1. Tom Brady-If Matt Cassel can go 11-5 with that offense, what can Brady do? O yeah, 16-0. He is an absolute machine in the pocket and looks like he is playing video games on easy. The injury could make him a little shaky in the pocket but he should still be the best quarterback in the league.
2. Drew Brees-The Saints have the most dangerous offense in the league, especially with a healthy Bush. Drew Brees has many weapons and will once again use them all this season putting up possibly a record setting season as him and Brady will sit atop all quarterback stats this season.
3. Peyton Manning-Even though he lost his favorite target, he still has Reggie Wayne and emerging superstar Dallas Clark. Peyton is getting up there in age but is still one of the most proficient quarterbacks in the game.
4. Kurt Warner-Will this year be Warner's his last hurrah? After a career year at the age of 38, Kurt is going to give it another shot with Boldin and Fitzgerald running routes. They will look for another postseason run in a weak conference but have lost a lot of their coaching staff. Kurt should still be able to lead this team to the postseason but will have a tough time in a tough NFC.
5. Philip Rivers-Rivers had his most effective year of his short career and appears to get better with age. This Chargers team won’t be together forever so Philip needs to lead this team past the AFC Championship game and can do so with his big arm. This team is dangerous and has a lot of weapons for Rivers to use especially LT and Gates.
6. Matt Ryan-Although Ryan didn’t have a monster rookie year, he still managed 3,400 yards with 16 touchdowns. The Falcons are much improved and have had a whole offseason to bond and build relationships. Ryan should have no problem throwing at least 20 touchdowns this season and should reach the 4,000 yard mark.
7. Jay Cutler-Cutler goes from a running back by committee team to a team that has a solid 2nd year running back and mediocre receivers. Hester’s speed will really test Cutler’s big arm and if his other recivers can get open this team will be unstoppable.
8. Donovan McNabb-Donovan complained about not having enough weapons on his team last year. Well they added a receiver and running back from the draft and acquired Michael Vick who will really open up this offense. McNabb is still one of the most reliable quarterbacks in the league and coming off his first full season in 5 years, he will be ready to use all his new weapons.
9. Carson Palmer-Now that TJ is gone, Chad OchoCinco is finally the main focus of the passing game again. If he and Palmer can stay healthy then the Bengals can get out of the basement of the AFC and possibly into the postseason.
10. Matt Schaub-The Texans are slowly getting better year by year and will continue to improve this season. Schaub helped lead his team to an 8-8 record last year even though he missed 5 games due to injury. This is Andre Johnson’s contract year so expect him to demand the ball more so he can get the money he deserves, which will help boost Schaub’s stats.
11. Aaron Rodgers-I didn’t want to put him here because I do not think he will be that good this year, but I know that Greg Jennings will really help Rodgers pad his stats this season. The two games against Brett will either destroy this team’s season or help them build their confidence into the postseason.
12. Trent Edwards-The addition of T.O. is making this Bills receiving group one of the best in the league with Terrell’s power on one side and Lee Evans speed on the other. If T.O. can keep his mouth shut and run the plays they call then this team should expect a postseason berth for the first time this decade.
13. Tony Romo-Tony had to be placed under Edwards simply because of the lost of T.O. Maybe people think he was a cancer to the team, but let’s not forget the 38 touchdowns he had as a Cowboy in 3 seasons. Romo’s numbers should take a hit since his safety net isn’t there anymore and all the attention can be focused on Williams and Witten.
14. Ben Roethlisberger-Coming off a Super Bowl Championship, Big Ben will look to take his team deep into the postseason once again. Even though his stats are never thru the roof, he will give you a solid game week to week as long he keeps his interceptions to a minimum.
15. Matt Cassel-If he is anything close to what he was in New England, the Chiefs will be pleased. After not being able to find a solid quarterback for years, they trade for Cassel and hope he can save the franchise. They have a good running game but that is nothing without a solid passing game.
16. Brett Favre-How could you not include him in here when he is a Hall of Famer. I don’t know if he can survive the entire season but if he does then he will once again continue to pad his record stats. I’m not sure what Brett have left to prove, but whatever it is we will see it with Adrian Peterson behind him which could be a very dangerous combo.
