be a boon to those who prefer to wait on QB. The risk of his elbow being off is more than outweighed by his track record of three consecutive Top 10 finishes (including a No. 1 and No. 4 at QB) coming into 2008. The fact the Bengals are done with the Ravens and Steelers by Week 11 is gravy. David Garrard, Jacksonville
Remember when we all thought Garrard was a budding fantasy QB1 last summer? He did finish in the Top 12 QBs, despite a two-point per game drop-off from 2007. That decrease in production is perfectly explainable by a cheesecloth offensive line. The Jags addressed the issue by taking the most NFL-ready pass blocking LT in the first round, a possibly stalwart RT in the second, and oh yeah, they added Torry Holt in free agency, the best WR the Jags have had since Jimmy Smith. Garrard’s low profile is the best reason to wait on QB this year. Kyle Orton, Denver
QUARTERBACKS Tom Brady, New England
We lost the opportunity to determine whether the “real Tom Brady” would have numbers closer to his recordbreaking 2007 or his historical numbers
Predicting success for Orton isn’t outlandish if you go back and watch his games in the first half of 2008 – he was one of the best QB in the league. Now he gets to play in a system that produced the surprise QB1 on 2008, with two outstanding young WRs, and he’s on one of the worst defensive teams in the
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league. Worried that Chris Simms may seduce Josh McDaniels with his ideal tools? Just take him in the last round of your draft and drop the loser. JaMarcus Russell, Oakland
Russell quietly averaged 200 yards and two passing TDs over the last three weeks of the season, and his corps of wide receivers cannot possibly be worse than it was in 2008. He’ll definitely throw more than 23 passes a game in 2009. As long as he develops the way a QB between his second and third seasons should, Russell will be a solid backup bye week/injury QB this year.
RUNNING BACKS Michael Turner, Atlanta
If you’re sitting in the four or five hole of the first round, pray that your leaguemates let Turner fall to you. There just aren’t that many backs left in the league that are automatic options inside the 10 – that’s why he scored in eight of the last nine games. He could be even better this year if Matt Ryan avoids the sophomore slump, but he still found ways to score when Ryan was struggling down the stretch.
would be nuts to not give Darren Sproles 10-12 touches a game after what he did for them in the playoffs, and it would help avoid a replay of a discouraged Tomlinson sitting on the bench. Let someone else draft the name and ignore the trend. Pierre Thomas, New Orleans
It’s impossible to ignore Thomas’ production down the stretch - helping many teams win titles after being a free agent in a lot of leagues in October. He dodged a bullet when the Saints didn’t draft a running back, and now even if they sign a back, it will be a vet on his victory lap around the league. The RB1 upside is more than worth the cost of a non-premium pick. Donald Brown, Indianapolis
Joseph Addai will begin the season as the starter, but Brown will get enough touches for the Colts to see that he’s the more dynamic, powerful, and explosive back. Eventually Addai will get dinged, and in those weeks, Brown will be a Top 10 RB. Brown is the best RB Indianapolis has had since Edgerrin James was in his prime, and he could easily produce at old Edge’s level if he’s given a chance.
Chris Johnson, Tennessee
All signs point to Johnson being more involved in the offense this year – making him the easy target if you are picking late in the first round. The Titans coaches have all indicated that they will work him more in his second season, especially after his dominant 100-total yard half vs. the Ravens in the playoffs before his injury. This will be the season he joins the fantasy elite. DeAngelo Williams, Carolina
It’s unreasonable to expect six touchdowns over 30 yards from any running back, especially one that doesn’t get more than 300 carries. Williams’ high TD and big-play rate will be just as hard to reproduce as the Panthers’ standout season that allowed them to pound the ball with impunity. Taking him in the early first is a classic example of chasing last year’s stats. LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego
I’m not sure how you can pin your team’s hope to a running back that finished each of the last two seasons on the bench with an injury. The Chargers
team’s future plans, and there’s no telling when they’ll pull the ripcord on phasing him out in 2009 because they’re in the middle of a rebuilding effort. Someone in your league will draft him too high on the memory of his glory days, which are too far in the rear view mirror to draft him as a starter.
Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Le’Ron McClain, Baltimore
Le’Ron McClain is back at fullback and Willis McGahee had another surgery. If McGahee didn’t have such a high cap number, he would probably have his walking papers, and he’s still going to have to win playing time by remaining healthy and staying on coach John Harbaugh’s good side. Rice is the oddson favorite to get the most touches at RB on one of the best running teams in the league. McGahee might have some sporadic strong games like he did in 2008, but he should be traded as soon as he gets hot. Somebody in your league will still draft McClain on last year’s numbers (and he could still get them if Ravens realize the error of the ways when they can’t salt away a few games without McClain’s help and he doesn’t plow open holes like Lorenzo Neal). Take Rice if you’re going to take a Raven RB. Larry Johnson, Kansas City
Johnson is trying to endear himself to the new regime, but rumors persisted that he would get cut right up until draft weekend. He’s not going to be in the
Tim Hightower, Arizona
We tend to overreact in both directions when it comes to young RBs. When Hightower was the starter last year, some flocked to him as the next coming of a stud RB even though his instincts and efficiency left something to be desired. Now that Beanie Wells was drafted, he’s turned into an afterthought. Between Wells injury history at Ohio State and Hightower being the better RB for passing downs and sets (and still the official starter), the second-year player still has potential to be an RB you want in your lineup at some point in the 2009 season. Fred Taylor, New England
The Patriots’ track record at getting the last few good seasons out of veteran running backs is too good to ignore. Taylor still looked strong last year, averaging 4.8 yards on his carries in the second half of the season once the Jags line got out of crisis mode. Taylor will be a good bet for 80-100 yards and a TD in any game the Pats are favored to win. Julius Jones, Seattle
Jones hasn’t looked like a stud since W’s first term. I can’t for the life of me figure out why Jim Mora Jr. and Tim Ruskell didn’t address RB in the draft. T.J. Duckett’s old backfield mate Warrick Dunn is still a free agent, and they’ll likely be looking him up if they roll into the regular season with Jones as the starter. If you do end up with Jones on your roster, move him on the first good game, just like the wise people did last year. Jamal Lewis, Cleveland
You will have to suffer through lots of mediocre weeks just to catch the few times Lewis scores a TD or gets over 100 yards (which he failed to do once last year). He’ll be the kind of player you can’t cut because he’s a starting RB, but you can’t play, because his offense is broken down on the side of the road. Michael Bush, Oakland
Week 17 stud RBs are always good
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to snag late in your draft. In 2005, you would have gotten Willie Parker. Last year, you would have gotten Pierre Thomas. Bush ran for 177 yards and a pair of TDs in Week 17 vs the Bucs. Darren McFadden and Justin Fargas have both been injury prone, and Bush could get goal line carries even if that pair stays healthy. Talented RB + team that loves to run + strong finish to the previous season = RB you want on your roster.
WIDE RECEIVERS Eddie Royal, Denver
Let’s see – Brandon Marshall is coming off hip surgery, meaning he’ll be behind the curve in learning the McDaniels offense (plus he might face an early season suspension after another off the field incident), Royal was clearly just learning routes and reading coverages last year, and McDaniels’ offense has a role for a quick WR that works close to the line of scrimmage. Should anyone be surprised if the Virginia Tech product catches over 100 balls this year? Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh
I know we don’t usually want to put too much stock in a Super Bowl performance, but didn’t it just feel like Holmes staking his claim to be the Steelers No. 1 wideout? Nate Washington got an inordinate amount of the deep targets last year. If half of them go to Holmes, he should add at least 300 yards and four TDs to his modest 2008 stats. If most of them go to Holmes, he could be a fantasy WR1 in 2009. Terrell Owens, Buffalo
For the first time, TO was not signed to a long-term deal when he hit free agency. For the first time, TO’s new team does not have a QB with a big arm or the scrambling and improvisation ability to keep plays alive and find Owens downfield. For the first time in a long time, TO will not be a fantasy WR1 that you leave in your lineup every week. Anthony Gonzalez, Indianapolis
Gonzalez has converted over 70 percent of his targets into catches. He’s gained Peyton Manning’s trust on third down and key game situations. This is clearly his year to step up into the 75- to 80-catch, 1,100- to 1,200-yard, six- to eight-TD strong WR2 range. He might
even outproduce Reggie Wayne. Why isn’t there more optimism about a strong technician entering his third year and starting for the first time in a top passing offense?
have been one of the top rookie wide receivers along with Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson.
