TE GREG OLSEN, BEARS
Trivia time! Of course you remember the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams offense of 1999-2001, right? Kurt Warner. Marshall Faulk. Torry Holt. Isaac Bruce. Az-Zahir Hakim. But who were the tight ends?
Give up?
Remember Roland Williams and Ernie Conwell?
Didn’t think so.
The reason I bring it up is because the architect of those offenses, Mike Martz, is now the offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears, which spells bad news for tight end Greg Olsen. Martz simply doesn’t utilize his tight ends as pass-catchers. He didn't in those halcyon days in St. Louis, or any other stop along the way. Want more evidence? When Martz spent 2008 as the 49ers’ O.C., Vernon Davis caught 31 passes. Davis had 52 catches the year before Martz got there, and 78 the year after he left.
Olsen, a terrific talent and great target at 6-foot-4, was supposed to have his breakout last year with Jay Cutler at the helm of the Bears' offense, and he did lead the team with 60 catches. But there’s a good chance Olsen will regress under Martz, who’s already brought in TE Brandon Manumaleuna from his later Rams days to – you guessed it – block. That's a shame, because Olsen has top-10 talent but will hard pressed to be a top-20 performer this season.
Showing posts with label Vernon Davis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vernon Davis. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Monday, January 04, 2010
2009 Fantasy Awards, Pt. 1
Time for my annual season review and the handing out of some well-deserved honors. No popularity contests or personal biases here: These awards are based strictly on the cold, hard numbers and the players' direct impact on fantasy success.
Let's do this.
FANTASY MVP
I was tempted to give the honor to Aaron Rodgers, who produced as well as any quarterback this season but could have been taken in the 3rd or 4th round or later at most drafts. But while there were a few QBs at the top of the rankings with similar stats - Rodgers, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning - one running back stood out from the pack at his position.
Chris Johnson's 2,006-yard rushing season will go down as one of the greatest in league history. CJ had a few disappointing games in the early weeks of 2009 - he had four sub-100-yard rushing performances in his first five games and failed to score a TD in any of them. But a monster Week 2 against Houston (197 rushing yards and 2 TDs, plus 87 receiving yards and a TD catch) showed us just what he was capable of. Johnson finished the season with 11 straight 100-plus-yard games. He scored 14 TDs on the ground, plus 2 more through the air to go with more than 500 receiving yards. In short, he was a fantasy beast, and in many leagues he wasn't among the top 5 or even 10 players drafted. That won't be the case next year.
BUST OF THE YEAR
I tended to be a little more bullish on Matt Forte's 2009 fantasy prospects than some publications. With the Bears' offseason acquisition of Jay Cutler, I thought Forte might significantly improve on a standout rookie season. Boy, was I wrong. He finished with just 929 rushing yards, down from last year's 1,238. He scored 4 rushing TDs, down from last year's 8. He caught 57 passes, down from last year's 63. He caught 0 TDs, down from last year's 4.
In other words, he was a bust.
2009 ALL FANTASY TEAM
QB - Drew Brees
RB1 - Chris Johnson
RB2 - Adrian Peterson
WR1 - Andre Johsnon
WR2 - Randy Moss
TE - Vernon Davis
K - David Akers
DEF - Eagles
PICKUP OF THE YEAR
Receivers Miles Austin of the Cowboys and Steve Smith of the Giants deserve recognition for going from off the radar to bona fide fantasy starters in 2009. But the honor goes to Kansas City's Jamaal Charles, who started the year blocked by Larry Johnson but finished as a 1,000-yard rusher. After the Chiefs unceremoniously dumped Johnson, Charles immediately stepped in with 103 yards and a TD against Oakland in Week 10 and never looked back. He scored 7 times in the season's final 8 weeks and topped 100 rushing yards in each of his final 4 games during a critical stretch of the fantasy season, culminating with his 259-yard, 2-TD showing in Week 17.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
First-year running backs Knowshon Moreno, Beanie Wells and LeSean McCoy were all valuable fantasy commodities at various times, but WR Percy Harvin gets the nod after catching 6 TDs. That's more than such fantasy stalwarts as Calvin Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Terrell Owens, Wes Welker, Dwayne Bowe, TJ Houshmandzadeh and Antonio Bryant. Harvin also rushed for 731 yards and scored two return TDs, making him one of the season's best flex players.
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
I hate to say it, but it's got to be Favre. He tied Rodgers for the third most pasing TDs with 33, his most since 1997. He also threw only 7 TDs, his fewest ever in a full season. That was a whopping improvement on last year's ratio (22 TDs/22 INTs). Favre entered the year considered a marginal fantasy backup but was one of the game's best QBs in 2009.
Let's do this.
FANTASY MVP
I was tempted to give the honor to Aaron Rodgers, who produced as well as any quarterback this season but could have been taken in the 3rd or 4th round or later at most drafts. But while there were a few QBs at the top of the rankings with similar stats - Rodgers, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning - one running back stood out from the pack at his position.
Chris Johnson's 2,006-yard rushing season will go down as one of the greatest in league history. CJ had a few disappointing games in the early weeks of 2009 - he had four sub-100-yard rushing performances in his first five games and failed to score a TD in any of them. But a monster Week 2 against Houston (197 rushing yards and 2 TDs, plus 87 receiving yards and a TD catch) showed us just what he was capable of. Johnson finished the season with 11 straight 100-plus-yard games. He scored 14 TDs on the ground, plus 2 more through the air to go with more than 500 receiving yards. In short, he was a fantasy beast, and in many leagues he wasn't among the top 5 or even 10 players drafted. That won't be the case next year.