17. Jake Delhomme-As long as this team has Steve Smith it will be considered a playoff contender. He was taken out early this preseason due to injury but is expected to be ready for the season along with his long time teammate Mushin Muhammad. A lethal running game will really open up the field for Delhomme and his receivers.
18. Chad Pennington-The Wildcat formation confused defensives and allowed Chad to have a career year and turn a 1 win team into an 11 win team. He will once again have a solid year as he will have the same offense as last year.
19. Marc Bulger-Even though he lost his top 2 receivers he still has a big arm and has been known to put up big games. This is a make or break year for Bulger after the Rams were in the basement of the NFC.
20. Jason Campbell-Is he the starting QB of the future in Washington? Chase Daniel out performed him last preseason game, but I don’t think he is major competition. He will have a tough time in the NFC East but will still turn out a solid season. His stats have slowly increased as he gets older and they will continue to get better as he gains more experience.
5 Guys to Keep an Eye On
21. Matt Hasselbeck
22. Eli Manning
23. Joe Flacco
24. Brady Quinn
25. David Garrard
Monday, August 24, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
2009 Fantasy Football Running Backs
The Preseason is underway, which means the fantasy football season is about to get started. With drafts around the corner, it’s about that time to get started with your research on who’s going to have a record breaking season. Below I rank the top Running Backs for the upcoming NFL season. Look for the remaining positions to be posted as the days pass.
1. Adrian Peterson-This guy is the clear number one pick as running back. He is the most explosive player on the field and if Minnesota can find a starting QB then this team could be the greatest show on turf Part 2.
2. Matt Forte-The addition of Jay Cutler and Matt’s great rookie year puts him at number 2. With a big arm like Cutler, the linebackers should back off a bit giving Forte more room to work with. Forte had 12 total touchdowns last year which can easily exceed 20 if Cutler is the second coming of Jim McMahon.
3. Michael Turner-Turner is actually placed ahead of his mentor LT, but none of us are really surprised. Unless Matt Ryan has a sophomore slump, Turner will turn out another great season giving this team a lot to play for.
4. Ladainian Tomlinson-LT is on his own level when it comes to fantasy football stats, although AP is slowly creeping. Tomlinson is a dual threat both running and receiving the ball, but he isn’t the young explosive player he used to be. If he stays healthy then we all know what he is capable of.
5. Clinton Portis-Jason Campbell needs to lead this team and not put all the weight on Portis. Last year Portis was #3 in the league in rushing attempts with his longest rush at only 31 yards. Campbell’s inexperience allows teams to stack the line and not give Portis the room to find the gaps. No matter how the team finishes the season Portis will once again eclipse 1,500 yards and should reach 10 touchdowns.
6. Brian Westbrook-Could his starting job be at risk now that Vick is on the team? Most likely not, but with that addition some running plays will be taken away from Westbrook. With speed from Vick, Jackson and rookies McCoy and Maclin, Westbrook may be more of a decoy in some Wildcat plays giving him less touches. Although he had a career high 9 rushing touchdowns last year he failed to pass the 1,000 yard mark after doing so the last 2 years.
7. Joseph Addai-Well the Tony Dungy Era is over in Indy, but last time I checked Peyton Manning was still behind center. Addai had a down year last season missing 4 games and will look to bounce back with another stellar season.
8. Steve Slaton-This Mountaineer has won the starting job with his almost 1,300 yard rookie season. The Texans has slowly been improving since the franchise started, but they are still looking for their first postseason appearance. Slaton could be the lone reason why this team has a chance the playoffs this season.
9. Steven Jackson-Jackson missed 5 games for the 2nd straight second, but still broke the 1,000 yard mark. He will once again have a solid year as long as he plays the whole season.
10. Marion Barber-With a healthy Felix Jones and Barber, the Dallas running game will be a tough one to stop. Barber is a bulldozer and will continue his dominance as one of the most unstoppable running backs in the game.
11. Brandon Jacobs-Jacobs was an absolute fantasy monster last year, having just under 1,100 yards with 15 touchdowns. He will once again have another good season but lost one of his backups in Derrick Ward.
12. Ronnie Brown-Ronnie once again took over the starting role in Miami and worked miracles in the Wildcat Formation. This team will once again be dangerous out of that formation and will help Brown pad his stats.
