First, there’s the LestersLegends Pick ‘em Challenge.  Each week you pick the winners.  We’ve stepped it up this year and added the Spread option.  Come flex your skills and show everyone what you’re made of.

Group ID: 2088
Password:  football
URL:  http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/pickem/register/joingroup

If Survival Pool is your thing, then see if you can outlast the field.  Pick one winner a week to win.  No repeats. See if you can survive the whole season like I did last year.

Group ID:  3335
Password:  2010
URL:  http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/survival/register/joingroup

I’d love to compete against you in both leagues.  It only takes a minute or two to get registered.  Get in the game!

Some reasonably available players to assist you in the Strikeouts category.  Realize that some of these will come with high ERAs & WHIPs because if a Pitcher has low numbers in those categories and a good K total, they’re already spoken for.

Ian Kennedy, Arizona Diamondbacks
Kennedy had 21 strikeouts (9.9 K/9 ratio) over the past 15 days while going 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. On the year he’s 9-9 with 145 Ks (7.9 K/9), a 4.20 ERA, and 1.25 WHIP. Ian is owned in 57 percent of CBS and 12 percent of ESPN leagues.

Joe Blanton, Philadelphia Phillies
Blanton had 19 strikeouts (8.8 K/9) over the past 15 days while going 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. On the year he’s 6-6 with 98 Ks (6.4 K/9), a 5.15 ERA, and a 1.42 WHIP. Joe is owned in 53 percent of CBS and 34 percent of ESPN leagues.

Jason Hammel, Colorado Rockies
Hammel had 17 strikeouts (8.7 K/9) over the past 15 days while going 1-0 with a 3.57 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. On the year he’s 9-7 with 123 Ks (7.5 K/9), a 4.32 ERA, and a 1.32 WHIP. Jason is owned in 44 percent of CBS and eight percent of ESPN leagues.

Brian Matusz, Baltimore Orioles
Matusz had 17 strikeouts (7.3 K/9) over the past 15 days while going 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP. On the year he’s 7-12 with 117 Ks (7.0 K/9), a 4.72 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. Brian is owned in 46 percent of CBS and 35 percent of ESPN leagues.

Jhoulys Chacin, Colorado Rockies
Chacin had 16 strikeouts (9.8 K/9) over the past 15 days while going 2-0 with a 0.61 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP. On the year he’s 7-9 with 109 Ks (9.6 K/9), a 3.79 ERA, and a 1.27 WHIP. Jhoulys is owned in 39 percent of CBS and nine percent of ESPN leagues.

Brett Cecil, Toronto Blue Jays
Cecil had 16 strikeouts (13 K/9) over the past 15 days while going 2-1 with a 2.49 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. On the year he’s 11-7 with 105 Ks (6.4 K/9), a 3.74 ERA, and a 1.21 WHIP. Brett is owned in 59 percent of CBS and 19 percent of ESPN leagues.

Mike Minor, Atlanta Braves
Minor is 3-0 in four starts with 26 strikeouts (10.2 K/9), a 3.91 ERA, and a 1.35 WHIP. He’s owned in 60 percent of CBS and 17 percent of ESPN leagues.

High Strikeout Middle Relievers (stats over past 15 days)
Marcos Mateo, CHC:  7 IP, 15 Ks, 9.00 ERA, 1.57 WHIP
Nick Masset, CIN:  10-1/3 IP, 14 Ks, 0.00 ERA, 0.29 WHIP
Chris Sale, CHW:  6-1/3 IP, 13 Ks, 1.42 ERA, 1.42 WHIP
Jonny Venters, ATL:  8-2/3 IP, 13 Ks, 6.23 ERA, 1.50 WHIP
Thomas Diamond, CHC:  7-2/3 IP, 12 Ks, 2.35 ERA, 0.65 WHIP
Tim Stauffer, SD:  12-1/3 IP, 12 Ks, 2.19 ERA, 1.22 WHIP
Todd Coffey, MIL:  7-2/3 IP, 11 Ks, 3.52 ERA, 1.43 WHIP
Tyler Clippard, WAS:  9 IP, 11 Ks, 3.00 ERA, 1.22 WHIP
Kenley Jansen, LAA:  7 IP, 10 Ks, 1.29 ERA, 1.14 WHIP
Ryan Madson, PHI:  10 IP, 10 Ks, 1.80 ERA, 0.90 WHIP