TIGHT ENDS
Roy Williams, Dallas
Williams has put it all together to have a good fantasy season exactly once. He didn’t even look like a starting quality NFL wide receiver in his first partial season with the Cowboys, showing no chemistry with Tony Romo and rarely flashing the talent that made him a Top 10 draft pick. We already know that Jason Witten is the apple of Tony Romo’s eye, and whether it’s injuries or underachieving, Williams is unlikely to change that this year. Devery Henderson, New Orleans
The Saints were happy enough with Henderson to sign him to a multi-year deal, seemingly endorsing him over 2007 first round pick Robert Meachem. Lance Moore tore his labrum lifting weights, and while he hopes to be back for the beginning of the season, healthy shoulders are almost as important to wideouts as healthy knees. Henderson could easily post his first 1,000-yard season this year, but you wouldn’t know it by the lack of respect he’s getting in the fantasy world.
Zach Miller, Oakland
Miller was often marooned near the line of scrimmage to block on passing downs, he was in the most anemic passing attack in the league, and he still was sixth among TEs in yardage last year. With the natural progression of Miller and QB JaMarcus Russell entering their third season (and accompanying growth in the Raider passing game), Miller could easily approach 1,000 yards and greatly increase his TD total from one (remember Jason Witten had one TD the year before he was the No. 1 fantasy TE) this season. Dustin Keller, New York Jets
After Laveranues Coles left for greener pastures, it was widely assumed that the Jets would do something about their No. 2 WR situation. Surely they wouldn’t leave it up to David Clowney, Brad Smith, and Chansi Stuckey to compete for the job? They did, and that can only mean that Keller will graduate to being the No. 2 target in the pecking order, even though he is an oversized slot receiver masquerading as a TE.
Malcom Floyd, San Diego
How many receivers could post 27 catches, 465 yards, and four TDs on only 37 targets? Every time Floyd gets on the field with Philip Rivers, good things happen. He’s over the collapsed lung that prematurely ended his 2008 campaign. Vincent Jackson could begin 2009 suspended because of his second DWI arrest back in January. That could make Floyd a starter, and if he’s as productive as he was last year, he might be hard to get off the field.
Owen Daniels, Houston
When your team drafts two TEs during the same offseason that you don’t show up for OTAs and demand an extension, it’s not a great sign for your future with the team. The Texans drafted a solid twoway traditional inline TE in Anthony Hill, and a very talented H-back/slot receiver in the mold of Daniels in James Casey. Expect a step back from Daniels careerhigh receptions and yards totals in 2008. Randy McMichael, St. Louis
Josh Morgan, San Francisco
After showing signs of being a future star last year, Josh Morgan is dead to most fantasy players right now because Michael Crabtree is lining up at his split end position. The 49ers will eventually come to their senses and get both of their two most talented wideouts on the field even if it’s not the plan right now. If Morgan hadn’t hurt his groin early last season, his value this season wouldn’t seem so debatable, because he would
McMichael is set to be the redwood in the forest of St. Louis passing game targets, and he’s already caught the eye of new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. With Donnie Avery best suited to be a deep threat, and two unproven wideouts competing to start on the other side of Avery, Marc Bulger should lean on McMichael this year. He was on pace to catch 44 passes for 556 yards last year, and that should be his floor for this year now that Torry Holt has moved on.
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Running Backs
Target Rec
1. Matt Forte, CHI 2. LaDainian Tomlinson, SD 3. Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX 4. Kevin Faulk, NE 5. Brian Westbrook, PHI 6. Reggie Bush, NO 7. Warrick Dunn, TB 8. Marshawn Lynch, BUF 9. Frank Gore, SF 10. Chris Johnson, TEN 11. Steven Jackson, STL 12. Marion Barber, DAL 13. Leon Washington, NYJ 14. Steve Slaton, HOU 15. Dominic Rhodes, IND 16. Chester Taylor, MIN 17. Derrick Ward, NYG 18. Kevin Smith, DET 19. Jerious Norwood, ATL 20. Mewelde Moore, PIT 21. Tim Hightower, ARI 22. Fred Jackson, BUF 23. Ronnie Brown, MIA 24. Ray Rice, BAL 25. Thomas Jones, NYJ 26. Pierre Thomas, NO 27. J.J. Arrington, ARI 28. Jamaal Charles, KC 29. Brandon Jackson, GB 30. Darren McFadden, OAK 31. Joseph Addai, IND 32. Adrian Peterson, MIN 33. Ricky Williams, MIA 34. Jason Wright, CLE 35. Clinton Portis, WAS 36. Ladell Betts, WAS 37. Chris Perry, CIN 38. Darren Sproles, SD 39. Earnest Graham, TB 40. Correll Buckhalter, PHI 41. Willis McGahee, BAL 42. Jamal Lewis, CLE 43. Leonard Weaver, SEA 44. DeAngelo Williams, CAR 45. Tashard Choice, DAL 46. Michael Bush, OAK 47. LeRon McClain, BAL 48. Patrick Cobbs, MIA 49. Maurice Morris, SEA 50. Antonio Pittman, STL
77 77 75 74 73 73 68 67 66 62 62 61 60 59 59 55 54 54 54 53 49 45 43 43 42 41 41 40 39 39 39 39 38 37 36 35 35 34 33 32 32 32 32 30 30 30 30 27 27 27
64 52 62 58 54 52 47 47 43 43 40 52 47 50 45 45 41 39 36 40 33 37 33 33 36 31 30 27 30 29 25 21 29 22 28 22 21 29 23 26 24 23 20 22 21 19 19 19 19 18
%
83.1% 67.5% 82.7% 78.4% 74.0% 71.2% 69.1% 70.1% 65.2% 69.4% 64.5% 85.2% 78.3% 84.7% 76.3% 81.8% 75.9% 72.2% 66.7% 75.5% 67.3% 82.2% 76.7% 76.7% 85.7% 75.6% 73.2% 67.5% 76.9% 74.4% 64.1% 53.8% 76.3% 59.5% 77.8% 62.9% 60.0% 85.3% 69.7% 81.3% 75.0% 71.9% 62.5% 73.3% 70.0% 63.3% 63.3% 70.4% 70.4% 66.7%
Tight Ends
Target Rec
1. Tony Gonzalez, KC 154 2. Jason Witten, DAL 121 3. Chris Cooley, WAS 111 4. Dallas Clark, IND 107 5. Owen Daniels, HOU 100 6. Antonio Gates, SD 92 7. Zach Miller, OAK 86 8. Bo Scaife, TEN 84 9. Greg Olsen, CHI 82 10. Kellen Winslow, CLE 82 11. John Carlson, SEA 80 12. Dustin Keller, NYJ 78 13. Desmond Clark, CHI 73 14. Jeremy Shockey, NO 72 15. Marcedes Lewis, JAX 72 16. Heath Miller, PIT 65 17. L.J. Smith, PHI 64 18. Todd Heap, BAL 64 19. Billy Miller, NO 63 20. Tony Scheffler, DEN 60 21. Visanthe Shiancoe, MIN 59 22. Jerramy Stevens, TB 58 23. Robert Royal, BUF 57 24. Kevin Boss, NYG 55 25. Anthony Fasano, MIA 53 26. Donald Lee, GB 50 27. Daniel Graham, DEN 50 28. Vernon Davis, SF 49 29. Ben Watson, NE 47 30. David Martin, MIA 45 31. Steve Heiden, CLE 43 32. Reggie Kelly, CIN 42 33. Alge Crumpler, TEN 40 34. Brent Celek, PHI 38 35. Alex Smith, TB 38 36. Michael Gaines, DET 37 37. Jeff King, CAR 33 38. Dante Rosario, CAR 31 39. Chris Baker, NYJ 30 40. Ben Utecht, CIN 28 41. Casey Fitzsimmons, DET 28 42. Martellus Bennett, DAL 27 43. Matt Spaeth, PIT 26 44. Gijon Robinson, IND 24 45. Justin Peelle, ATL 23 46. John Gilmore, TB 22 47. Randy McMichael, STL 21 48. Derek Schouman, BUF 20 49. Brandon Manumaleuna, SD 19 50. Joe Klopfenstein, STL 19
96 81 83 77 70 60 56 58 54 43 55 48 41 50 41 48 37 35 45 40 42 36 33 33 34 39 32 31 22 31 23 31 24 27 21 23 21 18 21 16 12 20 17 19 15 15 11 15 15 11
%
Wide Receivers
62.3% 66.9% 74.8% 72.0% 70.0% 65.2% 65.1% 69.0% 65.9% 52.4% 68.8% 61.5% 56.2% 69.4% 56.9% 73.8% 57.8% 54.7% 71.4% 66.7% 71.2% 62.1% 57.9% 60.0% 64.2% 78.0% 64.0% 63.3% 46.8% 68.9% 53.5% 73.8% 60.0% 71.1% 55.3% 62.2% 63.6% 58.1% 70.0% 57.1% 42.9% 74.1% 65.4% 79.2% 65.2% 68.2% 52.4% 75.0% 78.9% 57.9%
Target Rec
%
1. Brandon Marshall, DEN 181 104 57.5% 2. Andre Johnson, HOU 170 115 67.6% 3. Dwayne Bowe, KC 157 86 54.8% 4. Larry Fitzgerald, ARI 154 96 62.3% 5. Calvin Johnson, DET 151 78 51.7% 6. Wes Welker, NE 150 112 74.7% 7. Roddy White, ATL 148 88 59.5% 8. Greg Jennings, GB 140 80 57.1% 9. Terrell Owens, DAL 140 69 49.3% 10. Santana Moss, WAS 138 79 57.2% 11. Braylon Edwards, CLE 138 55 39.9% 12. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, CIN 137 92 67.2% 13. Antonio Bryant, TB 137 83 60.6% 14. Reggie Wayne, IND 131 82 62.6% 15. Eddie Royal, DEN 129 91 70.5% 16. Steve Smith, CAR 128 78 60.9% 17. Anquan Boldin, ARI 126 89 70.6% 18. Hines Ward, PIT 126 82 65.1% 19. Randy Moss, NE 126 69 54.8% 20. Derrick Mason, BAL 121 80 66.1% 21. DeSean Jackson, PHI 121 62 51.2% 22. Lance Moore, NO 119 79 66.4% 23. Torry Holt, STL 119 64 53.8% 24. Laveranues Coles, NYJ 116 70 60.3% 25. Donald Driver, GB 115 74 64.3% 26. Santonio Holmes, PIT 114 55 48.2% 27. Steve Breaston, ARI 113 77 68.1% 28. Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ 111 71 64.0% 29. Muhsin Muhammad, CAR 108 65 60.2% 30. Matt Jones, JAX 107 64 59.8% 31. Marvin Harrison, IND 107 60 56.1% 32. Isaac Bruce, SF 107 60 56.1% 33. Donnie Avery, STL 104 54 51.9% 34. Lee Evans, BUF 102 63 61.8% 35. Vincent Jackson, SD 101 59 58.4% 36. Chad Johnson, CIN 97 53 54.6% 37. Kevin Walter, HOU 95 60 63.2% 38. Bernard Berrian, MIN 95 48 50.5% 39. Ted Ginn, MIA 93 56 60.2% 40. Devin Hester, CHI 92 52 56.5% 41. Amani Toomer, NYG 89 48 53.9% 42. Bobby Wade, MIN 88 53 60.2% 43. Marques Colston, NO 88 47 53.4% 44. Antwaan Randle El, WAS 87 53 60.9% 45. Brandon Stokley, DEN 85 49 57.6% 46. Greg Camarillo, MIA 83 55 66.3% 47. Steve Smith, NYG 82 57 69.5% 48. Mark Clayton, BAL 82 41 50.0% 49. Michael Jenkins, ATL 81 50 61.7% 50. Roy Williams, DAL 81 36 44.4%