13. Maurice Jones-Drew-Now that Fred Taylor is out in Jacksonville, Jones-Drew is the face of this teams running game. He has never carried the ball more then 200 times in a season, a number he will easily get over this year.
14. Marshawn Lynch-A 4 game suspension is hurting his stock this season, but that leaves him 12 games to prove he is a top running back in this league. The addition of T.O. should open up the field a little more for Lynch.
15. Thomas Jones-The only thing holding T Jones back from leading the league in rushing is their quarterback. Is Mark Sanchez the real deal? Can Kellen Clemens beat him out? Jones is just hoping that someone can win the starting job and help carry the work load.
16. Willie Parker-Coming off a Super Bowl season, Willie Parker will try to bounce back after missing 6 games midseason last year. He is one of the fastest players in the league, making him one of the most dangerous. With a healthy Mendenhall back as well, Willie won’t have to worry about getting all the carries.
17. Reggie Bush-Injuries have hurt Bush’s career so far, but he is the most dangerous all around player. If he stays healthy and doesn’t lose the starting job to Pierre Thomas then he can dominate the league with his speed and moves.
18. Laurence Maroney-Both Maroney and Brady missed last season, but they still went 11-5. All eyes will be on Brady as he is expected to have another monster season. Maroney may lose some careers with veteran Fred Taylor now on the team. Also coming off an injury might also hurt his number of carries.
19. Frank Gore-Gore is asking the same questions as a few other running backs this year; Can my team find a starting quarterback that can help this team? Alex Smith appears to be done in San Fran while Shaun Hill is looking to win the starting job. But can he help Gore open up the offense?
20. Larry Johnson-After having back to back career seasons in 2005 and 2006, Larry’s seasons were shortened due to injury. If Matt Cassel can prove to be a leader, then Larry can once again be a top running back.
5 Guys to Keep an Eye on
21. Ryan Grant
22. DeAngelo Williams
23. Chris Johnson
24. Kevin Smith
25. Darren Mcfadden
1. Adrian Peterson-This guy is the clear number one pick as running back. He is the most explosive player on the field and if Minnesota can find a starting QB then this team could be the greatest show on turf Part 2.
2. Matt Forte-The addition of Jay Cutler and Matt’s great rookie year puts him at number 2. With a big arm like Cutler, the linebackers should back off a bit giving Forte more room to work with. Forte had 12 total touchdowns last year which can easily exceed 20 if Cutler is the second coming of Jim McMahon.
3. Michael Turner-Turner is actually placed ahead of his mentor LT, but none of us are really surprised. Unless Matt Ryan has a sophomore slump, Turner will turn out another great season giving this team a lot to play for.
4. Ladainian Tomlinson-LT is on his own level when it comes to fantasy football stats, although AP is slowly creeping. Tomlinson is a dual threat both running and receiving the ball, but he isn’t the young explosive player he used to be. If he stays healthy then we all know what he is capable of.
5. Clinton Portis-Jason Campbell needs to lead this team and not put all the weight on Portis. Last year Portis was #3 in the league in rushing attempts with his longest rush at only 31 yards. Campbell’s inexperience allows teams to stack the line and not give Portis the room to find the gaps. No matter how the team finishes the season Portis will once again eclipse 1,500 yards and should reach 10 touchdowns.
6. Brian Westbrook-Could his starting job be at risk now that Vick is on the team? Most likely not, but with that addition some running plays will be taken away from Westbrook. With speed from Vick, Jackson and rookies McCoy and Maclin, Westbrook may be more of a decoy in some Wildcat plays giving him less touches. Although he had a career high 9 rushing touchdowns last year he failed to pass the 1,000 yard mark after doing so the last 2 years.
7. Joseph Addai-Well the Tony Dungy Era is over in Indy, but last time I checked Peyton Manning was still behind center. Addai had a down year last season missing 4 games and will look to bounce back with another stellar season.
8. Steve Slaton-This Mountaineer has won the starting job with his almost 1,300 yard rookie season. The Texans has slowly been improving since the franchise started, but they are still looking for their first postseason appearance. Slaton could be the lone reason why this team has a chance the playoffs this season.
