RESERVATIONS 4-SIX

Drinking, Driving, and Touchdowns

2012-06-21T20:37:00.002-07:00

Why It's Time For Roger Goodell to Lay The Hammer Down on DUI's

Crush a bit, little bit, roll it up, take a hit

Feelin’ lit feelin’ light, 2 am summer night.

I don't care, hand on the wheel, drivin drunk, I'm doin’ my thang
Rollin the Midwest side and out livin’ my life getting’ out dreams

Perhaps it was Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness" that blared from the car stereo as the newly drafted rookie sensation swerved across multiple lanes on an Oklahoma highway. It was oddly enough a warm summer night, and the time was around 2 AM when Justin Blackmon saw flashing red lights in his rear view mirror.

The draft's most highly touted wideout in the 2012 class now found himself covered by the best cornerback in the world, the United States Police. He usually never had any trouble exploding off the line of scrimmage and getting open, but his lack of awareness and blood shot eyes were making this game a little harder than those past. Slurring his speech and stumbling uncontrollably, Justin exited the vehicle. "I"m literally not a drinker. I'm literally not a drinker." The former college All American and Biletnikoff award winner repeated these words over and over throughout the night, hoping someone would hear his plea.

Every game comes to its inevitable end, and this time the fourth quarter occurred in the back of a police car. The post game festivities were held in a Tulsa based penitentiary. At 10AM central standard time, Justin Blackmon found himself in shackles under federal custody.

The Goodell Signal

In the face of frightening peril and inescapable evil, one light shines over the city of Gotham to comfort and protect its citizens. Hey Commisioner Gordon while you're up there, you mind turning on the Goodell Signal for us too? Things appear grim down here. Really grim.

Despite constant media coverage surrounding the bounty gate scandal, driving under the influence is the league's most vile and rampant epidemic. Almost every 90 seconds a person is injured in a drunk driving crash. Nearly half of all traffic related incidents are due to intoxication behind the wheel. One in three Americans is involved in a drunk driving accident in their lifetime. Yet it seems everyday we awake to the news of one our Sunday heroes putting not only his own life in grave danger but also the well being of others.

Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley and New York Giants Offensive Lineman David Diehl both dominate the trenches but were recently the latest offenders of this egregious crime. Diehl decided to get loaded and nail a few parked cars with his BMW before calling it a successful night out. Fairley felt like evading the authorities before he blew a breathalyzer to the moon.

What drives legends of the gridiron to take such chances? It's extremely easy for me to sit from afar and ponder "Why don't they just hire a freaking driver. Is it just alcohol induced decision hazy decision making, arrogance, or just an exhilarating rush to put the lives of innocent women and children at risk?"

In a well written essay by Mike Freeman, the CBS sports journalist details that players do not trust car services due to "extreme paranoia." Some fear that pictures will be taken of them in car services and sold to tabloids. Others enjoy the thrill of showing off their personal cars and driving them through town.

At their very core, some NFL players believe they are invincible. These young men grow up as the pride and joy of their families, friends, towns, and communities. In a sense, some become their own Gods that can do no wrong and never face the consequences of their actions. And who could blame them for thinking so? Aren't we the ones who turn them into monsters?

Regardless of the psychological and sociological reasons behind the vast number of athletes driving drunk, something drastic must be done to protect the innocent and the NFL. And there's only one man for the job.

Dropping The Hammer

On June 13th amidst the DUI fever across the league, Roger Goodell sent out a memo to all 32 organizations that was forwarded to management and player personnel.

"There have been several negative law enforcement incidents in recent months involving both players and non-player employees. These incidents primarily have involved alcohol or drug-related offenses, specifically driving while impaired. Clearly, operating a vehicle under the influence of any substance poses a significant risk of injury to the driver and others. These risks are underscored by well-known tragedies within the NFL family.

"The Personal Conduct Policy makes clear that we must all conduct ourselves in a manner that is "responsible, that promotes the values upon which the league is based, and is lawful." Every negative incident undermines the respect we have earned from our fans, erodes the confidence of our business partners and threatens the continued success of the league.