BUST OF THE YEAR
I tended to be a little more bullish on Matt Forte's 2009 fantasy prospects than some publications. With the Bears' offseason acquisition of Jay Cutler, I thought Forte might significantly improve on a standout rookie season. Boy, was I wrong. He finished with just 929 rushing yards, down from last year's 1,238. He scored 4 rushing TDs, down from last year's 8. He caught 57 passes, down from last year's 63. He caught 0 TDs, down from last year's 4.
In other words, he was a bust.
2009 ALL FANTASY TEAM
QB - Drew Brees
RB1 - Chris Johnson
RB2 - Adrian Peterson
WR1 - Andre Johsnon
WR2 - Randy Moss
TE - Vernon Davis
K - David Akers
DEF - Eagles
PICKUP OF THE YEAR
Receivers Miles Austin of the Cowboys and Steve Smith of the Giants deserve recognition for going from off the radar to bona fide fantasy starters in 2009. But the honor goes to Kansas City's Jamaal Charles, who started the year blocked by Larry Johnson but finished as a 1,000-yard rusher. After the Chiefs unceremoniously dumped Johnson, Charles immediately stepped in with 103 yards and a TD against Oakland in Week 10 and never looked back. He scored 7 times in the season's final 8 weeks and topped 100 rushing yards in each of his final 4 games during a critical stretch of the fantasy season, culminating with his 259-yard, 2-TD showing in Week 17.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
First-year running backs Knowshon Moreno, Beanie Wells and LeSean McCoy were all valuable fantasy commodities at various times, but WR Percy Harvin gets the nod after catching 6 TDs. That's more than such fantasy stalwarts as Calvin Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Terrell Owens, Wes Welker, Dwayne Bowe, TJ Houshmandzadeh and Antonio Bryant. Harvin also rushed for 731 yards and scored two return TDs, making him one of the season's best flex players.
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
I hate to say it, but it's got to be Favre. He tied Rodgers for the third most pasing TDs with 33, his most since 1997. He also threw only 7 TDs, his fewest ever in a full season. That was a whopping improvement on last year's ratio (22 TDs/22 INTs). Favre entered the year considered a marginal fantasy backup but was one of the game's best QBs in 2009.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Week 9 Recap
Some random fantasy thoughts while crafting a petition to the Bucs to wear their creamsicle uniforms every week ...
- Michael Turner topped 150 yards for the second straight game and extended his scoring streak to eight straight games (166, 2 TDs). He's looking like the top-3 back we thought he'd be.
- Turner's counterpart, Clinton Portis, was knocked out against Atlanta and is looking doubtful for what could have been a decent Week 10 matchup vs. Denver. Ladell Betts (15 carries, 70 yards, TD) wasn't bad in his stead and could soon be in a Hot Pickups blog post near you.
- Who needs Anquan Boldin? The disgruntled and disappointing Cardinals WR was scratched because of a nagging ankle injury and the field conditions in Chicago (and he was none too pleased with how he was informed of the benching) ... and Kurt Warner still threw 5 TDs.
- Do Matt Forte's 6 catches for 74 yards make up for his 5 carries for 33 yards? I say no.
- Of course Greg Olsen would catch 3 TDs after I benched him at the last minute Saturday night and subbed in Heath Miller (3 catches, 18 yards).
- I gotta give it to Cedric Benson for proving me wrong so far. He's exceeded all my expectations in Cincinnati (117 more yards and a TD vs. Baltimore) and has become a must-start, even Week 10 against Pittsburgh and beyond.
- Laurence Maroney got his biggest workload of the season (20 carries) and scored for the third straight week. Is he finally a dependable fantasy starter? I'd give him a serious look for this week's showdown with Indy.
- The Packers' James Jones now has 3 receiving TDs this year, or 1 more than teammate Greg Jennings. That ain't right.
- Do we have a new fantasy star in Bucs QB Josh Freeman (14-for-31, 205 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT)? Anything's possible, but let's see what happens after the rest of the league gets some actual film on him. Encouraging start, though.
- So Chris Chambers gets released by San Diego last week, picked up by the awful Chiefs this week, plays his first game for K.C. on Sunday and has his most productive day (70 yards, 2 TDs) since Week 2 of last year. Go figure.
- Twelve carries, 22 yards for LaDainian Tomlinson. How the mighty have fallen. Last time he played the Giants, in 2005, he busted them for 192 yards and 3 TDs. Those were the days.
- Alex Smith sure does love him some Vernon Davis (10 catches, 102 yards, both career highs).
- Michael Turner topped 150 yards for the second straight game and extended his scoring streak to eight straight games (166, 2 TDs). He's looking like the top-3 back we thought he'd be.
- Turner's counterpart, Clinton Portis, was knocked out against Atlanta and is looking doubtful for what could have been a decent Week 10 matchup vs. Denver. Ladell Betts (15 carries, 70 yards, TD) wasn't bad in his stead and could soon be in a Hot Pickups blog post near you.
- Who needs Anquan Boldin? The disgruntled and disappointing Cardinals WR was scratched because of a nagging ankle injury and the field conditions in Chicago (and he was none too pleased with how he was informed of the benching) ... and Kurt Warner still threw 5 TDs.