9. Steven Jackson-Jackson missed 5 games for the 2nd straight second, but still broke the 1,000 yard mark. He will once again have a solid year as long as he plays the whole season.
10. Marion Barber-With a healthy Felix Jones and Barber, the Dallas running game will be a tough one to stop. Barber is a bulldozer and will continue his dominance as one of the most unstoppable running backs in the game.
11. Brandon Jacobs-Jacobs was an absolute fantasy monster last year, having just under 1,100 yards with 15 touchdowns. He will once again have another good season but lost one of his backups in Derrick Ward.
12. Ronnie Brown-Ronnie once again took over the starting role in Miami and worked miracles in the Wildcat Formation. This team will once again be dangerous out of that formation and will help Brown pad his stats.
13. Maurice Jones-Drew-Now that Fred Taylor is out in Jacksonville, Jones-Drew is the face of this teams running game. He has never carried the ball more then 200 times in a season, a number he will easily get over this year.
14. Marshawn Lynch-A 4 game suspension is hurting his stock this season, but that leaves him 12 games to prove he is a top running back in this league. The addition of T.O. should open up the field a little more for Lynch.
15. Thomas Jones-The only thing holding T Jones back from leading the league in rushing is their quarterback. Is Mark Sanchez the real deal? Can Kellen Clemens beat him out? Jones is just hoping that someone can win the starting job and help carry the work load.
16. Willie Parker-Coming off a Super Bowl season, Willie Parker will try to bounce back after missing 6 games midseason last year. He is one of the fastest players in the league, making him one of the most dangerous. With a healthy Mendenhall back as well, Willie won’t have to worry about getting all the carries.
17. Reggie Bush-Injuries have hurt Bush’s career so far, but he is the most dangerous all around player. If he stays healthy and doesn’t lose the starting job to Pierre Thomas then he can dominate the league with his speed and moves.
18. Laurence Maroney-Both Maroney and Brady missed last season, but they still went 11-5. All eyes will be on Brady as he is expected to have another monster season. Maroney may lose some careers with veteran Fred Taylor now on the team. Also coming off an injury might also hurt his number of carries.
19. Frank Gore-Gore is asking the same questions as a few other running backs this year; Can my team find a starting quarterback that can help this team? Alex Smith appears to be done in San Fran while Shaun Hill is looking to win the starting job. But can he help Gore open up the offense?
20. Larry Johnson-After having back to back career seasons in 2005 and 2006, Larry’s seasons were shortened due to injury. If Matt Cassel can prove to be a leader, then Larry can once again be a top running back.
5 Guys to Keep an Eye on
21. Ryan Grant
22. DeAngelo Williams
23. Chris Johnson
24. Kevin Smith
25. Darren Mcfadden
Sunday, May 31, 2009
MLB 5/31 Fantasy Starts
Ervin Santana P-This could be a make or break game for Ervin, who has had 12 wins 3 of his first four years. A bad outting and a 0-3 start with a high ERA could ruin his confidence for the season. Go figure they play their division rival Mariners who they are just about even with in the standings. If he can shut them down early, he could finally get his first win.
Alber Pujols 1st-After blasting two homeruns last night, he is now 4-7 with two home runs, scoring three runs and added two walks. He gets on base one way or another, and will give you that steal once every 15 games. I expect him to cap off the series with a monster game.
Sean Marshall P-He has won 3 of his last 4 starts, allowing less then 2 runs in all of those starts. His only loss was a 5 inning performance where he allowed 2 runs out of 4 hits and 1 walk. He has always performed well on the big stage, and will need to hold down a hot Dodgers lineup.
Alber Pujols 1st-After blasting two homeruns last night, he is now 4-7 with two home runs, scoring three runs and added two walks. He gets on base one way or another, and will give you that steal once every 15 games. I expect him to cap off the series with a monster game.
Sean Marshall P-He has won 3 of his last 4 starts, allowing less then 2 runs in all of those starts. His only loss was a 5 inning performance where he allowed 2 runs out of 4 hits and 1 walk. He has always performed well on the big stage, and will need to hold down a hot Dodgers lineup.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs Outlook
Now that the All Star game is over, and the trading deadline has passed, NBA teams are going down the final stretch into a possible postseason.