Sincerely,

NFL Commisioner

-Roger Goodell

This is what Goodell should have sent to all 32 teams.

"If you drive while incapacitated, I will take every last cent you out out of your wallet. You think I fine James Harrison pretty frequently? I will make your ass more broke than Pac Man Jones after a wild night at the strip club. Bottom line, I own you. The NFL is the most dominant brand in all of sports and I will do everything in my power to make sure a player, who on average last less than 2 years in this league, doesn't put America's most powerful corporation in jeopardy. Bow before me. In the words of Mark Zuckerberg, I'm CEO, Bitch.

Sincerely,

-Roger Goodell
NFL Commisioner

Sure, Roger might not be able to use similar verbiage, but it's time to drop the hammer like Thor. No commissioner in professional sports is given more free reign in disciplining players. The former lawyer and Rooney disciple sent one of the strongest and most controversial messages in league history regarding the New Orleans bounty gate scandal. Some feel punishments received by Saints players and coaches were too severe, but one thing is clear. No NFL team will ever set bounties against other players again. No team can afford to lose its personnel for a whole season and possibly forever. I have commended Goodell for his commitment to player safety, but now its time to further commit to player safety and citizen safety once more. If player on player crime such as bounties can result in huge penalties, how much more severe should the sanctions be when innocent people could potentially be killed? Currently, the maximum fine a player can receive for DUI's is 50,000 dollars and game suspensions. It's time to tremendously up the monetary ante so players fear the repercussions of their actions and do everything in their will to get a designated driver.

One message desperately needs to be sent to NFL players about driving while under the influence.

You Can't Afford It.

Big Leapers

2012-06-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

BIG LEAPERS

Players primed to breakout or take the next step into NFL stardom

Dez Bryant - Bryant will be looking to shed his "Manchild" reputation or at least the child part of that and become a Man (though not yet 40). With the physical skill set Dez is blessed with there's no corner he cannot beat. Theres not a coverage that can hold this monster if hes fully committed to excellence. Bryant has admitted to not being at his best conditioning wise last year. He had a knack for disappearing in games. Mental lapses. All that appears to be behind him according to all camp reports thus far. Romo and Jerry Jones have praised his conditioning, maturity and chemistry. If Dez has indeed matured his upside is near unlimited. There's nothing he can't accomplish given his elite abilities and situation. Posting top 5 WR numbers can easily be achieved.

Fred Davis - Despite shaky QB play for much of last season Davis still had 796 yards in just 12 games (a pace for over 1061 over 16 games). With RG3 under center better and more consistant QB play can be expected. Theres a learning curve with all rookies yes, but Rookie QBs tend to lean on their TEs' for security which will only inflate Freds' numbers. Davis has all the attributes needed to take the next step towards the games elite TEs'. For those of you who enjoy a good bargain, target Davis in 2012 drafts as he's sure to be a steal.

Jake Locker - Although his sample size of game action last year was small one thing is certain. Raw, yes, but Locker is immensely talented. He's said to be in the middle of a QB battle with Matthew Hasselbeck, but I don't see any way Locker doesn't come out on top. He's there future and there best shot at a present. With Kenny Britt, Kendall Wright, Nate Washington, Jared Cook and Chris Johnson as his arsenal the ceiling for his 2012 season will be very high even with it being his first as an NFL starter. He will step in with 4000 yard 25 TD 400 rushing yard upside. In addition to his laser arm capable of making any throw Locker is gifted with tremendous athleticism. His sub 4.6 forty and elusiveness coupled with the opposing defenses' attention focused on Chris Johnson and the rest of the Titans young playmakers numerous running lanes will be open for the young gunslinger.

Robert Meachem - Meachem was only asked to do one thing in NO due to their plethora of weapons, go deep. Now that he's in SD and replacing Vincent Jackson he will be asked to expand his game. Meachem has always held ample upside as a WR, but just hasn't been in a situation to be leaned on. Reports thus far have been nothing but complimentary on Meachem. To reiterate that I'll provide a quote from Norv Turner, "He's a deep threat, but he's also a more versatile receiver than I thought... He can do a lot more things than he did in New Orleans because they didn't need those things from him because they had other guys. But he's an outstanding route runner, he's a good 'feel' receiver and he does have outstanding hands." Turner goes on to predict a 1000 yard campaign from Meachem this season. Bullish? Perhaps, but it's certainly possible given the situation.