Passes Attempted To Player QUARTERBACKS
TARGET STATS RANKINGS
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by David Dodds
The
Perfect Draft
T
he Perfect Draft. We have all dreamt of having it. Some of us have experienced it. And for those that have....we want it again and again. And why not? You surely are not reading this magazine to be average. You want to dominate your leaguemates. You want to have such a good roster that others salivate. You want them all to come to you when discussing trades. And in this article I am going to break down how to have that perfect draft. Let’s start with the two basic principles of Value Based Drafting (VBD). I will expound on them as we go through this. All Players Have Value Don’t love anyone. Don’t hate anyone. Get players that will significantly outperform their draft position and you will build a winning team.
If you don’t follow these principles, you will not have a perfect draft. If you believe rookie WRs are always bad or drafting anyone over 30 is an injury risk, then you will not have David Garrard the perfect draft. Throw away the biases. Let value guide your draft. Let others succumb to prejudices and generalities. You are here to win your league. And you do that by getting value with every pick. How do we define value? Value Based Drafting (VBD) has shown us that we can compare unlike positions for comparative value. The cornerstone of VBD starts with solid projections. And these projections can be manipulated to form Top 200+ lists. I have provided my own Top 220 list here (based on my projections) that has been sorted by position. I have highlighted favorable differences in green to indicate players that may be bargains on draft day. Let’s have the perfect draft. The goal is to get you the best possible team and to make sure you don’t overpay for players that can still be had a few rounds later. What I look for are players that I project significantly better than where they are being drafted. The positional analysis tracks to my projections. This article assumes a 12 team league using scoring that
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Understand What the Average Guy Thinks You may believe someone will be the fourth best WR, but if everybody else does not then you need to wait to maximize value.
starts 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 Def and 1 PK. Fantasy points are calculated as follows: • Passing TDs = 4 points • Interceptions = -1 points • Rushing/receiving TDs = 6 points • Passing yardage = 0.05 pts per yard (1 pt per 20 yards) • Rushing/receiving yardage = 0.10 pts per yard (1 pt per 10 yards)
QUARTERBACKS With history as our guide, we know the top quarterbacks are almost always drafted too early. And this makes sense. The quarterback position generally scores the most points so fantasy players want to roster a good one. But since most leagues only require one starting quarterback there is little pressure on the remaining quarterbacks after the first six or seven are gone. Just scratch off Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning from your cheatsheets. Someone is likely to overpay for these players
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in virtually every league across America. Additionally, guys like Aaron Rodgers, Donovan McNabb, Kurt Warner, Philip Rivers and Tony Romo are all expected to be picked within the Top 50 selections. I am going to say this the easiest way I know how. Don’t be that owner that takes a quarterback in the first four rounds of your draft. It’s generally a losing strategy unless you can get the top tier guys (Brees and Brady) in the middle of the third round or better. If you are one of the owners that gets a QB in Rank
ADP
Pos
Player
Rank
ADP Pos
the first four rounds, you will not have the perfect draft. Resist the temptation and let others grab these stars. How can I say that with such conviction? Because draft after draft, I have seen the same thing happen. People overpay for the top quarterbacks, and then a lull takes place before a mad rush ensues (starting at the end of Round 7 and continuing through Round 10) for the quality quarterbacks left. The guys you need are in this second group, and by waiting you will secure the running back and wide receiver talent needed to field a dominant team.
Player
Rank
ADP
Pos
Player
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plays, expect more dump passes to him as well. - The Jaguars have an easy schedule against the pass Other guys that I think should exceed their average draft position this year: Matt Hasselbeck, Sea (Value = 99, ADP = 105) – The Seahawks fell apart last year, but should rebound in an easy division. The team lacks a real running threat (Julius Jones scares no one), so expect to see many multiple receiver packages with this offense. With the addition of T.J. Houshmandzadeh and the improving health of both Deion Branch and Nate Burleson, this offense should be well above average. Hasselbeck’s passing attempts alone make him a great candidate to finish in the Top 10 at the position. Trent Edwards, Buf (Value = 106, ADP =116) – In his second season with the offense Edwards improved to a very respectable 7.2 yards per attempt. Adding Terrell Owens to this team should do wonders for Edwards’ ability to move the offense. It will also likely free up more homeruns to speedster Lee Evans who was double-covered on most plays in 2008. Your goal in drafts this year is to secure TWO of the above quarterbacks. And here is how you do that. Wait until three of the following players get selected among this group: Carson Palmer, Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Schaub, Matt Cassel and Eli Manning. Those are your triggers. When three are off the board, target QBs with your next two selections. You should be able to secure two of the above QBs by selecting Matt Hasselbeck with the first of these two picks. In most leagues this first pick should be around the ninth round. Leagues vary though so pay more attention to the triggers than the actual round. Then follow that selection with Garrard. Then taunt the other owners (OK you can skip this part) regarding how they let you stockpile RBs and WRs and you still have better QBs than their teams. If somehow your plan backfires (and you can only acquire one of the three values at quarterback), look to grab one of these quarterbacks in the later rounds:
Ronnie Brown
The winning strategy is to grab several lesser quarterbacks and use them in a committee approach based on which player has the easiest schedule for that week. The player you should be targeting in most every draft this year is Jacksonville’s David Garrard. I view him as the 10th best quarterback this season and place his value as the 73rd best player in the draft. His average draft position (ADP) suggests, however, that he will not be drafted until approximately the 121st selection. This means you can safely select him in the ninth round or later. This should make all the difference in your ability to field a very deep corps of running backs and wide receivers. Let’s look at David Garrard in more detail and why I think he is the one quarterback that represents significant value this season: - Garrard finished as the 11th best QB last season despite running for his life all season, while playing behind a makeshift offensive line decimated by injuries. - He established career bests in passing attempts, completions, yards, and rushing yards. - His TDs and yards per attempt numbers were down and both representative of having a lot less time to throw. - The Jaguars used their first two selections in the draft to grab offensive tackles. They also retooled the WR position by bringing in Torry Holt and grabbing undersized, but talented WRs in the draft. - The Jaguars lost Fred Taylor and are thin at RB behind Maurice Jones-Drew. This should tilt the offense more towards pass plays in 2009. And with Jones-Drew on the field for more
Shaun Hill, SF (Value = 127, ADP = 180) in the 13th round or later Jake Delhomme, Car (Value = 148, ADP = 167) in the 13th round or later Mark Sanchez, NYJ (Value = 157, ADP = 206) in the 16th round or later
A deep sleeper at quarterback is whoever takes the field for the Minnesota Vikings. It was thought to be Sage Rosenfels, but now rumors are circulating that Brett Favre could get the job. Both of these players are being drafted so late that you can target both in deeper leagues and guarantee exceptional value once the situation becomes clearer.