Boston-Clearly the best team in the East, again, as the 3 big are dominating games again. Having 3 superstars to rely on must be pretty nice, and their supporting cast has All Star caliber. This team will coast to the Eastern Conference Finals, while its opponent is somewhere below.
Cleveland-With Lebron having an MVP year, he will be the reason they could win the championship. They have given Batman his Robin as Mo Williams barely got in as an All Star, but is well deserved.
Orlando-Superman is in the building, and is looking to make some noise in the postseason. They are only 4 games behind Boston, so a top seed is still in reach. Someone else will need to step up on this team, because Howard may not be able to do it by himself.
Atlanta-Well, at least they won't have to face Boston in this first round this year. But this team is still young and a playoff series win will not be easy. They may challenge the Magic for the Division Title, but they will need to go on a long streak.
Miami-Dwade, Jermaine, and Beasley is a nice top 3 to have. Wade has playoff experience along with Jermaine, but Beasley will need to step up and prove his high draft pick. This team could be dangerous in the postseason and a 7 game series against the Magic, Cavs or Celts would be a good one.
Detroit-This team is so old, and thats really all i can say. What happened to winning 50 games and getting a top seed and going to the Finals? This team is only 2 games over .500 and is in the middle of a stuffed Eastern Conference. Their experience could win them a series or two, but they will soon gets tired. Lebron scoring 27 of his teams last 28 points against them, remember that?
Philadelphia-With Brand hanging it up for the year this team is looking at a short postseason, if they can even stay in contention. Don't look down Philly, it doesn't look to good.
Milwaukee-This team is always hanging around, but I don't think it has the offense to hang around in the East.
Chicago-Tim Thomas is an upgrade to this team, and could really help them. They are streaky, which could hurt them. But come playoff time, this team would be swept.
New Jersey-With Vince not going anywhere, its up to him if this team makes the postseason. The Nets stadiums are empty, so I can see why Vince wants to leave. But if he performs, they will slide in.
New York-Nate will carry this team to a playoff berth. He is one of the best players in the game and with the team around him, will lead them to the playoffs.
Boston-Clearly the best team in the East, again, as the 3 big are dominating games again. Having 3 superstars to rely on must be pretty nice, and their supporting cast has All Star caliber. This team will coast to the Eastern Conference Finals, while its opponent is somewhere below.
Cleveland-With Lebron having an MVP year, he will be the reason they could win the championship. They have given Batman his Robin as Mo Williams barely got in as an All Star, but is well deserved.
Orlando-Superman is in the building, and is looking to make some noise in the postseason. They are only 4 games behind Boston, so a top seed is still in reach. Someone else will need to step up on this team, because Howard may not be able to do it by himself.
Atlanta-Well, at least they won't have to face Boston in this first round this year. But this team is still young and a playoff series win will not be easy. They may challenge the Magic for the Division Title, but they will need to go on a long streak.
Miami-Dwade, Jermaine, and Beasley is a nice top 3 to have. Wade has playoff experience along with Jermaine, but Beasley will need to step up and prove his high draft pick. This team could be dangerous in the postseason and a 7 game series against the Magic, Cavs or Celts would be a good one.
Detroit-This team is so old, and thats really all i can say. What happened to winning 50 games and getting a top seed and going to the Finals? This team is only 2 games over .500 and is in the middle of a stuffed Eastern Conference. Their experience could win them a series or two, but they will soon gets tired. Lebron scoring 27 of his teams last 28 points against them, remember that?
Philadelphia-With Brand hanging it up for the year this team is looking at a short postseason, if they can even stay in contention. Don't look down Philly, it doesn't look to good.
Milwaukee-This team is always hanging around, but I don't think it has the offense to hang around in the East.
Chicago-Tim Thomas is an upgrade to this team, and could really help them. They are streaky, which could hurt them. But come playoff time, this team would be swept.
New Jersey-With Vince not going anywhere, its up to him if this team makes the postseason. The Nets stadiums are empty, so I can see why Vince wants to leave. But if he performs, they will slide in.
New York-Nate will carry this team to a playoff berth. He is one of the best players in the game and with the team around him, will lead them to the playoffs.
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