Fantasy Football Quick Reads

So what do you say we start something a little new around here?  We already do a regular NFL Jabber that takes a look around at what is happening in the NFL and with it’s players.  Today we start Fantasy Football Quick Reads.  FF Quick Reads will be Fantasy Football specific links for you to browse.  This will give you the chance as the QB to read the coverage and make a quick decision on which link to click.  Of course you are free to click as many as you like.  Read more

THE NUMBERS CRUNCH: Why I’m Not Drafting LT # 1 This Year

We all love LT. For seven years, he’s averaged nearly 2,000 total yards and over 18 TD’s a year on average of 338 carries. It’s jaw dropping when you look at the numbers. But let’s look a little deeper and compare him to the only RB who put out similar production over the same amount years and dominated our fantasy hearts in his prime: Marshall Faulk.

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Fantasy Football Tip of the Day #2

Last year around this time I shared a tip with a fellow that is in a few of my leagues.  Let’s call him Fantasy Football Joe.  Joe was looking for a way to save time while finding news on the players that were on his team.  An RSS reader was not an option for Joe because he had convinced himself  that he was too old for that new tech-like stuff.  So then it dawned on me that I already used a site that would be perfect for Joe…one of my biggest rivals.

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Fantasy Football Draft Winner| Jason Campbell

The Wide Receiver group was overshadowed by the Running Back this year in the NFL Draft. So much in fact that the first WR was not picked until the top of the second round when the Rams took Donnie Avery. With the ball catchers falling there was a team lurking in the second round that made out like bandits.

The Washington Redskins ran away with two of the Top Ranked WR’s on most “experts” boards. They were able to grab Devin Thomas the pick after the Rams took Avery. Jumping at opportunity, they also took Malcolm Kelly later in the round. Although Kelly’s stock had fallen in the weeks leading up to the draft this made for quite the young duo to suit up for the Skins.

Most WR’s don’t really have an impact until the second year right? So what does this have to do with fantasy football in 2008? The Redskins have just set up their QB, Jason Campbell, to climb on Dynasty and Keeper draft boards. Factor in the fact that new Head Coach Jim Zorn will like to use A LOT of 3-4 WR sets and you should see these young WR’s getting some reps in their first year. Currently both are listed behind Santana Moss on the depth chart at the “Z” position. Let’s be honest. Randel El would look much nicer in the slot once they go 3 plus WR’s. This will open the door for at least one of these guys, possibly both in 4 WR sets.

It may not be in 2008 but the staff have given him the weapons to raise his fantasy stock. So now would be the time to buy on Jason Campbell in Keeper/Dynasty leagues.

Want a little more? Sandwiched in between the two WR’s was the pick of USC Tight End, Fred Davis. We know Chris Cooley is the guy at Tight End. Adding Davis opens up the playbook for Zorn in turn giving Campbell more options. If Cooley continues to line up as an H-Back (Fullback) at times, could Davis lineup at TE? What about some 2 TE sets Jim? Besides all that formation fun there is the importance of depth behind Cooley.

So all of you Dynasty and Keeper guys that were hoping that Vince Young might get some help in this years draft…may be the time to hit up the Jason Campbell owner for a trade!

tag: NFL, Draft, Fantasy Football Tips, Dynasty, Keeper, Washington Redskins, Jason Campbell, Chris Cooley, Malcolm Kelly, Devin Thomas, footballjabber.com

2008 NFL Draft Jabber 4/14/08

Thomas George at NFL.com doesn’t hold back when stating the good and bad on DeSean Jackson…

“The bad: A me-guy. Selfish. Not a good teammate. Not a coachable player. Too many questionable influences hanging around him and a hard time letting them go.”

FoxSports.com are giving out their pre-draft Offensive Awards.

Calais Campbell talks about the ups and downs of staying in college another year rather than entering the draft early.