RUNNING BACKS The league is changing in front of our eyes. The days of most teams having a power-back to shoulder 75-80 percent of the load have been replaced with running back by committees (RBBC). The NFL is a copy-cat league and general managers consistently tweak their teams when another has success with a certain formula. So when some of the most dominant teams in the league are using RBBC, we have something more than a coincidence. We have a blueprint that other teams are likely to
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follow going forward. I have no idea who the primary ball-carrier will be for the New England Patriots (Fred Taylor, Maurice Morris, Laurence Maroney, or Kevin Faulk) or the Indianapolis Colts (Joseph Addai vs. Donald Brown), yet I know both teams will be very successful running the ball. In years past, the goal was to try and lock up RBs with your first two to three selections. There were not enough RBs to go around so hoarding these backs was the shark move. It forced other owners to reach in the middle rounds for players that would rarely yield production unless the starter was injured or benched. But with so many teams running RBBC these days, supply on the second, third and fourth tier backs has actually increased. Instead of risking your second and third picks on “lesser backs” mired in RBBCs, I believe you will construct your best fantasy roster by selecting your RB1 starter in the first round and then move on to the elite WRs (that do not come with question marks). In my opinion, drafting RBs for value in Rounds 3 through Round 8 should yield the optimal team. Here are the running backs that I would target for value: Ronnie Brown, Mia (Value = 19, ADP = 34) – He is now fully back from his ACL surgery. It’s clear that the Dolphins want to run the ball, and I expect Brown to improve on his 247 touches in 2009. Even with his limited touches last year, Brown still managed to finish as the 17th best fantasy back. Look to get him in the third round. Darren McFadden, Oak (Value = 28, ADP = 47) – Few are doubting his talent, but durability issues continue to plague McFadden. If he can hold it together though, he gets to operate behind an effective run blocking offensive line. You can pick up McFadden’s handcuffs (Justin Fargas and Michael Bush among the last picks in your draft) so this can be a cheap position to take to own the Oakland rushing attack. Look to get him in the fourth round. Pierre Thomas, NO (Value = 30, ADP = 45) – He takes over Deuce McAllister’s role and has amassed impressive numbers with his limited attempts. He has averaged 4.9 yards per carry and 8.7 yards per reception in the 27 games he has played in. He scored nine combined TDs in his last six games when he was asked to do more. Look to get him in the fourth round. Cedric Benson (Value = 45, ADP = 77) – Let’s get this on record. I actually think this guy is very soft. But the fact remains he will be the starting RB for the Bengals. And in the sixth round that is very nice value. Derrick Ward (Value = 48, ADP = 63) – I expect Derrick Ward will easily beat out Earnest Graham to be the lead back for the Bucs. This is great value in the fifth round or later. Julius Jones (Value = 80, ADP = 102) – Words can’t describe how much value this is. He is the starting RB for the Seahawks and has minimal competition for carries. Make sure you get him on your roster in the seventh round or later for outstanding depth.
WIDE RECEIVERS The biggest key to having a great wide receiver corps is implementing the QB and RB strategies from Step 1 and Step 2 above. By waiting at QB until Round 7 or later and grabbing
an elite RB in Round 1, you position yourself to nab the top talent at wide receiver in Round 2 through Round 6. At the end of Round 6, you should have two or three RBs and three or four WRs. By the end of the draft, you should have seven to 10 WRs on your squad. That may seem excessive, but some of these players will likely bust and depth at WR allows you maximum flexibility to trade during the season. Although a team constructed like this may look slightly weak at RB2, it will provide you with a powerhouse weekly roster by locking down great WR talent. This will allow you to draft for value the entire draft and stockpile talent that likely can be used to trade for a RB that breaks out this season. Running Backs Steve Slaton, Chris Johnson, Pierre Thomas, LenDale White, Le’Ron McClain were all after-thoughts last season (with many going undrafted), yet each provided much firepower to teams in need. If any of these players are still around, I would take them before a top WR in Round 2: - RB LaDainian Tomlinson - RB Steve Slaton - RB Frank Gore - RB Clinton Portis - RB Brian Westbrook. But unless you are drafting at the end of Round 1, it’s unlikely any of these players will make it to you. If that’s the case, look to select a premier wide receiver in the second round from among this list: - Larry Fitzgerald - Andre Johnson - Randy Moss - Calvin Johnson - Reggie Wayne - Steve Smith - Roddy White - Greg Jennings. Here are the other WRs that I would target for value: Braylon Edwards, Cle (Value = 36, ADP = 52) in the fifth round or later. He struggled in 2008 but still is clearly the best WR on the Browns. Winslow is now gone and Donte Stallworth has big legal problems. This represents a great buy-low moment for an exceptionally skilled player. Chad Ochocinco, Cin (Value = 38, ADP = 65) in the fifth round or later. It was clear Ochocinco was hurt all year. He toughed through the year, but it’s questionable whether that was wise. But that decision leads to great value for those paying attention in 2009. DeSean Jackson, Phi (Value = 43, ADP = 61) in the fifth round or later. He flashed moments of brilliance in his rookie campaign. Look for him to build on that effort and be the best WR in Philadelphia going forward. Donnie Avery, StL (Value = 52, ADP = 82) in the sixth round or later. With Torry Holt now with the Jaguars, Avery is the default WR1 on a team that is expected to have to throw the ball a lot while playing from behind.
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Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ (Value = 55, ADP = 76) in the seventh round or later. Laveranues Coles exit leaves Cotchery with the best bet to see more targets, catches and redzone looks. Torry Holt, Jac (Value = 76, ADP = 95) in the eighth round or later. I think his proposed demise is a bit premature. He is not a top 5 WR anymore, but this late represents outstanding value. Donald Driver, GB (Value = 77, ADP = 88) in the eighth round or later. All he does is get 1,000 yards every year. And every year he gets ignored in the fantasy world. Just grab him and he will outperform like he always does. Hakeem Nicks, NYG (Value = 98, Donnie Avery ADP = 144) in the 10th round or later. This is a personal bias, but I think he will be the best WR for the Giants in 2009. He will compete with Domenik Hixon for the starting job in camp. Muhsin Muhammad, Car (Value = 104, ADP = 153) in the 11th round or later. Veteran knows the routes and always brings value. Mark Clayton, Bal (Value = 110, ADP = 164) in the 12th round or later. He has had a very inconsistent career, but there is talent here. Is this the year it rises to the surface and he fulfills his potential? Michael Jenkins, Atl (Value = 113, ADP = 163) in the 12th round or later. – The addition of Tony Gonzalez ensures Jenkins will never see double coverage. That alone should yield a few easy scores. Earl Bennett, Chi (Value = 116, ADP = 195) in the 13th round or later. He is having an amazing offseason. I suspect you will not be able to get him at these levels for much longer. Plaxico Burress, FA (Value = 120, ADP = 168) in the 14th round or later. He was let go because of legal issues and even if he gets past those will likely be suspended by the league too. But in the 14th round, you are swinging for the guy that can make the difference in Week 16 for your team. And he could be that guy if allowed to play. Antwaan Randle El, Was (Value = 130, ADP = 202) in the 15th round or later. The Redskins have installed an offense that should be suited for his skill set. This late in the draft, it’s all about opportunity. Chaz Schilens, Oak (Value = 135, ADP > 220) in the 16th round or later. As I write this, he looks to be the top WR in Oakland. Somebody has to catch the ball there. Some other WRs will undoubtedly slip in your drafts besides the above targeted bargain list. In recap, grab 3-4 receivers in Round 2 through Round 6 and then wait for exceptional value to emerge at WR because it always does.