- Do Matt Forte's 6 catches for 74 yards make up for his 5 carries for 33 yards? I say no.
- Of course Greg Olsen would catch 3 TDs after I benched him at the last minute Saturday night and subbed in Heath Miller (3 catches, 18 yards).
- I gotta give it to Cedric Benson for proving me wrong so far. He's exceeded all my expectations in Cincinnati (117 more yards and a TD vs. Baltimore) and has become a must-start, even Week 10 against Pittsburgh and beyond.
- Laurence Maroney got his biggest workload of the season (20 carries) and scored for the third straight week. Is he finally a dependable fantasy starter? I'd give him a serious look for this week's showdown with Indy.
- The Packers' James Jones now has 3 receiving TDs this year, or 1 more than teammate Greg Jennings. That ain't right.
- Do we have a new fantasy star in Bucs QB Josh Freeman (14-for-31, 205 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT)? Anything's possible, but let's see what happens after the rest of the league gets some actual film on him. Encouraging start, though.
- So Chris Chambers gets released by San Diego last week, picked up by the awful Chiefs this week, plays his first game for K.C. on Sunday and has his most productive day (70 yards, 2 TDs) since Week 2 of last year. Go figure.
- Twelve carries, 22 yards for LaDainian Tomlinson. How the mighty have fallen. Last time he played the Giants, in 2005, he busted them for 192 yards and 3 TDs. Those were the days.
- Alex Smith sure does love him some Vernon Davis (10 catches, 102 yards, both career highs).
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Hot Pickups: Week 8
FOUR STARS (Out of five)
- RB SHONN GREENE, Jets: Leon Washington's loss is Greene's gain, and the Jets have smartly morphed into a power rushing team before our eyes with a rookie QB running the offense. The rejuvenated Thomas Jones isn't going anywhere, but I think there's enough room for the two of them to be productive down the stretch (probably after this week's tough matchup against Miami).
- RB BEANIE WELLS, Cardinals: It was a bit of a mixed bag for the rookie Sunday night - he scored his first NFL TD but also lost another fumble, his third in 49 pro carries. Still, he outperformed Tim Hightower and might officially pass him on Arizona's depth chart with another good outing against Carolina.
THREE STARS
- RB JAMAAL CHARLES, Chiefs: In case you hadn't heard, Larry Johnson is at it again. Charles, one of my preseason sleepers, has been the more effective back this year again (5 yards a carry to LJ's 2.7), albeit in limited duty, and Johnson's latest antics may have finally forced K.C. into starting him after Week 8's bye. The Chiefs' line is awful, of course, but I still want to see what the little guy can do.
WR MIKE WALLACE, Steelers: The rookie from Ole Miss has made his fair share of big plays this year (17.5 yards a catch) and is coming off a big game against the Vikings (3 catches, 72 yards, TD). He's been kind of hit-or-miss, but he could be worth a start after this week's bye if you're in a pinch and rolling the dice on a TD.
QB ALEX SMITH, 49ers: It only took five years, but Smith may finally be fantasy relevant. A three-TD game coming off the bench will do that, and it's not as if there isn't talent around him (Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis, who caught those three TDs). Grab him, watch how he fares against Indianapolis this week and then plug him in against Tennessee in Week 9 if you like what you see.
- RB SHONN GREENE, Jets: Leon Washington's loss is Greene's gain, and the Jets have smartly morphed into a power rushing team before our eyes with a rookie QB running the offense. The rejuvenated Thomas Jones isn't going anywhere, but I think there's enough room for the two of them to be productive down the stretch (probably after this week's tough matchup against Miami).
- RB BEANIE WELLS, Cardinals: It was a bit of a mixed bag for the rookie Sunday night - he scored his first NFL TD but also lost another fumble, his third in 49 pro carries. Still, he outperformed Tim Hightower and might officially pass him on Arizona's depth chart with another good outing against Carolina.
THREE STARS
- RB JAMAAL CHARLES, Chiefs: In case you hadn't heard, Larry Johnson is at it again. Charles, one of my preseason sleepers, has been the more effective back this year again (5 yards a carry to LJ's 2.7), albeit in limited duty, and Johnson's latest antics may have finally forced K.C. into starting him after Week 8's bye. The Chiefs' line is awful, of course, but I still want to see what the little guy can do.
WR MIKE WALLACE, Steelers: The rookie from Ole Miss has made his fair share of big plays this year (17.5 yards a catch) and is coming off a big game against the Vikings (3 catches, 72 yards, TD). He's been kind of hit-or-miss, but he could be worth a start after this week's bye if you're in a pinch and rolling the dice on a TD.
QB ALEX SMITH, 49ers: It only took five years, but Smith may finally be fantasy relevant. A three-TD game coming off the bench will do that, and it's not as if there isn't talent around him (Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis, who caught those three TDs). Grab him, watch how he fares against Indianapolis this week and then plug him in against Tennessee in Week 9 if you like what you see.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Hot Pickups: Week 5
FIVE STARS (Out of five)
- RB RASHARD MENDENHALL, Steelers: Mendenhall ignited a running back controversy in Steel Town by outperforming starter Willie Parker in his absence on Sunday. Even if Parker (toe) returns to the lineup, the Steelers are facing the Lions and Browns in successive weeks, and Mendenhall would still likely warrant a start.