Demaryius Thomas - Thomas averaged 90 yards a game over the last 5 games of the season showing great ability after the catch and exactly what he's capable of when healthy. All that was with Tebow under center. Now he has one of the greatest signal callers of all time delivering him the ball. Thomas already an icredibly explosive WR plans to cut 10 lbs this offseason to further add to that. Former NFL scout Gary Horton says Demaryius Thomas "will be something special" if he stays healthy this season. That seems to be the issue with many of the elite talents in the NFL, but never-the-less his upside with Manning is vast.

Jared Cook - Cook averaged over 113 ypg over the final 3 games of last season. Head coach Mike Munchak attributes the late surge to "growing confidence". Cook has all the physical tools needed to succeed and if he can carry that momentem and confidence into 2012 you will witness a very special player at the TE position for the Titans. At 6'5" 250 lbs with a 4.5 forty Cook has the build to dominate much like Vernon Davis does.

Pierre Garcon - Garcon is fastly becoming one of my favorite WR's to target this season. He played exceptionally well last season despite the lackluster QB play from Colt signal callers. His receiving totals have gone up each yr of his career and after a 947 yard outburst last season I think he's ready to eclipse the 1000 yard mark, possibly with ease. RG3 can immedietely step in and have one of the games best deep balls complimenting Garcons' skill to perfection. I believe the two will combine for one of the leagues best big play tandums. In fact, A "trusted" NFL personnel man told NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah that Pierre Garcon will "put up huge numbers" in the Redskins' offense. I couldn't agree more. Garcon will flourish in Washington producing game changing totals from a guy who could be drafted as your WR3.

~ Joseph Turnbull ~

Offseason Notes Part 2

2012-06-19T18:09:00.002-07:00

ENDZONE ALLEYs' Offseason Notes Continued

Ray Rice - Ray Rice is in the middle of a holdout and as Chris Johnson displayed to perfection last season, runningbacks who hold out under perform and are more susceptible to injury. His workload since 09 is 332, 371 and 367 touches (not including playoffs). Perhaps those high touch totals played a part in the Ravens trading up to land Bernard Pierce in the 3rd round. The Ray Rice hold out is definitely a situation to monitor as the longer his holdout lasts the stronger the chances are of, if nothing more, a sluggish start (which is the norm for holdouts).

Maurice Jones-Drew - MJDs' touch total the last 3 seasons looks like 365, 333, 386 respectively. An obvious heavy workload. It was noted earlier this month that he had lost a step and now he's in the middle of whats shaping up to be "a lengthy holdout" according to Adam Schefter. MJD is built like a human bowling ball yes, but eventually the wheels will fall off. At the very least his production should take a significant dip this season as its very doubtfull hes able to exceed 1600 rushing yards back to back seasons.

Demarco Murray - Murray has been cleared to play and dazzled thus far in camp. According to Fox Sports SouthWest, "it's obvious that DeMarco Murray is going to be the featured back". It appears Murray is ready to step in and pick up right where he left off last season before going down with injury. Dallas also passed the ball in the redzone at a rate of 87% last season. One that is highly unlikely to be repeated and give Murray many more scoring opportunities.

Darren McFadden - McFadden possesses the highest upside of any RB in the NFL. Unfortunately he hasn't been able to reach his full potential due to injury history. His latest injury will likely draw enough of a red flag to fantasy owners to slide him outside the top 12 picks. If you fortunate enough to have DMac fall to your 2nd pick you simply snatch him without hesitation. Yes, it hurts to "whiff"
on an early pick and his injury risk certainly warrants ample "whiff" potential, but you can't play not to lose. As Herm Edwards would say, "You play to win the game".