TIGHT ENDS This is a strange year for tight ends. Both Tony Gonzalez and Kellen Winslow will be playing for new teams this season. Jason Witten looks like he should have an increased role with Terrell Owens leaving, but TO was a big reason the middle was
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open for Witten. These situations have created a logjam of sorts at the top spots with Jason Witten (ADP = 43), Antonio Gates (ADP = 54), Tony Gonzalez (ADP = 55), Dallas Clark (ADP = 56) all going before the end of the fifth round. With as deep as the tight ends are this year, I think it would be a huge mistake to target any of the Top 4 TEs. All will be taken at a time when it’s imperative to stock up key RB and WR talent. But fear not. There are always bargains at the tight end position late in a draft. In fact once the Top 7 or Top 8 names come off the board, there is minimal pressure on the TE position the rest of the draft. It’s no surprise that since TEs catch a relatively small amount of passes, primarily on short and intermediate routes (again, excluding the top tier guys), there usually isn’t a great deal of variance between the fourthbest TE and the 12th-best, witness: • 2008 – 4th (118 points), 12th (82 points) = 36 points difference (2.25 per game) • 2007 – 4th (141 points), 12th (79 points) = 62 points difference (3.88 per game) • 2006 – 4th (113 points), 12th (81 points) = 32 points difference (2.00 per game) • 2005 - 4th (119 points), 12th (77 points) = 42 points difference (2.63 per game) • 2004 - 4th (113 points), 12th (69 points) = 44 points difference (2.75 per game) • 5 YR AVG -- 4th (121 points), 12th (78 points) = 43 points difference (2.69 per game)
So ultimately, once you get past the big TEs, you're really debating over approximately two points per week (which is why it is wise to just wait until the later rounds to select a TE). The tight end that I will be targeting in most of my drafts this year is Greg Olsen, Chi (Value = 85, ADP = 99). He gets a big upgrade at quarterback with the addition of Cutler and it’s no secret that Cutler loves to involve the TE in the offense. In Denver, Cutler targeted the position 236 times over the last two seasons as a starter. In Greg Olsen, he gets a significant upgrade over Tony Scheffler. Olsen established career highs in targets, receptions, yards and TDs in 2008 and is poised to continue that trend in what looks to be a better offense with more opportunities this season. About the same time that Greg Olsen will be selected, Chris Cooley will be taken off the board. Cooley played under a different offense last year (that better utilizes the tight end position) and established career highs in targets (111),
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receptions (83) and yards (849). Had Cooley scored his typical six TDs a year instead of his lone TD, he would have finished second in fantasy production. I expect that the coaches will make their adjustments and make sure he is actively part of the redzone targets going forward. Look to grab either Olsen or Cooley in the eighth round. Kellen Winslow and Owen Daniels will likely get selected before these players. Use them as triggers when to be positioned to pounce to get your guy. Here are the other TEs that I believe will have exceptional value in the draft: Zach Miller, Oak (Value = 101, ADP = 128) in the 11th round or better – This kid has great skills and emerged as Oakland’s most reliable target in 2008. We expect that trend to continue this year. Bo Scaife, Ten (Value = 134, ADP = 184) in the 14th round or later. He has quietly improved his yards and fantasy points in each of his first 4 seasons.
PLACE KICKERS Who cares right? Well...kind of right. Definitely nothing you should even look at until Round 14 of your draft. But all drafts are different. In leagues that go after kickers early, just wait. You can get an adequate PK three rounds after every other owner has their first. In leagues that generally draft this position real late, look towards the top of the kicker list in Round 14. If your top kicker is available then draft him. Suffice it to say that in a lot of leagues now, people wait too long to take their kickers. As a rule of thumb, you can generally maximize kicker value by taking the fifth to eighth kicker off the board. In waiver wire friendly leagues (most), don’t be afraid to draft just one kicker and add others as necessary during the season to cover the bye weeks and/or exploit matchups.
DEFENSES Scoring systems generally come into play and define when defenses are taken. I suggest you wait until Round 13 to assess what to do about this position. If Pittsburgh is still on the board, grab them. If the Steelers are gone though, I would wait until five of these teams have been selected: Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Baltimore, New York Giants, Philadelphia, San Diego, Chicago and New England. This would be my trigger to select a defense with my next pick (and I would be happy to get any of the defenses not selected, but still on that short list). Because owners rank defenses so differently, you can generally get good value just by simply waiting for it to emerge. A winning strategy to deploy after the draft for defenses is simply to look two games ahead in the waiver process. Most teams will have one or two defenses meaning that half of the defenses are available as free agent pick ups each week. By looking two to three weeks ahead at who will be playing Detroit, St. Louis, Denver, and Kansas City, you likely can find a cheap defense that should perform well against subpar offenses. Drop this defense after their “quality game” so that you can continue to pick up other defenses that will have good weeks. Because of this strategy, I advise you to draft just one
quality defense and look to play matchups the rest of the way. Every year, two or three defenses are predicted to be terrible but end up playing great. If you can afford two roster spots for your defense, Chase Stuart’s Defensive Team by Committee suggests using Green Bay and Arizona and just playing matchups each week.
VARIATIONS ON THE PERFECT DRAFT Auction Leagues – The goal is to target all of the players highlighted in green in the table to build your team around. Since most of these players will be had at a reduced price, this should free up money to get couple of elite players. I would also forego the Top 6 wide receivers in an auction league and concentrate on locking up many WRs in the 7-15 range when the prices are reasonable. If I was able to conserve dollars effectively early in the auction I would be inclined to try and get a Top 4 kicker and a Top 5 defense.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER 1. Draft a running back in Round 1. Your draft spot will determine who you are able to get. If you are lucky enough to have a shot at two of the Top 10 running backs, order a round of drinks for your leaguemates and find a good engraver for the trophy. 2. Use Round 2 through Round 6 to lock up talent at wide receiver and to get an additional running back. Don’t reach for RB2. It’s OK to start the year a little weak at this position as long as you continue to draft for outstanding value. This value can be packaged later to solidify the RB2 spot on your squad for your playoff push. 3. Look to grab Greg Olsen or Chris Cooley in the eighth round. Both should have excellent seasons and come at a nice discount. 4. Look to grab David Garrard in the ninth round after key triggers have indicated he could be selected soon. 5. Add value at QB, RB, WR and TE in the middle to late rounds to protect bye weeks and improve depth. 6. Wait until six to eight defenses have been selected before grabbing one that represents value. Use the waiver wire to add depth at defense and play matchups against bad offenses. 7. Wait until six kickers have been selected before grabbing one that represents value. Well that is it folks. Hope you all do well in your coming drafts. Remember, the key is not to just follow the Top 200 list but to see where it differs substantially from average drafts. This is how you get value with every pick. And value is how you build winning fantasy teams. Note: I know there is more than one way to have a great draft. I have seen teams take players like Tom Brady early and run away with titles by picking undervalued players the rest of the way. I am not going to state that this article is the ONLY way to be successful in your twelve-team draft. It’s simply one way to end up with a very competitive team. One of the hardest things about writing this “generic” solution is it does not take in the tendencies of the people you are drafting against. Against weaker competition, you can usually squeeze in a strong QB in Round 3 through Round 5 and still be deep at RB and WR. Against stronger foes, selecting a QB early can sometimes kill your depth at other positions.
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Mock Draft T
here is a ton of strategy advice in this guide, but it is useless without proper implementation. In early May, Footballguys.com called together 12 staffers to participate in the Fifth Annual Footballguys.com Strategy Guide Mock Draft. After the draft, each participant was asked a couple of question regarding their draft strategy. Hopefully, their answers will assist you in formulating your own draft attack plan.
Maurile Tremblay 1. Would your strategy have changed if you had a different draft position in the first round? Picking from the #1 slot, I always had to wait 23 picks before it would be my turn again. That meant I had to anticipate runs at a given position to avoid missing out on players from a certain tier. I was the first to pick a QB (at the 2/3 turn) and also the first to pick a TE (at the 4/5 turn). With my top-rated RB, QB, and TE locked up, I could take a shotgun approach to
the WR position. I think I ended up with a well-rounded team. 2. You picked three rookie WRs. Was that by design? No. I’m generally not a fan of picking rookie WRs, but during the later rounds of the draft I like to target the players with the highest upside remaining, even if there’s a good chance they’ll bust. The three rookie WRs I got should all get a lot of playing time immediately and could be this year’s version of DeSean Jackson or Eddie Royal. I felt they had better upside potential than any of the veterans who were still available.
Matt Waldman 1. Is there a pick you would like to do over? Why? Rashad Jennings at 13.02 - I think Jennings has the talent to see time as the potential No. 2 to Maurice Jones-Drew, but I should have picked WR Mike Walker. The former UCF receiver has all the skills to be a quality fantasy starter, and he’s fully healthy for the first time since his junior year. He would have
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brought great insurance to my WR corps in case one of my starters doesn’t play to expectations. 2. What is your strategy at the WR position? For the last three seasons, on average, 17 receivers were new to the Top 36 from the year before. Ochocinco rebounding from an injury-ridden 2008 should be one of them. Smith and Jackson are top options in strong offenses. Bruce remains a reliable technician, and Clayton had a strong second half in 2008 - promising for 2009. Curry, Morgan, and Sweed are good athletes in offenses that will need to throw the ball.