FOUR STARS
- RB JEROME HARRISON, Browns: Jamal Lewis (hamstring) is breaking down before our eyes. James Davis (shoulder) is out for the season. Harrison ran for 129 yards Sunday. This week he faces the Bills, who just gashed them for 250 yards on the ground. Need we say more?
- TE VERNON DAVIS, 49ers: The former malcontent and fantasy bust is now happy, healthy, more mature and scoring TDs left and right - two in the past three weeks. Get him while you still can.
- WR AUSTIN COLLIE, Colts: No, that's not a designer breed of dog, but rather an excellent WR option if your starter's on a bye. Collie (along with Pierre Garcon) is doing his best to replace Anthony Gonzalez, catching a season-high 6 passes, including one for a TD, against Seattle. This week he's up against the Tennessee secondary, which hasn't stopped anyone.
THREE STARS
- QB DAVID GARRARD, Jaguars: He's been alternating good and bad weeks, stat-wise, so far this season, and he's not a terrible option this week against a Seahawks secondary that just got lit up by Peyton Manning.
- RB RASHARD MENDENHALL, Steelers: Mendenhall ignited a running back controversy in Steel Town by outperforming starter Willie Parker in his absence on Sunday. Even if Parker (toe) returns to the lineup, the Steelers are facing the Lions and Browns in successive weeks, and Mendenhall would still likely warrant a start.
FOUR STARS
- RB JEROME HARRISON, Browns: Jamal Lewis (hamstring) is breaking down before our eyes. James Davis (shoulder) is out for the season. Harrison ran for 129 yards Sunday. This week he faces the Bills, who just gashed them for 250 yards on the ground. Need we say more?
- TE VERNON DAVIS, 49ers: The former malcontent and fantasy bust is now happy, healthy, more mature and scoring TDs left and right - two in the past three weeks. Get him while you still can.
- WR AUSTIN COLLIE, Colts: No, that's not a designer breed of dog, but rather an excellent WR option if your starter's on a bye. Collie (along with Pierre Garcon) is doing his best to replace Anthony Gonzalez, catching a season-high 6 passes, including one for a TD, against Seattle. This week he's up against the Tennessee secondary, which hasn't stopped anyone.
THREE STARS
- QB DAVID GARRARD, Jaguars: He's been alternating good and bad weeks, stat-wise, so far this season, and he's not a terrible option this week against a Seahawks secondary that just got lit up by Peyton Manning.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Week 3 Recap
Random fantasy thoughts while watching the Giants flat out dominate the Bucs on Sunday at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium ...
- Steve Smith (7 catches, 63 yards, TD) is Eli Manning's go-to receiver, no doubt about it. He's a must-own in all leagues at this point.
- Josh Johnson is the new Bucs starting QB, replacing Byron Leftwich. He's about the only Buc who showed a pulse on Sunday and deserves the start against Washington. But I want him nowhere near my fantasy team right now.
-Frank Gore's ankle injury is a huge letdown a week after his 200-yard game. Expect him to be out at least this week, and possibly two more after that (including a bye in Week 6). Preseason standout Glen Coffee will be a good waiver pickup this week and a sneaky play against the Rams next Sunday.
- Welcome to fantasy relevance, Vernon Davis (7 catches, 96 yards, TD). We've been waiting for you, man.
- Percy Harvin (101-yard kickoff return for a TD) continues to make an impact every week.
- Do the Patriots finally have a clear No. 1 tailback in Fred Taylor (21 carries, 105 yards, TD)? Maybe. Too bad he's got to face Baltimore next week, and then the Pats will probably reshuffle the whole rotation after that.
- Donovan McNabb has to be champing at the bit seeing the damage Kevin Kolb (327 yards, 2 TDs Sunday) is doing and looking forward to a possible Week 5 return against the Bucs after the Eagles' bye.
- Willis McGahee (7 carries, 67 yards, 2 TDs) apparently can't be stopped, but Ray Rice (11 carries, 48 yards, TD) is still getting the most work in the Ravens backfield. Le'Ron McClain (2 carries, 7 yards) is pretty much out of the picture at this point.
- Welcome, Pierre Thomas (14 carries, 126 yards, 2 TDs - all in the second half). It's now safe to use him, in case you were wondering.
- Speaking of Pierres, WR Pierre Garcon now has a place in the Colts lineup and should have a place on your roster after scoring for the second straight week.
- Steve Smith (7 catches, 63 yards, TD) is Eli Manning's go-to receiver, no doubt about it. He's a must-own in all leagues at this point.
- Josh Johnson is the new Bucs starting QB, replacing Byron Leftwich. He's about the only Buc who showed a pulse on Sunday and deserves the start against Washington. But I want him nowhere near my fantasy team right now.
-Frank Gore's ankle injury is a huge letdown a week after his 200-yard game. Expect him to be out at least this week, and possibly two more after that (including a bye in Week 6). Preseason standout Glen Coffee will be a good waiver pickup this week and a sneaky play against the Rams next Sunday.
- Welcome to fantasy relevance, Vernon Davis (7 catches, 96 yards, TD). We've been waiting for you, man.
- Percy Harvin (101-yard kickoff return for a TD) continues to make an impact every week.
- Do the Patriots finally have a clear No. 1 tailback in Fred Taylor (21 carries, 105 yards, TD)? Maybe. Too bad he's got to face Baltimore next week, and then the Pats will probably reshuffle the whole rotation after that.