Matt Forte - Forte is a no show thus far and as that along with the signing of Michael Bush and his prior injury could all add up to one big red flag I still sit optimisticly on the issue. Forte has never totaled under 1400 scrimage yards in a season in his career. He's comming off a career high in ypc at 4.9 and if you had the pleasure of watching him last season you will remember how his play was without question elite. Forte will continue to run with great motivation and possibly more than ever with Michael Bush on his heels. Forte wants to get paid and get paid generously. Jay Cutler was quoted to say "He was huge, all ripped up," "I was like, 'What do you do?' (Forte replied) 'All I do is go to the weight room. I've got nothing else to do.'" As long as Forte signs be ready to pay for his consistant top end numbers he produces week to week.

Kenny Britt - Due to a recent set back Britt was forced to under go yet another knee surgery this offseason to clean up his torn ACL. Although it was minor he should be dropped in early rankings until further notice. Britt has mamouth upside when healthy but as a player who relys heavily on explosiveness he may end up being a player to avoid this season if hes not 100%.

Greg Little - Little only played one year of college at the WR position. He came into the NFL as a very raw talent which lead to expected rookie "growing pains". Despite his lack of polish and being on one of the leagues most stagnant offenses Little still posted a respectable 61 catch 709 yard season. His open field moves resemble those of Brandon Marshalls. Little lacks the same explosiveness, but hes doing his best to change that. He's lost 11lbs due to "working out and good nutrition". With a full season under his belt and a full offseason of work Little could be primed for a 1000 yard campaign. In fact The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot believes WR Greg Little is capable of "maybe even a Pro Bowl-type of year if Brandon Weeden wins the starting quarterback job." Sure, that may be a little ambitious, but Weeden does appear to be in the driver seat for the starting job, he is a QB upgrade and Little looks to have more polish to go with his after the catch skills.

Lestar Jean - His camp play thus far earned him the nickname "big play". He's been said to have learned all 3 WR positions and thus shouldn't have a problem finding ways on the field. Kevin Walter is all that stands in his way from making some serious noise in fantasy circles. At 6'3" 215 lbs with sub 4.5 speed to his credit a potential starting gig opposite Andre Johnson would put him in consistant mismatches. As a possible "camp sensation" Jean is most certainly a player for all to monitor.

~Joseph Turnbull~

MISC Offseason Notes

2012-06-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

Its now June and OTA reports are already rolling in to provide hype or red flags on players based on their "fitness" level and performance in shorts. It seems almost every update includes something along the lines of "best shape I've ever seen" or "showed up x amount of lbs overweight". Universal opinion may be split in either one, over hyping "shorts" updates or two, disregarding them all together. I believe every item of note... is an item of note. Keep it all in mind. Store it and look for similar trending future updates. McFadden, was said to be in premier condition last offseason and jumped out to a blazing start before going down with injury. Chris Johnsons' fitness level was questioned and he had an unbelievably slow start.

2012 Offseason Check in: Part One

Ryan Mathews: I list him first not only for reports of him being in the best shape of his career, but because I believe he will the biggest swing player of round one. Meaning stealing him in the latter part of round one could be your first major step in the direction of a Championship. Yes, it could be that quickly. Obviously there is countless variables in Fantasy Sports but landing the potential number one RB and Most Valuable Fantasy Scorer at the end of Round one tilts the table in your direction. You will then be allowed to Pair him with another premier high upside player which gives you a lethal scoring duo and allows for some "misses" down the road. Mathews only received 222 carries last season and 157 the year prior. He has more than enough tread on the tires to handle a major work load in 2012. HC Norv Turner has a history of using a workhorse. Ricky Williams had two seasons of at least 383 touches under him. In this case Turner has a Clydesdale for Mathews can simply do everything a RB needs to do and do it as well as anyone. There won't be a better blend of situation plus talent than Mathews in 2012.

Adrian Peterson: He's an absolute freak. So what if he tore his ACL in late December. Who cares. He's been running since February and has been beating the likes of Percy Harvin and Joe Webb in sprints. He is light years ahead of schedule, The Vikings landed a big upgrade to their line with premier OT Matt Kalil. Christian Ponder should be productive enough to keep defenses honest. I would NOT let AP slip out of the First round in my draft. Don't let the ACL progression chart scare you off. AP is no normal Human. Again... He's an absolute freak.