Bob Henry 1. What are your thoughts on handcuffs? Generally, I’m not a fan of the handcuff unless it’s a clearcut role and the backup has comparable replacement value. The main detractor is the roster spot and draft pick to secure the backup. It makes sense to secure the backup for your stud RB in later rounds, but not for QBs or WRs in most cases. In survivor league, handcuffs can be an effective strategy to secure consistent scoring. 2. Is there a pick you would like to do over? Why? Grabbing Knowshon Moreno in the third wasn’t planned. I immediately thought I made a mistake by passing on Brady. I believe Moreno will have a strong rookie season as the lead back in Denver. He was a slight reach at 3.03, but sometimes you have to do that to get the players you want. Of course, if Moreno ends up in a RBBC then this pick will hurt.
solid fantasy producer for my team. If Ward doesn’t provide the numbers needed, I’ll have to rely on Leon Washington and Tim Hightower, neither of whom is a starting back on their team. If this mock draft included a point per reception for RBs I might be a bit less concerned, but in this case it does not. Derrick Ward is going to have to come through in order for my team to compete for the title. 2. Take us through your WR selections. What was your thought process? I always try to go fairly strong with my WRs in a draft. In this draft I selected two WRs in my first three picks. In selecting two strong WRs early, I could then focus on getting a solid QB in Round 4 (Aaron Rodgers) followed by my RB2 in Round 5 (Derrick Ward). If you go strong on WR early, you better have a plan for your RB2 and/or QB1. In my case I was happy that I landed both Rodgers and Ward. I knew I needed to secure my WR3 with my next pick. I really wanted to steal Antonio Bryant, but he was selected eight picks ahead of me. Other targets (Lance Moore, Lee Evans, Jerricho Cotchery, and DeSean Jackson) were flying off the board, so I decided to go with Bernard Berrian. My favorite late-round WR was Mark Bradley at 13.05. The Chiefs need someone other than Dwayne Bowe to pick up the slack left by Tony Gonzalez’s departure to Atlanta and Bradley could be that guy. He had four doubledigit fantasy games last year. If he can rise to the occasion, he could be the steal of my draft. All in all, I thought I drafted my WRs fairly well. If there was one player that I could’ve gone after that just wasn’t in the cards with my draft process it was Hakim Nicks. He may not be that involved in the offense from the get go, but I like his potential beginning this year.
Dave Baker 1. What are your thoughts on handcuffs? I think handcuffs can be an important part of your team whenever dealing with a player with an injury history, a questionable starting status, or someone who has a clear backup with talent. Generally speaking, I think owners place too much emphasis on handcuffs, but when handled correctly they can play an important role. The real problem with handcuffs, though, is you often have to pick them earlier than ideal and it can cause problems for rounding out your squad. 2. What is your strategy with drafting wide receivers? Early on in the draft, my strategy is to go with the flow of the draft, but as I assemble my squad, I always look closely at my receivers. More than once, I’ve saved drafts and leagues by selecting wide receivers. In a redraft league, I often look for solid veterans when rounding out the unit. The younger guys, especially rookies, are unlikely to have breakout seasons unless they are prominent enough to be drafted early. Otherwise, I like to use the middle rounds to grab a bunch of veteran guys.
Jason Wood 1. Is there a pick you would like to do over? Why? I took DeSean Jackson at 6.07, and think he was definitely the best WR on the board at the time. However, the last two QBs I really wanted as my starter - Jay Cutler and Matt Schaub - went before my seventh round pick which forced me to reach for Matt Ryan, the last of my Top 10 QBs. I was really surprised that none of my QB1s fell to me in the seventh round, yet there were a number of receivers available in that spot that I ranked comparably to Jackson. 2. What are your thoughts on handcuffs? In a shallow league like this one, handcuffs are a luxury you really can’t afford. It’s one thing if you target a RB2 that you know, at worst, will be a major part of the offense anyway and would be a stud if the RB1 got hurt. But there’s just no room on the roster for a QB2 or a WR3; the waiver wire will be chock full of viable options.
David Dodds
Jeff Haseley 1. Which player drafted is most pivotal to the success of your team? I’m going with Derrick Ward here. He’s occupying my RB2 slot, yet there are questions surrounding how much of the load he’ll receive in Tampa Bay. If Ward exceeds expectations, he’ll be a
1. How were you able to carry out your predraft plan? From a middle position like I had, I like to remain extremely flexible and look for value to emerge. My general plan was to have two RBs and three WRs after five rounds unless I could get Brady in the third or later. I generally wait on QB but feel Brady represented too much value to pass on him in the third.
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Worst case - I can trade him for a RB or WR in-season, and that might be how I would play this since I also was able to select David Garrard. Because I took a QB within my first five selections, I opted to wait at adding an additional RB so that I could lead runs instead of constantly picking lesser players. This led me to having a good base of WRs to build on and also getting a solid TE in Dallas Clark.
ICON/SMI
2. What is your strategy at the WR position? In general, I like to grab a lot of WRs. In the later rounds, I think the winning strategy is to choose players in good offenses. My selection of Joey Galloway is exactly that type of player. In the 15th round I just wanted someone who could be a huge steal should Moss or Welker miss any time. I also like to pair players when it’s unclear who the starter will be. I was able to pair Deion Branch and Nate Burleson late, yet one should play opposite of T.J. Houshmandzadeh is Seattle. And when your best RB is Julius Jones, you know the strategy will be to throw the ball a lot in Seattle.
Will Grant 1. Would your strategy have changed if you had a different draft position in the first round? In general, I wait on taking a QB until the seventh or eighth round. It’s far more important to build your RB and WR corps than it is to load up on a stud QB. However, given my starting position (1.08), it made sense to consider taking Brady or Manning at 3.08. This allowed me to focus on other positions and leave my backup QB until my last pick. If I would have drafted earlier, I’d have taken a RB or WR with my third and fourth round picks. 2. What is your strategy at the WR position? Since I took a QB in the third round, I was one of the last teams to take their first WR. To make up the lost ground, I took a WR with six of the next eight picks, focusing on the best
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Round 1 ➞ 2 3 ➞ 4 5 ➞ 6 7 ➞ 8 9 ➞ 10 11 ➞ 12 13 ➞ 14 15 ➞ 16 17 ➞ 18
➞ ➞ ➞ ➞ ➞ ➞ ➞ ➞
TREMBLAY RB Peterson, Min QB Brees, NO WR White, Atl TE Witten, Dal RB Jones, NYJ WR Moss, Was RB Benson, Cin RB McGahee, Bal WR Ginn, Mia RB Graham, TB WR Harvin, Min WR Maclin, Phi WR Heyward-Bey, Oak Titans Defense WR Rice, Min TE Boss, NYG QB Quinn, Cle PK Longwell, Min
WALDMAN RB Jones-Drew, Jac WR Smith, Car RB Grant, GB WR Jackson, SD WR Ochocinco, Cin RB Brown, Ind RB Jones, Dal QB Hasselbeck, Sea TE Olsen, Chi QB Edwards, Buf WR Bruce, SF WR Clayton, Bal RB Jennings, Jac Vikings Defense WR Sweed, Pit WR Morgan, SF WR Curry, Det PK Gould, Chi
Adrian Peterson
guy available, or guys who had a big upside given their draft position. In a league that requires three WRs each week, this was necessary to insure that I had a good mix of guys each week.