- Donovan McNabb has to be champing at the bit seeing the damage Kevin Kolb (327 yards, 2 TDs Sunday) is doing and looking forward to a possible Week 5 return against the Bucs after the Eagles' bye.
- Willis McGahee (7 carries, 67 yards, 2 TDs) apparently can't be stopped, but Ray Rice (11 carries, 48 yards, TD) is still getting the most work in the Ravens backfield. Le'Ron McClain (2 carries, 7 yards) is pretty much out of the picture at this point.
- Welcome, Pierre Thomas (14 carries, 126 yards, 2 TDs - all in the second half). It's now safe to use him, in case you were wondering.
- Speaking of Pierres, WR Pierre Garcon now has a place in the Colts lineup and should have a place on your roster after scoring for the second straight week.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Don't sleep on these guys
I'm still finalizing my 2007 positional rankings for the upcoming football season, and I hope to share those with you in the coming days. Sorry, I'm a busy guy, and being a "guru" takes work. But let me tell you what I'll do for you: how about I throw a few sleepers your way? I like the following guys to exceed expectations this season:
TE Vernon Davis, 49ers: I was ecstatic to grab Davis in one draft last year, as I had him pegged as one of the few rookies who'd make a fantasy impact. And in the games he was healthy, he did, averaging 13 yards a catch and grabbing three TDs. The flip side, of course, is that he missed six games with a broken leg and was a non-factor in a handful of others. That's why you're seeing Davis typically ranked somewhere in the eight-to-10 range among tight ends, but don't let that dissuade you. He has the raw physical skills to surpass some other established vets (Alge Crumpler, L.J. Smith perhaps?) and finish in the top five - or better. A lot of his success, of course, hinges on the continued development of young Alex Smith.
RB Ronnie Brown, Dolphins: His 1,000 yards and five TDs last year didn't justify his status as a No. 1 RB for a lot of owners last year, as they were essentially the same as his rookie campaign. But looking back, those weak numbers weren't all Ronnie's bad. A lot of it had to do with the Fins' trifecta of terrible QBs (Culpepper, Harrington, Lemon, oh my!) and Nick Saban's ineptitude. The QB play should be at least a little steadier with vet Trent Green manning the ship, assuming he's shaken off the cobwebs, and with new coach Cam Cameron looking for his own take-home version of LaDainian Tomlinson, I can see Brown making a big splash this year. Grabbing him as a No. 2 RB will pay dividends.
QB David Carr, Panthers: Carr's a deep sleeper this year now that he's carrying the clipboard for veteran Jake Delhomme in Carolina after being dumped by the Texans (doesn't get a whole lot lower than that, does it?). But if Delhomme doesn't step it up this year after a disappointing 2006, I can see Carr flourishing in a much more stable environment than the one he left behind in Houston. Some have tried to spin the story as if Houston realized Carr's limitations and gave up on him because wasn't going to cut it as an NFL QB, but I'm not totally buying that - the Texans don't exactly have a history of making good decisions, do they? Anyway, Carr likely won't even be drafted in most leagues, but keep a close eye on Delhomme this preseason and at the start of '07, because the still-young Carr offers a lot more upside than most of the NFL backups out there.
TE Vernon Davis, 49ers: I was ecstatic to grab Davis in one draft last year, as I had him pegged as one of the few rookies who'd make a fantasy impact. And in the games he was healthy, he did, averaging 13 yards a catch and grabbing three TDs. The flip side, of course, is that he missed six games with a broken leg and was a non-factor in a handful of others. That's why you're seeing Davis typically ranked somewhere in the eight-to-10 range among tight ends, but don't let that dissuade you. He has the raw physical skills to surpass some other established vets (Alge Crumpler, L.J. Smith perhaps?) and finish in the top five - or better. A lot of his success, of course, hinges on the continued development of young Alex Smith.
RB Ronnie Brown, Dolphins: His 1,000 yards and five TDs last year didn't justify his status as a No. 1 RB for a lot of owners last year, as they were essentially the same as his rookie campaign. But looking back, those weak numbers weren't all Ronnie's bad. A lot of it had to do with the Fins' trifecta of terrible QBs (Culpepper, Harrington, Lemon, oh my!) and Nick Saban's ineptitude. The QB play should be at least a little steadier with vet Trent Green manning the ship, assuming he's shaken off the cobwebs, and with new coach Cam Cameron looking for his own take-home version of LaDainian Tomlinson, I can see Brown making a big splash this year. Grabbing him as a No. 2 RB will pay dividends.
QB David Carr, Panthers: Carr's a deep sleeper this year now that he's carrying the clipboard for veteran Jake Delhomme in Carolina after being dumped by the Texans (doesn't get a whole lot lower than that, does it?). But if Delhomme doesn't step it up this year after a disappointing 2006, I can see Carr flourishing in a much more stable environment than the one he left behind in Houston. Some have tried to spin the story as if Houston realized Carr's limitations and gave up on him because wasn't going to cut it as an NFL QB, but I'm not totally buying that - the Texans don't exactly have a history of making good decisions, do they? Anyway, Carr likely won't even be drafted in most leagues, but keep a close eye on Delhomme this preseason and at the start of '07, because the still-young Carr offers a lot more upside than most of the NFL backups out there.
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Great Dayne?