Jamaal Charles: Charles is one of the biggest Wild Cards of the 2012 draft. His game is built on explosion, speed and sharp cuts. Everything the ACL limits. On top of the the chiefs added Peyton Hillis this offseason which will only further cap his upside. That being said I'm one of the biggest Charles supporters. When he says he's coming back bigger, stronger and faster I believe him. Charles is not a boastful arrogant look at me type player. He's one of the most humble players in the game today and he was only further humbled by his injury. There's no doubt in my mind as I am typing this that Jamaal is out there somewhere working out like a madman with one this on his mind. Redemption. In his mind he was robbed of his 2011 season which could of very well been his rise to the top of the leagues RB hierarchy. 2012 will showcase a Jamaal Charles who won't be looking for 10, 20, or even 50 yards. He will be looking for a house call each and every time he has the ball in his hands and will be looking to inflict as much pain on all those who doubt him as possible. Do NOT doubt Jamaal Charles in 2012. Fear him. Fear what he will do against you.

Chris Johnson: Yes, it's true I was bald for much of the 2011 season from pulling my hair out due to his ABYSMAL effort and production for much of the year. Last season Johnson was under weight and out of shape. Even in the latter part of the season where he "broke out" he was still not at 100%. Johnson is now back to his Rookie season weight and is in tremendous physical condition according to reports. Johnson will bounce back in a big way providing nice dividends for trusting owners.

LeGarrette Blount: Blounts' disappointing 2011 season was in large part due to his team and game flow. Not his ability and although the drafting of Doug Martin could mean a bench role for Blount he should be able to provide a nice profit margin for believers. The Bucs will be as run heavy as any team. Their offensive line is improved and their Defense has no where to go but up to effectively balance game flow to give Blount his fair share of chances. I'd look for him to fit the Brandon Jacobs role to perfection. 8-10 carries a game providing over 5 ypc as he will be in FULL on "Blount Force" mode with those limited carries to keep him nothing but fresh. A demotion to a back up role will only further anger Blount. Reports are he's already highly motivated to keep the starter role and in tremendous physical form. Having seen him in person this offseason I can actually vouch for those updates. He's in freakish form. Look for him to provide multiple highlight reel runs consisting of countless Broken tackles leading to stat lines such as 8 carries 100 yards 2 TD's. No I don't think its unrealistic to expect multiple stat lines similar to the one mentioned. He should hold onto the goaline role on an offense that is much improved featuring Vincent Jackson and Doug Martin now. Josh Freeman is a natural born leader. He will bounce back nicely for the Bucs.

Happy NFL Draft Eve

2012-04-25T23:09:00.001-07:00

I wonder if at this very moment the following NFL prospects are sitting back in their hotels or wherever they maybe staying for the night and playing this in their head (click here.... just trust me.... click) Rewatching that clip got me to thinking. Why doesn't the NFL hire J-Clause to do that bit at before the start of every draft? It would really set the mood and I'm sure he could use the extra cash/publicity. Lets face it, hes not going to get on TV any other way anytime soon. So cue the J-Clause chants and lets make this a tradition. Anyways, now on to the serious stuff.

1. IND: Andrew Luck QB

2. WAS: Robert Griffin III QB

3. MIN: TRADE** Vikings send the pick to the Bills who then select Matt Kalil OT

Scenario 2. They keep the pick and select Claiborne
Scenario 3. They trade the pick to the Bucs who snag Claiborne and vikings land Kalil at 5
Scenario 4 just for kicks.They keep the pick and select Kalil

4. CLE: Trent Richardson RB

5. TB: Morris Claiborne CB

Scenario 2. Claiborne gone they take Stephon Gilmore their next highest ranked CB
Scenario 3. They select Luke Kuechly

6. STL: Michael Floyd WR

Scenario 2. They select Justin Balckmon. Just a pure gut call giving the nod to Floyd. They had personal workouts with both and Floyd is seen as the top WR in the draft by some teams. One of those might just be STL.
Scenario 3. Fisher is a defensive minded coach who may choose to go with DT Fletcher Cox in this spot with WR being so deep this yr and hoping to land Kendall Wright at 33.
Scenario 4. If Kalil is on the board they will likely field calls from the Bills and the Rams are open to sliding down again. They make the trade and select either Michael Brockers or Michael Floyd at 10.