“At the beginning of last season, I was a top-five pick for sure,” Campbell said. “At the end, I was going like No. 15-16. After the [NFL Scouting] Combine, I’m in the 20s and some people have me out of the first round.

“People really don’t understand. I’m the same player I was the year before. They can’t see that. All they do is see the statistics.”

One of the annual deals that goes on with NFL Draft prospects now days is letters of confessions. Quentin Groves and Mario Manningham are banking on them this year.

Buffalo News gives their Top 10 Defensive Back prospects.

STLtoday.com have headlines that read both, “Matt Ryan: Fierce Competitor” and “NFL quarterback draft: Worst crop in years.”

Devin Thomas is watching his stock rise in the WR group.

Charlotte.com gives a go at a mock draft.

ProFootballTalk.com is still attempting to get all the draft needs of the NFL teams up before the start of the draft. Count:14.

Check out our Mock Draft and Prospect Videos in the links in the menu above!

tag: NFL, Football, Draft, 2008 Mock Draft,

Who’s the Top Fantasy Dynasty QB in 2008?

Believe it or not this is a great time of year for some fantasy football owners. Those that play in Dynasty and Keeper leagues are considering making moves for the 2008 season. This is a time of year that many new Dynasty leagues begin to pop up as they do not have to wait since most of them run year round. It’s common practice to be drafting vet’s while then waiting for the rookies to be placed on teams before a rookie draft. Today we are going to look at who the top Dynasty QB’s are. In recent years there has been no question to this. After a QB highlighted season though the answer is not as clear.

Browsing various fantasy football sites that have their early Dynasty and Keeper rankings up there are three names that are at the top of the list. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning,and Tony Romo. Tony is going to hinder our averages since he has only been news for two years and only played in 10 games in 2006 but let’s have a look at the per game averages anyway. We will look at those things that you get scored on in most leagues at the QB position.

Please hit the poll over there—-> in the sidebar as who you think the top Dynasty QB is!

TD’s Per Game 06/07

Tom Brady: 2.31
Tony Romo: 2.12
Peyton Manning: 1.94

Interestingly enough, Tom Brady’s inflated season in 2007 did not provide a lot of separation. You can bet that there is a direct correlation between Randy Moss being in a New England Patriots jersey. The previous three seasons he averaged 26 TD’s per season, which he almost doubled with Moss in town last year. Good news for Brady and his owners is that he will have Moss again this season.

Not far behind Brady is Tony Romo. Yes you can say, “Well he has Terrell Owens…” Owens has caught 28 of Romo’s 55 TD’s over the last two seasons. Myself there is reason to believe that if Moss and Owens were taken out of the equation that Romo would be putting up more TD’s. the Cowboys seem interested with getting a solid #2 WR to pair with Owens which could turn scary.

Strange to find Peyton at the bottom of this list. This is due to taking only two years because of Romo’s short stint as a starting QB. We all know Manning is a consistent TD’s machine. What sets him apart from the others is that Manning’s success is not hinged on a particular WR. Even without Marvin Harrison in 2007, Manning was able to match his 31 TD’s from 2006. We all remember that he is not far removed from a 49 TD season as well.

Yards Per Game 06/07

Tony Romo: 273.62
Peyton Manning: 264.66
Tom Brady: 260.47

Romo gets to be top dog in one of these categories. In 2007 his Yards per game jumped from 181.4 in 2006 to 263.2. Kinda makes you wonder what we will see in 2008, huh?

As he is with TD’s, Peyton Manning is a consistent yards machine. He has only been under 4000 yards once since his rookie season and has NEVER been under 3700 yards.

Another inflated stat courtesy of Randy Moss. 2007 was the second season in Brady’s career over 4000 yards and he damned near hit 5000.

INT’s Per Game 06/07
Tom Brady: 0.63
Peyton Manning: 0.72
Tony Romo: 1.23

Tom Brady’s career low 8 INT’s in 2007 is one of these stats that we can’t attribute to Moss. This was all Brady. It was his second highest career total for a season in attempts as well. Brady seems to be in a zone.