-This isn't easy for me as a Giants fan, but I'm recommending Ron Dayne this week. Not one of my favorite players, and his record as a pro is pretty spotty. That being said, the guy's on a considerable roll right now (at least 87 rushing yards in his last three games, plus three TDs in that span) and it comes at the perfect time - he faces the Colts on Sunday, and you know all about their run defense. Just recognize the risk involved (it's Ron Dayne after all, and he is a Texan). It's a gamble worth taking if you're lacking a solid No. 2 back.
-A stronger bet is Ladell Betts, who's making his case to be part of a platoon with Clinton Portis next season. Four straight 100-yard efforts make him almost a no-brainer against the Rams this week. That Skins backfield situation will be really interesting next season. And at the start of this year, who could have guessed we'd be considering Betts a better fantasy option than Shaun Alexander?
-As if you needed any more incentive to start Maurice Jones-Drew, Fred Taylor has been ruled out this week. Get him in that lineup.
-Is Tim Rattay actually a legit fantasy start? Well, the Bucs' offense finally stopped its Weekend at Bernie's impression last week in a surprisingly competitive game with the Bears, and most of that was due to Rattay (268 yards, three TDs). Unlike most of the other late-season replacement QBs around the league this year, Rattay actually has some NFL seasoning, and he's got a great matchup against the Browns. If you've got a void at QB, you could do worse. Just be a little wary of these late-season games that pit two bottom-feeders (see Thursday's Packers-Vikings game, last week's Packers-Lions game) - facing a poor defense isn't always a cure-all for a bad offense.
-Speaking of the Bucs, Cadillac Williams is out this week - too bad, because he misses out on the Brownies, a rare team he might have been able to run against. Michael Pittman will get most of the work, with a little Mike Alstott mixed in, but I don't think I'd be willing to risk my playoff life on either of those guys unless I'm in a super-deep league or I can time-warp to 2001.
-I'd ride the Mike Vick rollercoaster again this week. You never really know what you're going to get out of the guy, but he's got a tantalizing matchup at home against a Carolina's bruised bodies and bruised egos. His groin seems to be OK, and the last time he was coming off a four-TD game he followed it up with three scores (waiting another week to fizzle against the Lions and Browns and give his owners the finger).
-Gotta have a little Laveranues Coles in your stocking this Christmas (get it?) against the Dolphins ... he's had a couple huge games this year (last week included), and although his dealing with some back issues, the dude never misses games, and he always comes up big against Miami.
-Speaking of the Jets, this photo offers some insight on mastermind coach Eric Mangini's offensive gameplanning meetings. I think the furry red guy might be Brian Schottenheimer.
-Vernon Davis has scored in three of his first five games as a pro. If not for that broken leg he'd be near the top of all these discussions of the Great Rookie Class of '06. Start him against Arizona and keep him on your 2007 watch list. He'll be next year's Kellen Winslow.
-I like Buffalo's defense against Tennessee. Vince Young may be the greatest QB in the history of football, but I think the Bills will force the rook to make some mistakes up at the Ralph and maybe even score another TD.
-Willie Parker's been great, but he might have a tough time against the Ravens, who stuffed him in their first meeting (22 yards). Unless you're really deep at RB you might have to suck it up and start him, though. Hines Ward is an easier choice, as Ben Roethlisberger will be testing that hurting Baltimore secondary - as long as Big Ben can stay upright this time.
-I'd probably stay away from Donte' Stallworth this week. Last week's five-yard showing brought an end to a lot of fantasy seasons, and Stallworth's totals have been a mixed bag since Jeff Garcia took over as Eagles QB. Don't let your fate rest on this guy.
-A stronger bet is Ladell Betts, who's making his case to be part of a platoon with Clinton Portis next season. Four straight 100-yard efforts make him almost a no-brainer against the Rams this week. That Skins backfield situation will be really interesting next season. And at the start of this year, who could have guessed we'd be considering Betts a better fantasy option than Shaun Alexander?
-As if you needed any more incentive to start Maurice Jones-Drew, Fred Taylor has been ruled out this week. Get him in that lineup.
-Is Tim Rattay actually a legit fantasy start? Well, the Bucs' offense finally stopped its Weekend at Bernie's impression last week in a surprisingly competitive game with the Bears, and most of that was due to Rattay (268 yards, three TDs). Unlike most of the other late-season replacement QBs around the league this year, Rattay actually has some NFL seasoning, and he's got a great matchup against the Browns. If you've got a void at QB, you could do worse. Just be a little wary of these late-season games that pit two bottom-feeders (see Thursday's Packers-Vikings game, last week's Packers-Lions game) - facing a poor defense isn't always a cure-all for a bad offense.
-Speaking of the Bucs, Cadillac Williams is out this week - too bad, because he misses out on the Brownies, a rare team he might have been able to run against. Michael Pittman will get most of the work, with a little Mike Alstott mixed in, but I don't think I'd be willing to risk my playoff life on either of those guys unless I'm in a super-deep league or I can time-warp to 2001.
-I'd ride the Mike Vick rollercoaster again this week. You never really know what you're going to get out of the guy, but he's got a tantalizing matchup at home against a Carolina's bruised bodies and bruised egos. His groin seems to be OK, and the last time he was coming off a four-TD game he followed it up with three scores (waiting another week to fizzle against the Lions and Browns and give his owners the finger).