7. JAC: Justin Blackmon WR

Scenario 2. Blackmon is gone and They take Stephon Gilmore
Scenario 3 they trade down and select Michael Floyd or Gilmore

8. MIA: Ryan Tannehill QB

9. CAR: Fletcher Cox DT

Scenario 2. Stephon Gilmore
Scenario 3. Luke Kuechly

10. BUF: TRADE** Vikings select Stephon Gilmore CB

Scenario 2. They are unable to trade up for Kalil and they Take either Floyd Barron or Rieff
Scenario 3. They slide down possibly to the cowboys and take Rieff a few picks later

11. KC: Luke Kuechly LB

Scenario 2. Kuechly gone KC takes DeCastro
Scenario 3. Melvin Ingram

12. SEA: Melvin Ingram DE

Scenario 2. Quinton Coples or Chandler Jones
Scenario 3. Miami shocks the mock draft world and doesnt take Tannehill. he becomes the pick at 12

13. ARI: David DeCastro OL

Scenario 2. Michael Floyd. The cards really want to add a threat oppositte of Fitz. Floyd is the likely pick if he falls
Scenario 3. Riley Rieff. they have a desperate need to upgrade the OL

14. DAL: Mark Barron SS

Scenario 2. They make a move either up for Barron or back if hes gone
Scenario 3. Michael Brockers
Scenario 4. Stephon Gilmore

15. PHI: Quinton Coples DE

Scenario 2. They trade up to 7 to land the DL they are in love with
Scenario 3. The dumping of Samuels puts Gilmore in play and the bad memory of passing on JPP a couple years ago may mean they take this years version in Chandler Jones

16. NYJ: Dontari Poe DT

Scenario 2. Stephin Hill. They need a WR and they want to ground and pound. Why not take a WR used to blocking?
Scenario 3. a pass rusher. Chandler Jones/Coples/Upshaw

17. CIN: Courtney Upshaw

Scenario 2. Dre Kirkpatrick
Scenario 3. Best OL on their board

18. SD: Riley Rieff OT

Scenario 2. Best pass rusher on their board. possibly Chandler Jones
Scenario 3. Cordy Glenn

19. CHI: Nick Perry DE

Scenario 2. Kendall Wright. Lovie Smith held a personal workout with Wright and "loves him"
Scenario 3. Michael Brockers

20. TEN: Chandler Jones DE

Scenario 2. Whitney Merculis/ Michael Brockers
Scenario 3. Best Corner on their board. Possibly Janoris Jenkins who some regaurd as the best corner in this class.

21. CIN: Dre Kirkpatrick CB

22. CLE: Kendall Wright WR

Scenario 2. Cordy Glenn/ Jonathan Martin
Scenario 3. Trade down and select Brandon Weeden. I don't see them making a move for Weeden in round 1 but there is some buzz out there on exactly that.

23. DET: Cordy Glenn OL

Scenario 2. Janoris Jenkins. Will be the most talented player on the board and the lions have already stated character issues won't detour them from making their selection.
Scenario 3. Amini Silatolu. Dominated D2 ball the last two seasons and is likely their highest ranked OL
Scenario 4. Doug Martin. Concerns about Best playing again and injury/off field issues around Mikel Leshoure could lean them in the Martin direction

24. PIT: Dont'a Hightower ILB

Scenario 2. Dontari Poe
Scenario 3. Best OL on their board (Roethlisberger and I have our fingers crossed)

25. DEN: Michael Brockers DT

Scenario 2. Doug Martin. A great fit to play alongside Manning. Offense would be nearly complete with Martins addition
Scenario 3. Dontari Poe

26. HOU: Jonathan Martin OT

Scenario 2. Coby Fleener
Scenario 3. Trade down. I just don't see the texans pulling the trigger on a WR round one. I think they may trade down to the top of round two and snag one or take a guy like AJ Jenkins or Ty Hilton if available at the back end of round 2.