Jeff Tefertiller 1. How were you able to carry out your predraft plan? My strategy was to hoard running backs early in the draft. I took Fitzgerald in the first just because I saw plenty of running backs slipping and hoped that one would slide to the 2.04. I was shocked to see Portis there in second round. I added two more good backs in the third and fourth rounds. I was waiting on WR2-4 until the middle rounds and knew that there would be good options available. I targeted the quarterbacks and tight
HENRY RB Turner, Atl WR Wayne, Ind RB Moreno, Den WR Edwards, Cle TE Gates, SD QB Cutler, Chi QB Schaub, Hou WR Walter, Hou RB Taylor, NE TE Keller, NYJ RB McCoy, Phi WR Austin, Dal WR Thomas, Jac Chargers Defense RB Jackson, GB RB James, FA PK Kaeding, SD RB Faulk, NE
BAKERRB Gore, RB Westbrook, Phi RB Lynch, Buf WR Colston, NO RB Addai, Ind QB Warner, Ari WR Ward, Pit WR Holt, Jac WR Mason, Bal WR Chambers, SD QB Manning, NYG TE Miller, Oak RB Fargas, Oak WR Jenkins, Atl TE Miller, Pit Bears Defense QB Delhomme, Car PK Vinatieri, Ind WR Clayton, TB
HASELEYT. RB Tomlinson, SD WR Jennings, GB WR Boldin, Ari QB Rodgers, GB RB Ward, TB WR Berrian, Min RB Sproles, SD RB Washington, NYJ TE Daniels, Hou WR Gage, Ten QB Orton, Den RB Hightower, Ari WR Bradley, KC TE Scaife, Ten Patriots Defense RB Brown, NYG PK Elam, Atl WR Higgins, Oak
WOOD Jordan, rb RB Williams, Car RB Barber, Dal WR Bowe, KC WR Houshmandzadeh RB Wells, Ari WR Jackson, Phi QB Ryan, Atl WR Breaston, Ari TE Cooley, Was WR Burress, FA RB Taylor, Min QB Pennington, Mia WR Walker, Jac WR Engram, KC Jets Defense RB Buckhalter PK Crosby, GB TE Fasano, Mia
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Round 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
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BORBELY WR Moss, NE WR Johnson, Det RB Stewart, Car RB McFadden, Oak WR Bryant, TB RB Lewis, Cle QB Roethlisberger, Pit WR Crabtree, SF QB Cassel, KC WR Smith, NYG TE Shockey, NO RB Rice, Bal RB Duckett, Sea WR Robinson, StL TE McMichael StL QB Hill, SF Panthers Defense PK Hartley, NO
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BROWN RB Gore, SF RB Brown, Mia RB Johnson, KC WR Owens, Buf TE Gonzalez, Atl QB Rivers, SD WR Gonzalez, Ind WR Avery, StL RB Williams, Mia RB Bradshaw, NYG RB Jackson, Buf QB Flacco, Bal TE Scheffler, Den Giants Defense WR Camarillo, Mia WR Johnson, Det RB Coffee, SF PK Brown, Hou
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DOWLING RB Johnson, Ten RB Jacobs, NYG RB Bush, NO QB McNabb, Phi WR Williams, Dal WR oore, NO QB Palmer, Cin RB White, Ten WR Hester, Chi WR Muhammad, Car RB Norwood, Atl RB Bush, Oak TE Pettigrew, Det WR Washington, Ten PK Gostkowski, NE Dolphins Defense TE Davis, SF WR Meachem, NO
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TEFERTILLERRB RB WR Fitzgerald, Ari RB Portis, Was RB Smith, Det RB Thomas, NO WR Royal, Den QB Romo, Dal WR Coles, Cin WR Driver, GB WR Nicks, NYG TE Carlson, Sea RB Maroney, NE RB Charles, KC RB Choice, Dal Eagles Defense TE Celek, Phi RB Betts, Was QB Campbell, Was PK Akers, Phi
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a
GRANT RB Forte, Chi RB Slaton, Hou QB Manning, Ind WR Welker, NE WR Holmes, Pit WR Evans, Buf TE Winslow, TB RB Mendenhall, Pit WR Hixon, NYG WR Crayton, Dal WR Bennett, Chi RB Greene, NYJ Steelers Defense RB Morris, NE WR Robiskie, Cle PK Bironas, Ten WR Nelson, GB QB Russell, Oak
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h
DODDSS. Jackson, RB Jackson, StL WR Johnson, Hou QB Brady, NE WR Marshall, Den RB Parker, Pit WR Cotchery, NYJ TE Clark, Ind RB McClain, Bal RB Jones, Sea WR Branch, Sea QB Garrard, Jac WR Curtis, Phi TE Shiancoe, Min Ravens Defense WR Galloway, NE WR Burleson, Sea WR Walker, Oak PK Folk, Dal
➞
rb
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Michael Brown 1. Would your strategy have changed if you had a different draft position in the first round?
2. How do you handle bye weeks? Do the byes change which players you target? If your league uses divisions, try to avoid too many players on a bye in weeks in which you play a division rival. You cannot afford to lose a lot of division games, so know when you play teams in your division and know the players who have byes in those weeks. I am not suggesting you pass on good players, but you can take different players within the same tier.
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2. How do you handle bye weeks? Do the byes change which players you target? I almost never consider bye weeks when drafting. I simply don’t think that the downside of passing on a better player just to ensure coverage every week is a good gamble. Players get hurt, fantasy trades can be made, and surprises rise up from the late rounds or the waiver wire to help out. NOT choosing a player because his bye week is the same as another player on your team is silly.
Anthony Borbely 1. How were you able to carry out your predraft plan? I have two basic strategies when I draft last in Round 1. First, I want each of my first six picks to be a RB or WR because, by the time the 7/8 turn rolls around, those two positions are pretty thin. Second, I almost always take a QB at the 7/8 turn. Waiting 22 more picks to take one is asking for trouble. Drafting Jamal Lewis and Antonio Bryant at the 5/6 turn made my draft and it went pretty much according to plan.
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Colin Dowling 1. Is there a pick you would like to do over? Why? Given the chance to NOT select Donovan McNabb as early as I did would be something I’d do over. I had hoped for one of Brady, Manning, and Brees, but when all three were selected in a flurry, I admittedly panicked and picked McNabb. Given the chance to do it again, I’d pass on McNabb (at least at that point) and target some of the better value quarterbacks like Schaub, Palmer, and Roethlisberger in a later round. Taking McNabb early may not turn out so bad, but I have a gaping hole at receiver which could have - and should have - been addressed at the time.
2. How do you handle bye weeks? Do the byes change which players you target? I go against the grain regarding byes. Most people balance their rosters with players having byes at different times, but I never worry about that. The worst case is that all of your key players are off the same week, right? All that means is that those players are available for every other week. Would you rather have 5-10 less points every single week, or have 40 less points one time but then be at full strength for the rest of the season?
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2. What is your strategy at the WR position? I targeted five receivers with different bye weeks. Fitzgerald as an anchor in the first allowed me to wait on the other wideouts. I am high on Coles and Driver this season. In the ninth round, I decided to take a risk on a rookie, Hakeem Nicks. As a WR5, I wanted to shoot for upside.
Had I picked in the early part of the first round, I probably would’ve gone RB-WR-RB. Now that’s not to say I would’ve definitely done that because you always need to remain flexible, but it probably would’ve worked out that way. In a 12-team league, it’s difficult to get a top RB late in the third or early in the fourth, but there are typically some good RBs available in the early part of the third round.
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ends who were undervalued and at the end of my tiers. There were solid passers available later than in past years.
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Random Shots by Joe Bryant
A Twisted Look at the Offseason…
I
wrote the first Random Shots column some 10 years ago with no greater purpose than to relieve the pressure inside my head. There were simply too many (mostly useless) thoughts banging into each other. Most were generated from watching 16 hours of football every Sunday. It was blogging back before blogging was a word. (It is a word, right?) The interesting thing to me was that as I published the column each week, I started receiving lots of replies back along the lines of “I can’t believe you saw that?” I thought I was the only one that thought that was weird, funny, stupid or just generally “out there.” Pretty soon, it sort of took on a life of its own and I had people tell me they were watching games looking for “Random Shots moments.” Even with the stalker factor bumping the redline, it was kind of nice knowing I wasn’t the only guy thinking these things. From there, we went to an every-week feature during the season and never looked back. This year, I wanted to do some of the same sort of thing taking a look at some of the goofy things we’ve seen since the regular season ended. So here goes. Joe Bryant Owner – www.Footballguys.com ■ The Cowboys have finally decided on a name for their new stadium: “Cowboys Stadium”. I wonder how long it took them to come up with that gem. I guess it sounds better than the more accurate “let’s just use a generic name to serve as a placeholder until Jerry can land the overpaying ego crazed corporate whale”. ■ Matt Millen: Further proof that no matter how miserably one fails, there’s always TV to fall back on. If Millen can land a job with NBC, Ryan Leaf should be a Sports Center anchor. ■ Lawrence Taylor on Dancing with the Stars. That was pretty
uncomfortable on multiple levels. ■ Every NFL player has a ridiculously short window of time to produce. But wide receivers seem to fall especially fast. Terry Glenn was a solid player in 2006 with six TDs and 1,058 yards. Three years later he’s reportedly naked wandering the hotel halls before being busted on marijuana possession. No confirmation on the rumor Jimmy Smith and Matt Jones were following him to Jamal Anderson’s room. Things move fast. ■ The Lions have a logo that is more fierce. I’m sure that’ll solve all
their problems. ■ 49ers coach Mike Singletary is a dream for a guy like me that writes goofy things about football. With Jon Gruden off the field and into the booth, we need a guy like Singletary. This offseason, he was asked by a group of fans about his commitment to smash mouth football. Singletary summed up his philosophy saying that he wanted his team to be “Physical with an F.” You gotta like that. ■ I like Brian Allee-Walsh of The New Orleans Times-Picayune paper. But typing all that for a source seems like a lot of letters and too many hyphens. Sorry, this is the kind of thing I worry about. ■ Dallas Owner Jerry Jones put a gag order on all Cowboy officials and coaches at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis this spring. He was extremely clear that no one would be allowed to speak to reporters on any subject. Jones said, “The way to clear that (problem) up, because I’m the one who knows, is we get together and we all say it, so everybody hears it, at the same time. So we can find a way to cut back on some of this misinformation.” Translation: Nobody gets to talk but me. ■ Daniel Kaplan of the Sports Business Journal reported in February that the NFL paid former commissioner Paul Tagliabue $3.6 million in the 12-month period ending last March 31, even though Tagliabue had resigned in August of 2006. It’s assumed it was for a consulting role. Nice work if you can get it. ■ I’m not a guy that spends a lot of time worrying about the feelings of NFL athletes. But I seriously feel sort of bad for Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson. Have two quarterbacks ever been forgotten more quickly? Granted,
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they haven’t done a whole lot to make us remember them but c’mon people. ■ On that subject, as I type this on May 18, Brett Favre is still very much retired. His agent Bus Cook said yesterday there was “no substance” to the speculation that Favre would play again. The word just came out today that Favre is scheduled for surgery with Dr. Andrews in Birmingham.