-Gotta have a little Laveranues Coles in your stocking this Christmas (get it?) against the Dolphins ... he's had a couple huge games this year (last week included), and although his dealing with some back issues, the dude never misses games, and he always comes up big against Miami.
-Speaking of the Jets, this photo offers some insight on mastermind coach Eric Mangini's offensive gameplanning meetings. I think the furry red guy might be Brian Schottenheimer.
-Vernon Davis has scored in three of his first five games as a pro. If not for that broken leg he'd be near the top of all these discussions of the Great Rookie Class of '06. Start him against Arizona and keep him on your 2007 watch list. He'll be next year's Kellen Winslow.
-I like Buffalo's defense against Tennessee. Vince Young may be the greatest QB in the history of football, but I think the Bills will force the rook to make some mistakes up at the Ralph and maybe even score another TD.
-Willie Parker's been great, but he might have a tough time against the Ravens, who stuffed him in their first meeting (22 yards). Unless you're really deep at RB you might have to suck it up and start him, though. Hines Ward is an easier choice, as Ben Roethlisberger will be testing that hurting Baltimore secondary - as long as Big Ben can stay upright this time.
-I'd probably stay away from Donte' Stallworth this week. Last week's five-yard showing brought an end to a lot of fantasy seasons, and Stallworth's totals have been a mixed bag since Jeff Garcia took over as Eagles QB. Don't let your fate rest on this guy.
Monday, September 25, 2006
WEEK 3 - Sunday Recap
- The Rams got the best of old pal Kurt Warner and the Cardinals, thanks to his FOUR turnovers. Does that mean Matt Leinart should start warming up? Not yet, but it will just be more evidence for Dennis Green when he eventually makes the switch.
- Another nice outing for Mr. Torry Holt (120 yards, TD). He's as steady as they come.
- Here's why you can't always just go by the injury report: Brian Westbrook was questionable with a sore knee. He didn't practice Friday. But he's one of your stud guys, your first or second pick. He's got an enticing matchup against the Niners. Unless you're in some ridiculous league where you've got another stud on the bench, you've got to start him if he's cleared to play. All he did was rush for 117 yards and two TDs, then tack on 47 receiving yards - and another score! When you're setting your lineup, sometimes you've just gotta go with your heart.
- It was a similar story with Ahman Green. He was questionable with a hamstring issue. But I had to start him out of necessity because of the bye week. ESPN even put up a graphic sometime around 12:15 on Sunday saying he was "OUT," just to fool me, but Chris Berman later corrected it to say Green would play. What a nice fellow, that Boomer. Anyway, Green was good (68 rushing yards, 63 receiving yards and a TD), even though he had a costly fumble, but that's been a problem with him for years. The lesson: if a banged-up guy is cleared to play, and you would have started him anyway if it weren't for his injury, you should probably still start him.
- Need WR help? Get Green Bay rookie Greg Jennings while you still can.
- Hear that huge whoosing sound off in the distance Sunday? That was Clinton Portis owners everywhere taking a huge sigh of relief. The big guy had 164 total yards and two TDs, giving sweet satisfaction to those who took a gamble on him after two weeks of frustration. Granted, he was playing the Texans, who managed to make even Mark Brunell look good, but Portis should be cool from here on out.
- Another happy return: Steve Smith finally took the field and looked pretty good (seven catches, 112 yards) against the Bucs as he eased himself back into action. Welcome back!
- San Francisco TE Vernon Davis cracked a bone in his leg and could miss four weeks. If you need a replacement, look no further that his teammate, Eric Johnson, who caught seven passes and a TD on Sunday in Davis' absence. The Ivy Leaguer fell off the radar last year when he missed the season with a foot injury, but he led the Niners in receptions (82) the year before. He should have a bigger role in the offense the next few weeks.
- Another Niner whose stock has risen: WR/RB Michael Robinson. The former Penn State quarterback rushed for 29 yards and two TDs against Philly, and with starter Frank Gore suffering a strained abdomen already being questionable for next week, M-Rob could be getting some more touches. At the very least he may have earned himself a spot as the short-yardage back. He's got two key characteristics for that role: a big heart, and an even bigger cranium.
- Hope you weren't counting on Chris Simms at QB, but if you were, he's out indefinitely after suffering a ruptured spleen. As if the pirate ship wasn't already sinking in Tampa Bay, rookie Bruce Gradkowski now gets the call. He might have a future in the NFL, but the future is not now.
- Another pedestrian outing from Daunte Culpepper: 17 for 26, 168 yards, one TD rushing, no TDs passing, no INTs and a fumble. Not a total disaster (the Dolphins did win), but certainly not the breakout game we expected against the lowly Titans. It doesn't look like he's going to be a major fantasy force anytime soon.
- Welcome to fantasy football, Maurice Jones-Drew: 103 rushing yards and a TD catch against the Colts will make the Jacksonville rookie a hot pickup, especially when he outdid veteran Fred Taylor (74 yards).
- More RBBC (running back by committee) aggravation: Dominic Rhodes (14 carries, 48 yards) vs. Joseph Addai (three carries, 15 yards); Laurence Maroney (12 carries, 18 yards) vs. Corey Dillon (five carries, 16 yards, left with arm injury); Tatum Bell (27 carries, 123 yards) vs. Mike Bell (four carries, 12 yards); Kevan Barlow (12 carries, 31 yards, TD) vs. Cedric Houston (two carries, 10 yards, TD) vs. Leon Washington (seven carries, 25 yards; two carries, 52 yards). Maroney gets an obvious upgrade if Dillon is hurt; Tatum is separating himself; Barlow is the Jets' main guy but the other guys will steal touches; and in Indy it's anybody's guess.