27. NE: Shea McClellin DE

Scenario 2. Trade down
Scenario 3. Harrison Smith
Scenario 4. If Kendall Wright is still on the board I think Belicheck smirks and submits Wrights name nonchalantly as he envisions adding hardware to the trophy case.

28. GB: Harrison Smith SS

Scenario 2. Doug Martin
Scenario 3. Jerel Worthy

29. BAL: Rueban Randle WR

Scenario 2. Stephen Hill. Holds the most upside of any of the WRs in this years class. It just depends on which WR ranks higher on the Ravens board.
Scenario 3. Best OL on their board

30. SF: Amini Silatolu OG

Scenario 2. Stephen Hill
Scenario 3. Best OL on their Board
Scenario 4. Coby Fleener

31. NE: Kendall Reyes DT

Scenario 2. Trade down "LOL"
Scenario 3. Whitney Merculis/VinnyCurry/Bruce Irvin

32. NYG: Coby Fleener TE

Scenario 2. Doug Martin
Scenario 3. Mike Adams

2012 Mock Draft

2012-04-19T09:26:00.003-07:00

1. IND: Andrew Luck QB - Well its been confirmed today, Luck will be the first overall pick in this years draft (as if we needed any confirmation). So the Colts logo should be changed from the blue horseshoe to a Golden one. They have indeed struck gold once again in the franchise QB area. Obtaining two of the 3 highest graded QB prospects of all time and in a 15 year span... Yes its official, your franchise is truly blessed. Luck will step in could provide instant deja vu for the colts. They should still be pretty bad as they were under Manning his rookie season, but quickly become one of the leagues best behind the arm of one of the leagues best signal callers. Once they add a couple weapons for Luck to work with ( a Stephen Hill, Mohammed Sanu, or even an AJ Jenkins who I'm boldly dubbing the next Victor Cruz) they should soon be a dynamic offense once again.

2. WAS: Robert Griffin III QB - The Redskins may of made a Herschel Walker esk trade in moving up to number two but they are getting a player with one of the highest ceilings in recent memory. There's nothing he can't do. He has the arm to make all the throws and he has the athleticism on par with NFL WRs. Although the Redskins may appear to be lacking weapons for Griffin to work with, there's actually much more than meets the eye in the nations capitol. Say what you will about the Garcon signing, he will pair with Griffin perfectly. Garcon is one of the leagues premier deep threats and Griffin excels at throwing the ball deep downfield. Leonard Hankerson is another playmaker who can stretch the field for the skins. He has a lot of upside that can be unlocked by Griffin. Then there's one of the most underrated TEs in the league in Fred Davis. Davis will be a tremendous security blanket for the rookie. Lets not forget the effect Griffin will have on the already stout run game. His dual threat ability should open up better/more running lanes for Roy Helu and company giving them a diverse and potentially lethal offense. Think Cam Newtons effect on the abysmal Panthers offense last season.

3. MIN: Matt Kalil OT - The Vikings will likely try and trade down a few spots to squeeze out some value, but I don't see a deal going down and thus will select Kalil the top ranked Lineman and franchise tackle at 3. He doubles as an insurance package for their franchise players Adrian Peterson and Christian Ponder.

4. CLE: Trent Richardson RB - Drafting The highest graded RB since AP is a near no brainer for the Browns at 4. He's far superior to the other backs in this class where there other need, WR, runs very very deep. The Browns can build their offense around a premier talent like Richardson. He gives them an instant identity and will help their defense out as well by picking up first downs and taking time off the clock shortening games and allowing their defensive unit to be better rested throughout games. The Browns can then look to add a WR who can stretch the field potentially putting opposing teams in a pick your poisen type of scenario with the selection of Kendall Wright or Stephen Hill. Throw in progression from Greg Little and Colt McCoy and things are looking up to say the least. Perhaps "fun times in cleveland" are just around the corner

5. TB: Morris Claiborne CB - Ronde Barber is nearing the end to brilliant career, Aquib Talib battles off the field issues and is rumored to be on the trading block. With Cam Newton, Matt Ryan and uhhh Drew Brees in their division they could definitely use someone with shutdown corner potential. Ignore his Wonderlic score, Morris can flat out play. Unless T-Rich is miraculously available Claiborne should be a no brainer at 5.