Peyton had his highest INT total since 2002 last year. Still, if your league takes away 2 points per INT he still only had 28 points taken from you over the course of the season.

Although Romo’s INT’s went up from 2006 to 2007 we have to keep in mind he played six more games and had 183 more pass attempts. His % or INT’s per attempt actually went down. Still, he is the guy out of the three that appears to have the best chance to get some points taken away if your league punishes your QB for picks.

So what have we learned here today? It appears that there is not that big of a difference between these QB’s in your Dynasty draft regardless of scoring system, at least over the past two seasons. We can look for Romo to continue to improve. We can look for Brady to have another season with Randy Moss assisted stats. We can also look for Peyton Manning to provide consistent numbers despite who he is throwing to. Don’t feel like you have to be the first one to jump at a QB in your Dynasty or Keeper draft this year.

tag: NFL, Fantasy Football, Draft, Fantasy Tips, Dynasty, Keeper, Tom Brady, Tony Romo, Peyton Manning, Footballjabber.com, football

NFL Draft Prospects | Top 5 ILB

Top 5 ILB Prospects

Much like the safety prospects this year, the inside linebacker class of this year lacks a true standout player. Many of the players in this year’s offering are OLB converts or only project well as a situational ILB in a 3-4 scheme. Be wary of this when planning your IDP dynasty draft. Expect some of the labeled ILBs to convert back to OLB and likewise, many of the bigger OLBs will likely move inside early in their career.

1) Dan Connor, Penn State

Connor’s roots are on the outside, spending all of his college career there save his senior year. He is a better blitzer than coverage LB but is still a sure tackle. His football instincts are paramount and is rarely caught out of position. His speed and size will allow him to adapt well to the NFL game. Expect the team that drafts Connor to keep him on the outside for a year or two.

2) Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma

Quickness is Lofton’s calling card in this draft. Beginning his career at strong-side linebacker, Lofton moved inside for the last four games of his junior year and finished off an excellent year amassing 157 tackles. I compare him to a more well-built version of D’Qwell Jackson, a short stocky type linebacker that relies on quickness and good tackling to be effective. Despite limited experience at the position, I believe Lofton is a better fit for the inside than outside. In fact, some sites do not even list Lofton as an inside linebacker. Similar to Connor, he is a tweener type that may live on the outside until he gets his shot.

3) Jerod Mayo, Tennessee

Mayo, like the previous two on the list, spent all of the college career on the outside before moving inside in his senior year. Mayo is an instinctive football player who can close on ball carriers, cover well and blitz effectively. A knock on him is that he is too light for his frame and many scouts have considered Mayo better suited to the weak side. Mayo scares me the most out of all of the prospects on this list to move back to the outside permanently. He is still a great prospect but this may not translate to fantasy success as an inside linebacker.

4) Johnathan Goff, Vanderbilt

A more natural inside linebacker, Goff has the intangibles you want in the leader of your defense as a two-time team captain for Vanderbilt. One of the best combine performers, don’t be surprised if Goff is taken higher than many expect. Although he would likely do fine in a traditional 4-3 set, I believe he would benefit from being inside in a Wade Phillips-type 3-4 set that does not require larger LBs. (No, I’m not saying the Cowboys will select him)

5) Phillip Wheeler, Georgia Tech

A high-school defensive end, sophomore weak side linebacker and junior/senior middle linebacker, Wheeler is the epitome of a physical upside player that has shown his ability to learn new positions and in turn, new schemes. Wheeler is a superb blitzer but has shown a tendency to bite on fakes. He is also a big presence for a linebacker as 245 lbs and rarely is taken off of his feet. Another linebacker who may not see the light of day from the inside, Wheeler needs to improve his awareness on playaction before teams will consider him a true Mike. His athleticism and penchant for getting to the QB will likely land him a gig on the outside early in his career.