With each passing day the likelihood that Vincent Jackson will play a down for the Chargers this season worsens. Even with their new rookie RB Ryan Mathews figuring to provide more balance on offense, this is still Philip Rivers team, meaning they will be throwing the football early and often.

Antonio Gates will likely lead the Chargers in targets, but Floyd will be counted on to use his big frame (6’5″, 225 lbs) similar to the way Vincent Jackson did.

Floyd showed big play potential last year catching 45 passes for 776 yards (17.2 yards per catch). His career ypc is 16.5. He’ll have to improve on his one TD though. However, with Vincent Jackson (6’5″, 230) out of the mix, Floyd will be more likely to get them. Legedu Naanee (6/2″, 220) just doesn’t have the size Floyd does.

Assuming V-Jax doesn’t play for the Chargers Floyd could be a steal in fantasy drafts. His current Mock Draft Central ADP is 69th (25th WR). It’s a little bit of a risk going with a somewhat unknown commodity, but sometimes you need to take risks to win. In all likelihood you can get the number one WR on a pass-first team as a WR3. What’s not to like about that scenario?

What are your thoughts on Malcom Floyd? Would you want him as your WR3?

Michael Crabtree sits atop many people’s 2010 breakout candidate lists, and with good reason.  Despite not yet playing in a preseason game due to a neck strain (though he has returned to practice) and playing in just 11 games in his rookie campaign due to a holdout, there is no doubting his talent.

Last season he had 48 receptions for 625 yards and 2 TD, only twice having as few as three receptions (and never having more then six).  He was consistent, and that came despite questionable quarterback play and no preseason to get a rapport with his teammates.

While he has missed time during camp this year, he already has worked with Alex Smith.  The two know each other and now just need to get their timing back on track.  It doesn’t take four preseason games to do that.

The team has also improved the talent on the offensive side of the ball.  Added are Ted Ginn, Jr. and Brian Westbrook, not to mention Vernon Davis’ 2009 breakout.  Throw in a healthy Frank Gore, and the 49ers actually produce matchup issues for opposing defenses.

We’ve discussed Smith as a potential sleeper in the past (click here to view), and the former first overall pick is finally showing signs of living up to his draft position.  In three preseason games he has gone 21-37, completing nearly 57% of his passes.  All he needs to do is distribute the ball around the field and put his teammates in position to make plays.

At 6′1″, 214 lbs., Crabtree is a big target with the potential to make big plays.  No receiver had more then 22 catches of 20+ yards last season.  Despite his limited playing time and receptions, he had 10, the same number as Anquan Boldin.  Just imagine what he has the potential to do now that he is fully immersed in the offense?

The sky is truly the limit, and as a WR2, he is a great get.  He currently has an ADP of 43.3 according to Mock Draft Central, the fourteenth receiver coming off the board.  While that’s slightly higher then I have him (16th on the most recent rankings, which you can view by clicking here), he is still a terrific pick.  By year’s end, he has the opportunity to emerge as a WR1 in all formats.

What are your thoughts on Crabtree?  Do you think he’ll live up to the hype?  Or do you expect him to be a fantasy bust?

Make sure to check out Rotoprofessor’s 2010 rankings:

• Top 25 Quarterbacks
• Top 40 Running Backs
• Top 60 Wide Receivers
• Top 20 Tight Ends
• Top 15 Kickers

   

Image courtesy of Icon SMI