■ With that scant bit of information, my prediction for Favre in 2009 is simple: He returns as the Minnesota Vikings starting QB, breaks Jim Marshall’s consecutive starts record in a Vikings uniform (which will be enough to melt every power line in Bristol, CT) and finishes the year as the 14th-best fantasy QB in the league leading the Vikings to a 10-6 record again. For a bonus prediction, he wins the Nov. 1 game in Lambeau with a last-second game-winning TD pass and does a Randy Moss-style moon shot by the goal post while Ted Thompson’s head explodes. ■ Hats off to the folks at Deadspin for pulling this one up from the archives: New ESPN employee Jon Gruden had some not too flattering words for ESPN back in 2007 when an ESPN report suggested Tampa QB Bruce Gradkowski might be involved with a point shaving situation at the University of Toledo. (Gradkowski was never accused of any wrongdoing). Gruden said this at the time, “ I don’t watch ESPN. I don’t believe half the f****** people on the channel, personally – no disrespect. But if Bruce Gradkowski is throwing games in Toledo, how in the hell does he lead the NCAA in passing percentages? That
is a crock. You know, these reports make me sick – really. I don’t believe [there is] any truth to it, and I’ll go to my grave believing that. I hope ESPN 3 or 4 has real sources behind this story, because it has nothing to do with the kid. He’s a great kid. He wants to be great. This is very uncharacteristic, in my opinion, of ‘professional’ journalism.” I’m sure they’ve worked through all that now though. They wanted a guy that speaks directly. I think they’ve found one in Gruden. Very interested to see how this plays out. ■ You people talking about having the Super Bowl in London, just stop it. Right now. 49ers linebacker Jeff Ulbrich is doing what he has to do in order to earn a roster spot on the team. The ten-year veteran recently accepted a pay cut from $2.23 million to $950,000 for this season. “I was getting paid too much for what I’d be contributing,” he said. You don’t see a lot of that. ■ New Cleveland coach Eric Mangini got off to a rough start with defensive tackle Shaun Rogers. According to Adam Schefter writing for NFL.com, Rogers was so upset, he asked the Browns not to pick up the $6 million option-bonus payment due to him. Schefter wrote that Rogers would rather be released after one season with the Browns, despite still being owed another $15 million in guaranteed money. ■ The heinous offense committed by Mangini that would make Rogers feel like this? Mangini walked into the Browns training room and failed to say hello to Rogers. AND, they later were at a charity function where both men were in the green room and neither said hello to each other. I don’t make these up. ■ Note to Seattle DB Jordan Babineaux: Move over. Your reign as longest name on the team is officially over now that Mr. Houshmandzadeh is in town. ■ There was a heartwarming story in the Globe Gazette about how Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson was donating close to $150,000 to keep the Northern Iowa Area Community College football program alive. Smiles all around. Except for the fact that Peterson had never said anything like that and the story was a case of misunderstanding with no fault
whatsoever to Peterson. Ouch. ■ Tampa Bay linebacker Geno Hayes was stabbed in the head with a pair of scissors by his 19-year old girlfriend Shevelle Bagley. That apparently wasn’t enough, and Bagley went back and stabbed Hayes in the neck with a knife. I understand true love and all, but Geno, you’re an NFL player. You’ve got a pretty large pool to fish in when it comes to finding a girlfriend. I’ve got to believe you can find one that won’t stab you in the head with scissors. ■ Terrell Owens in Buffalo is going to be fun. He showed up for voluntary workouts today. And they gave him the key to the city. Sweet. Owens had this gem at the press conference when he signed, “I beat to my own beat.” I love me some T.O. ■ Rapper Eminem says that Tony Romo is one of his favorite quarterbacks. So at least Romo has that going for him. ■ Everyone pretty much agrees that the rookie pay scale is out whack. But in a system where Kellen Winslow is the highest-paid TE in the history of the game, I’m not sure it’s working any better for the veterans. ■ The Dolphins are looking to rename their stadium Land Shark Stadium. I wish I were joking. ■ President Barack Obama invited the Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers to the White House. NFL Defensive MVP James Harrison declined. Harrison had this nugget on why he didn’t want to go: “This is how I feel. If you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don’t win the Super Bowl. As far as I’m concerned, he (Obama) would’ve invited Arizona if they had won,” said Harrison. Yes, I think that’s pretty much how it works, James. And on that note, we’ll head towards Week 1 of another season of which I’ve no doubt will be chock full of enough Random Shots to keep me busy all year. If you see one during the game, shoot it to me at Bryant@Footballguys.com. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a gas with whatever you’re doing in life. Here’s to Football. J
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Parting Shots by Joe Bryant
Be Honest
W
ell? How’d we do? As I wrote in the introduction, I have the honor of opening this magazine and also closing it. I made a bunch of big promises on the front end talking about all the cool stuff we do and how we’ll give you what you need to Dominate Your League. Now that you’ve had a chance to soak it in, I’m interested in what you think. For ten years, we’ve continually improved our Footballguys.com website based upon feedback from our customers. And we’ve done the same thing with our magazine each year. So if you have an idea on how we can make this better, please shoot me an email at bryant@footballguys.com. And if you can spare 30 seconds, we’d be honored if you’d take our magazine survey here http://www.footballguys.com/magsurvey/. We want to hear from you. Next item. As cool as we think this magazine is (and I think it’s pretty cool), it needs to be updated. As I sit at my desk and type this on May 18, there are lots of question marks out there. For instance, we don’t know whether Brett Favre will play football this year. There are plenty more issues out there that are FAR from being resolved. You will absolutely know things in July as you read this that I didn’t know in May as I typed it. That’s the nature of the NFL these days. Things move fast. Fortunately, we have a solution – actually two solutions. And better yet, they’re simple and they’re FREE. #1. If you’re reading this magazine you can receive a free Training Camp Report that covers all the updated news and situations by visiting http://freeupdate.footballguys.com. We cover every team and every situation that you’ll need to know about. The Training Camp Report will also include an updated Top 200 list and performance and basic cheatsheets. It’s all you need to be totally up to date. #2. Our Free Daily Email Updates will keep you on top of everything that’s happening all the way up until the Week 1 kickoff. Each day, we sort through the hundreds of NFL articles out there and bring you the 1530 most important stories that you’ll need to know. We give you the story summary and our opinion on what
the story means for your fantasy team trying to read “between the lines” a bit. Those two items will put you ahead of most fantasy football owners in your league. But if you’re really serious about winning, and want more than just the Camp Report and Email Updates, we’ve got you covered there too. A subscription to our Footballguys website gives you access to everything we do all the way through the Super Bowl. If you like the magazine, I can say without hesitation that you’ll love the website. As I wrote in the opening, this magazine is just the “tip of the iceberg” for what we do online. Last year, we produced over 50,000 pages of content and it’ll likely be even more comprehensive this season. It’s a ridiculous advantage. But we’re OK with that. How good do I think the subscription is? Good enough for us to put our money where our mouth is. As we have every year since we started, we’ll be offering a MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. If you don’t think it’s worth the subscription price, we’ll give you a full refund, no questions asked. In one of my favorite all-time Terrell Owens’ quotes, he was asked for one word to describe himself. Owens quickly answered, “Confident.” He was then asked for another word. Owens did not hesitate and said, “Very.” That’s how we feel about how much you’ll like the Footballguys subscription. Thanks again for reading. I’ve long contended that our Footballguys readers are the best and smartest and most successful fantasy football owners on the planet. It’s a huge honor for me and my partner David Dodds and for all the folks on the Footballguys Staff to be able to serve you. Have a great 2009 and I hope all the bounces go your way. Now get out there and start Dominating.
Joe
FREE 32 PAGE CAMP UPDATE: http://freeupdate.footballguys.com
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