Close to the cut:
Beau Bell, UNLV - Another OLB convert, injury history, character issues and weak coverage play knock him out of the top 5. Keep your eye on him however, as he projects better to the inside than many of his predecessors.
Erin Henderson, Maryland - Yes, Henderson is a true OLB but I believe he will become an excellent 3-4 ILB, watch for the team that drafts him.
Spencer Larsen, Arizona - Smaller body and weaker combine; Larsen produces but in outclassed but other prospects.

tag: NFL, Draft, Prospects, Phillip Wheeler, Johnathan Goff, Jerod Mayo, Curtis Lofton, dan connor, football, football jabber, sports, combine

2008 NFL Draft Prospects |Top 5 at Free Safety

This class of free safeties is much different from other classes. After the one true blue chip prospect, you are left with 4 or 5 guys who will be serviceable NFL talent with significant upside.

1) Kenny Phillips, Miami

Despite a disappointing combine, Phillips remains the class of the bunch. However, he may not go in the top half of the first round as many predicted (myself included). His ball skills are premium and good football instincts are there. I have heard many say about Phillips that “he is a good safety but he is not Ed Reed”. While that may be true, it is not fair to Phillips to have Reed as his measuring stick. Phillips will make an excellent free safety for the team that lands him.

2) DaJuan Morgan, NC State

Morgan is Mike Mayock’s top ranked safety although I don’t know what Morgan did to earn that praise. He is a quality talent no doubt but his combine was pedestrian. He did improve his tackling this season by racking up 117 but I still fail to see him as a better prospect than Phillips. Carolina is rumored to be targeting Morgan in the second round to pair up with Chris Harris.

3) Thomas DeCoud, California

Unlike the previous two, DeCoud bettered his stock with a good combine, running 4.5 and leaping 35.5 inches high. I like this guy because he is always looking for the highlight reel hit. He never plays soft. His coverage is good enough to play at the NFL level but is far from elite. His closing speed is excellent and he shows good awareness and reflexes in tipping and intercepting the ball. DeCoud is very close to beng second on this list but he needs more experience at the position.

4) Quentin Demps, UTEP

Demps had one of the better combines for defensive backs. His 4.4 forty time should do wonders for his draft stock. Demps brings four years of starting experience at the position paired with excellent football instincts. He needs to bulk up a bit to be more effective.

5) Marcus Griffin, Texas

Living in the shadow of his twin brother Michael, Marcus has developed into a quality defensive back for the Longhorns. Griffin’s combine was weak but his stats speak a different tune of 97 tackles, 5 Pass Ds and 3 INTs. Marcus plays like a strong safety at the free safety position, his tackling is his strong suit. But he continues to work on his coverage and ball abilities and should make a fine pro.

tag: NFL, Draft, Prospects, Combine, Free Safety, Defensive backs, Marcus Griffen, Quentin Demps, Thomas DeCoud, DaJuan Morgan, Kenny Phillips

NFL Draft Prospects | Top 10 QB’s

The interesting thing about this year’s draft class actually has nothing to do with this year. Scouts have lamented over the weakness of the quarterbacks coming out in next year’s draft; artificially inflating the value of this year’s offering. Don’t be surprised to see a QB get taken by a team you didn’t expect. Also, you might see some teams reaching for QBs and mining for gold with late round fliers.

#1 Matt Ryan, Boston College

Many feel he is the most NFL ready of all quarterbacks entering the draft. While I would agree, I don’t believe he is worthy of the top 5 selection he will likely command. Ryan’s pocket presence is by far the best in class but he tends to make poor decisions and force the ball on occasion. That being said, Ryan has the ability to make all of the throws necessary to be a solid NFL starter. Easily the best quarterback available, I’d be surprised if he gets by Atlanta at #3.