- To those who added Rex Grossman and expected another four-TD day: that's not how it works, guys.
- Lots of yards for Willis McGahee (150) again, but does the dude have a fear of the end zone? Browns QB Charlie Frye now has three rushing TDs, while McGahee has zero.
- Carson Palmer throws four TDs, and not one to Chad Johnson. In fact, Chad had only one catch for 11 yards. What the heck is up with that??
- Almost thought Eli Manning wasn't gonna come through this week as the Giants got spanked by the Seahawks, but three late TD passes salvaged a nice game. Is there anything sweeter than garbage time?
- Another nice outing for Mr. Torry Holt (120 yards, TD). He's as steady as they come.
- Here's why you can't always just go by the injury report: Brian Westbrook was questionable with a sore knee. He didn't practice Friday. But he's one of your stud guys, your first or second pick. He's got an enticing matchup against the Niners. Unless you're in some ridiculous league where you've got another stud on the bench, you've got to start him if he's cleared to play. All he did was rush for 117 yards and two TDs, then tack on 47 receiving yards - and another score! When you're setting your lineup, sometimes you've just gotta go with your heart.
- It was a similar story with Ahman Green. He was questionable with a hamstring issue. But I had to start him out of necessity because of the bye week. ESPN even put up a graphic sometime around 12:15 on Sunday saying he was "OUT," just to fool me, but Chris Berman later corrected it to say Green would play. What a nice fellow, that Boomer. Anyway, Green was good (68 rushing yards, 63 receiving yards and a TD), even though he had a costly fumble, but that's been a problem with him for years. The lesson: if a banged-up guy is cleared to play, and you would have started him anyway if it weren't for his injury, you should probably still start him.
- Need WR help? Get Green Bay rookie Greg Jennings while you still can.
- Hear that huge whoosing sound off in the distance Sunday? That was Clinton Portis owners everywhere taking a huge sigh of relief. The big guy had 164 total yards and two TDs, giving sweet satisfaction to those who took a gamble on him after two weeks of frustration. Granted, he was playing the Texans, who managed to make even Mark Brunell look good, but Portis should be cool from here on out.
- Another happy return: Steve Smith finally took the field and looked pretty good (seven catches, 112 yards) against the Bucs as he eased himself back into action. Welcome back!
- San Francisco TE Vernon Davis cracked a bone in his leg and could miss four weeks. If you need a replacement, look no further that his teammate, Eric Johnson, who caught seven passes and a TD on Sunday in Davis' absence. The Ivy Leaguer fell off the radar last year when he missed the season with a foot injury, but he led the Niners in receptions (82) the year before. He should have a bigger role in the offense the next few weeks.
- Another Niner whose stock has risen: WR/RB Michael Robinson. The former Penn State quarterback rushed for 29 yards and two TDs against Philly, and with starter Frank Gore suffering a strained abdomen already being questionable for next week, M-Rob could be getting some more touches. At the very least he may have earned himself a spot as the short-yardage back. He's got two key characteristics for that role: a big heart, and an even bigger cranium.
- Hope you weren't counting on Chris Simms at QB, but if you were, he's out indefinitely after suffering a ruptured spleen. As if the pirate ship wasn't already sinking in Tampa Bay, rookie Bruce Gradkowski now gets the call. He might have a future in the NFL, but the future is not now.
- Another pedestrian outing from Daunte Culpepper: 17 for 26, 168 yards, one TD rushing, no TDs passing, no INTs and a fumble. Not a total disaster (the Dolphins did win), but certainly not the breakout game we expected against the lowly Titans. It doesn't look like he's going to be a major fantasy force anytime soon.
- Welcome to fantasy football, Maurice Jones-Drew: 103 rushing yards and a TD catch against the Colts will make the Jacksonville rookie a hot pickup, especially when he outdid veteran Fred Taylor (74 yards).
- More RBBC (running back by committee) aggravation: Dominic Rhodes (14 carries, 48 yards) vs. Joseph Addai (three carries, 15 yards); Laurence Maroney (12 carries, 18 yards) vs. Corey Dillon (five carries, 16 yards, left with arm injury); Tatum Bell (27 carries, 123 yards) vs. Mike Bell (four carries, 12 yards); Kevan Barlow (12 carries, 31 yards, TD) vs. Cedric Houston (two carries, 10 yards, TD) vs. Leon Washington (seven carries, 25 yards; two carries, 52 yards). Maroney gets an obvious upgrade if Dillon is hurt; Tatum is separating himself; Barlow is the Jets' main guy but the other guys will steal touches; and in Indy it's anybody's guess.
- To those who added Rex Grossman and expected another four-TD day: that's not how it works, guys.
- Lots of yards for Willis McGahee (150) again, but does the dude have a fear of the end zone? Browns QB Charlie Frye now has three rushing TDs, while McGahee has zero.
- Carson Palmer throws four TDs, and not one to Chad Johnson. In fact, Chad had only one catch for 11 yards. What the heck is up with that??
- Almost thought Eli Manning wasn't gonna come through this week as the Giants got spanked by the Seahawks, but three late TD passes salvaged a nice game. Is there anything sweeter than garbage time?
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