By Dalton Del Don
Getting one of the first two picks in a draft is simply unfair. Another reason why auctions are superior – not only does everyone have the opportunity of getting Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson, but the penalty (spending around 35% of your budget) of buying one is far greater than having a late second round pick (followed by an early third rounder). The drop off from one of the big two to say pick No. 8 is just ridiculous. Who are you going to take there? I like Ryan Mathews and Shonn Greene, but that’s quite a bit of uncertainty for a first round pick (and the other options are even less enticing). Sure, there’s no guarantee AP and CJ finish as the two best fantasy players, but they are special talents that only injuries could prevent Hall of Fame type careers. Peterson is coming off a season in which he totaled 1,819 yards with 18 touchdowns in what was considered something of a mild disappointment. He’s in line to get far more third down work in 2010 and should also see an increase in carries with Sidney Rice out and Brett Favre dealing with an ankle injury, and Minnesota’s offensive line can’t possibly be worse at run blocking compared to last year. Admittedly, Johnson has nowhere to go but down coming off a historical season that had everything go his way, but if his production declined a whopping 25%, he’d still total 1,882 yards. Please think about that. Getting one of these two is already an unfair advantage, and at the wheel coming back, guys like Miles Austin, Jamaal Charles, Pierre Thomas, Jahvid Best and Brandon Marshall are typically available. It’s not right.
This guy is absolutely hilarious. Here are my three favorite email exchanges: Missing Missy, Party in Apartment 3 and Simon’s Pie Charts. His most famous one is probably Blockbuster Late Fees. Honestly, this guy is pure genius.
I really don’t know what to make of Ronnie Brown. He’s played a full schedule just once during his five-year career, and he’s missed a total of 16 games over the past three years. Despite being built like a true workhorse, he’s never reached 250 carries in a season, so the injury-prone label is well deserved. Still, those injuries have masked one of the most productive backs in all of football when on the field. In 2007, he was on pace to finish with 2,439 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns. In 2008, locked in an almost even timeshare, he totaled 1,170 yards with 10 touchdowns while returning from knee surgery. Last year, he was on pace to end the year with 1,326 combined yards and 14 touchdowns despite once again being in a committee. There’s no doubt Brown is an injury risk, but those are pretty impressive numbers, especially when you consider the last two came while sharing so many touches with Ricky Williams. Brown should enter this season close to full strength, as he’s described the rehab from his recent foot injury as easier than the previous knee surgery, and while I understand Williams’ mid-career hiatus makes him a rare case, he enters this season 33 years old (beyond ancient in RB terms) and with 2,164 career carries. He was worked hard over the final half of last season after Brown went down, so few backs in the NFL are bigger candidates to fall off a cliff in 2010. Brown has proven he can be plenty productive in a timeshare, and if Williams were to suffer a major injury, he has top-five upside. That is, if Brown can somehow stay healthy himself.
The reaction by this guy’s “friends†is ruthless.
CJ Spiller sure does pass the eye test. There’s a lot working against him on paper – bad offensive line, shaky QB, two other competent backs competing for touches, but Spiller looks like he could be something special. He won’t need 20-plus carries each game to be highly productive. We’ve seen coaches stick with veterans over younger, more exciting options plenty of times, but come on, Fred Jackson? The latter graded out as the worst blocking RB in football last season, so Spiller should dominate third down work. And he already looks like Buffalo’s best offensive player, so if the Bills’ coaching staff want to keep their jobs, they’ll get him on the field as much as possible. Spiller might get caught for losses instead of taking what’s there too often, but he’s a big play waiting to happen.
No one should be taking Brandon Jacobs ahead of Ahmad Bradshaw at this point, and it’s not particularly close. The former may still be the favorite for short-yardage work, but if the latter can get 4.8 YPC (and 13.8 yards-per-catch) on two bum wheels last year, imagine what he can do now healthy. Speaking of health, Jacobs’ linebacker frame is a leg injury waiting to happen, and while admittedly I can’t guarantee New York’s staff agrees, I see no reason why Bradshaw (5-9, 200) can’t withstand 20 carries a game. The NFC East projects to be extremely tough defensively, but with emerging wideouts and Eli Manning playing like a true star last season, the Giants’ offense has upside. Bradshaw won’t cost you an early pick, but he might just win your league for you.
Random prediction No. 1: The Panthers will make the playoffs and the Saints won’t.
Random prediction No. 2: Week 1 is going to bring carnage in Survivor pools.
In hindsight, I wish I had been more aggressive drafting Malcom Floyd, who’s now locked in as San Diego’s No. 1 receiver with Vincent Jackson unlikely to ever suit up for the club again. Floyd got a ridiculous 10.5 YPA last year and could see last season’s 74 targets increase by 50%. He has one of the five best quarterbacks in the league throwing to him, and San Diego plays both the AFC West and NFC West this season. Floyd should be treated as a top-20 fantasy wide receiver, if not top-15.
This kid had a lot of money riding on the game (not the match or set, but apparently the upcoming “game!â€), when he’s first accosted by a female and then later by an older gentlemen. I remember the days when you used to be able to get belligerent and gamble at the US Open in peace, but alas, they seem to be long gone.
Two of my favorite late round WR targets are Mohamed Massaquoi and Jabar Gaffney. Massaquoi showed flashes as a rookie last year and should improve during his second year in the league. Moreover, while Jake Delhomme should rack up turnovers, he can’t help but be more accurate than last season’s group of Browns’ QBs, and Cleveland should be throwing a lot while playing catch up. Although admittedly, facing the Steelers, Bengals and Ravens six times is far from ideal. As for Gaffney, someone has to replace Brandon Marshall’s 154 targets. Demaryius Thomas has a ton of upside long-term, but he’s a rookie still dealing with a serious foot injury coming from a gimmicky college system. Eddie Royal may be more productive out of the slot (actually, it would be hard for him not to be more productive than last year’s disaster), but Gaffney, who is familiar with Josh McDaniels’ offense dating back to when they were both in New England, looks locked in as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver. He’s not a special talent, but playing in the AFC West and facing the NFC West sure doesn’t hurt matters. Besides, if you prorate Gaffney’s performance during the one game (in Week 17) he started over Marshall last year over a full season, he’d produce 224 catches and 3,408 receiving yards!!
This was a fascinating firsthand account of prison life. If you want to delve further and have an hour or two to burn, check out more here. Really, really eye opening.
Love Carnell Williams’ comeback, but last season was the first time he’s ever played in 16 games over his five-year career, and he missed a total of 22 games over the previous two years, so don’t forget just how hard it’s been for him to stay on the field. With Derrick Ward released, Kareem Huggins is an intriguing flier. Moreover, I’m buying all the Mike Williams hype. Kid looks like the real deal. It’s always tough for a rookie WR to be fantasy relevant, but he should immediately be Tampa Bay’s No. 1 wide receiver, and the team theoretically should have to throw quite a bit playing mostly from behind. Josh Freeman might not be that bad. Williams looks like a future Pro Bowler.
I would honestly give up watching one Super Bowl if it meant I could see Mayweather fight Pacquiao.
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