#2 Brian Brohm, Louisville

Injuries and poor play late in the season knocked Brohm out from the consensus number 1 QB spot. Brohm is talented enough to make throws many NFL QBs have difficulty making and if given time, he will destroy a defense in ways few can. However, he has difficulty escaping pressure and rarely is able to create outside of the pocket. I think the system of the team Brohm is drafted into will have much to say about his career in the NFL.

#3 Chad Henne, Michigan

I think Chad has done too much to not be considered a top 3 selection this year. His leadership and intangibles are rivaled only by Matt Ryan. He put up an excellent senior bowl and combine. Chad can consistently evade the pass rush and buy extra seconds to make a play. His arm is strong and his throws are accurate. Henne will become a solid starter in the NFL.

#4 Andre Woodson, Kentucky

A poor senior bowl and an injury keeping him out of the combine explain Woodson’s fall. His season at the helm of Kentucky was one to gawk at but questions of consistency and football IQ crept into the fold. However, when healthy, Woodson’s physical tools cannot be questioned. A bit of a project, Woodson should serve a patient team very well.

#5 Joe Flacco, Delaware

Flacco is a bit of an enigma. His size and arm strength are tops in the class but his accuracy and feel for the pocket are sketchy at best. Flacco will be drafted by the third based on physical tools alone but between the quality of his competition and the system run by Delaware, physical tools may be the few things Flacco has over other QBs in the draft. Expect a team looking for a high upside QB like Carolina or Minnesota take a flier on him hoping to strike gold.

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NFL Draft Prospects | Top 5 Strong Safeties

2008 has no LaRon Landry, Mike Griffin or Brandon Meriweather to boast first round grades. But this year’s strong safety class has many prospects who could develop into everyday starters.

1) Josh Barrett, Arizona State

This kid will be a monster for someone. 6′2″ 220 lbs and he runs a 4.35 forty. His rare combination for size and speed allow him to both press cover and zone cover with equal effectiveness. He is extremely aggressive and will blow up plays at the line of scrimmage frequently. He tends to be burned by seam routes and deep balls but it should not affect his draft stock too much. A comparison frequently used to describe Barrett is that of Roy Williams of the Cowboys.

2) Craig Steltz, LSU

LaRon Landry’s former backup stepped up to deliver a huge season in 2007, tying him for the team lead in tackles. Steltz has a presence of the field that is felt on a game-in game-out basis. He makes plays everywhere on the field. The only downside to Steltz is a perception that he is lacking athleticism. Perceived as a slower safety with little recovery speed, his lack of participation at the combine may have purveyed this notion. However, I look for Steltz to become an impact player in the NFL. I believe he has a shot of start in the early years of his career.

3) Jamar Adams, Michigan

Adams’ calling card is his coverage ability; he is one of the better strong safeties of the class in that department. His closing speed and and hands are above average and will not be a liability in zone schemes. He does need to get bigger to compete in the NFL but his experience and intangibles are some of the best in class.

4) Tyrell Johnson, Arkansas State

Could make a case for Johnson being third on this list but I feel that he didn’t do enough at the combine to warrant #3. 4.47 forty, 32 inch vert and a 27 rep bench is impressive but being from a small school, you have to blow the doors off the place to make a significant move. Johnson is likely NFL talent but I will remain a skeptic until I see him read NFL offenses and cover NFL receivers.

5) Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame

Probably one of the better players at using the talents given to him and using effort and grit to make up the difference, Zbikowski was not blessed with an NFL dose of talent or athleticism. He does however, bring the work hat everyday and uses his head to prevent his shortcomings from costing him. His draft stock lies in how scout juge the mental aspect of his game as oppose to the physical. Zbikowski is fast enough to chase down some runningbacks and tight ends in pursuit and tackles well. But he is not fast enough nor agile enough to deal with an NFL wide receiver. The team that draft Zbikowski should be wise to his faults.

tag: NFL, Draft, Prospects, rankings, saftey, football, football jabber, sports, combine, position

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