6. STL: Justin Blackmon WR - The rams need playmakers particularly at the WR position. Blackmon is the obvious choice at 6 overall. The Bradford to Blackmon combo could quickly become one of the games best. Bradford was a big disappointment last season but largely due to his lack of weapons. The selection of Blackmon and the return of Danny Amendola, or "Welker lite" should do wonders for Bradford and that offense.

7. JAC: Michael Floyd WR - The Jags are reportedly "desperate" to trade out of the 7 spot (thanks John Clayton). They likely want to move down a few spots to select the best remaining pass rusher of the Ingram, Coples, Jones group while adding a pick or two they can use to add some weapons for Gabbert. If they are unable to find a trade partner I think they have to draft Floyd. They desperately need a true number one WR on their roster. Floyd still produced elite numbers at the collegiate level last season despite inconsistent and subpar play from the QB position (sounds a lot like what Gabbert brings to the table) If the Jags have any hope in Gabbert being the future of their franchise they must get him some help. Floyd would be a great start.

8. MIA: Ryan Tannehill QB - Who's the biggest loser so far in the NFL offseason? It has to be the Dolphins. They missed out on Manning. They completely whiffed on Matt Flynn despite all the ties he had to their new regime. Then they trade away their most valuable asset (Brandon Marshall) without proper compensation. Now there pass happy offense is without a big time arm and a big time pass catcher. As Billy Madisons dad Brian would say "what a mess". With the 8th pick the Dolphins will attempt to lock up their franchise QB with Tannehill and look to add him a couple of weapons later on.

sorry boys and girls. Check back later for the full mock and analysis.

Thanks

The Future: Wide Receivers

2012-04-12T18:30:00.006-07:00

1. Justin Blackmon - compares to Andre Johnson. Ok no, I dont think Blackmon is going to be as good as Andre Johnson, but more of a.... call it poor mans Andre. Blackmons combination of polish, production and athleticism have earned him the right to be the concencous number 1 WR in this class. The two time Biletnikoff winner gives you just about every attribute you need in a WR. He attacks every ball thrown his way instead of waiting on them. He has plus coverage reading ability, an extensive catch radius, plus adjustments and great box out abilities. His upside is capped due to his lack of elite speed but his skill set should be more than enough to get him a few pro bowl invites. Blackmon may not end up being the best WR in this draft but its pretty tough to argue for any other wideout to be selected over him.
Draft projection: Rams 6th overall

2. Michael Floyd - Compares to Brandon Marshall. Floyd is the safest WR in this class. His ceiling is much lower than others but his floor is very high. His body of work (271 catches 3686 yards 37 TDs') and his mesurables (6'3" 225lbs 4.47 40 36.5 inch vert) solidify him as the number 2 WR in this class. In the right situation he could have a Colston-esk career as a perennial 1000 yard performer garnering multiple pro bowls and hauling in numerous clutch catches for his team.
Draft projection: Jags 7th overall

3. Kendall Wright - Compares to Santonio Holmes. Don't let his combine 40 time fool you. Wright is a fast WR running in more of the sub 4.45 area but his speed on the field appears to be even faster. He possesses great burst after the catch. He also has plus route running ability and excellent hands with a good catch radius. Wright does stand just 5'10" at a position where the 6'4" 6'5" guys are the "prototype" but the game today has trended in a different direction at the WR position. Yes, its a nice luxury to have a guy you can throw the ally to, but the new generation of football supports smaller, quicker out of breaks WRs. Wright is also someone who excels at the deep routes which will open things up for his teamates in other areas of the field. Wright is one of the premier playmakers this draft has to offer.
Draft projection: Cleveland 22nd

4. Stephen Hill - Compares to AJ Green. Although Hill remains very raw and contains no where near the polish of an AJ Green his mesurables and overall upside are very comparable to Green. Hill has the most upside of any of the WRs in this years class with his 6'4" frame and workouts consisting of 4.36 40 39.5 inch vert 11.1 inch broad jump. Although I'm not a fan of anointing combine heros as future NFL superstars Its hard not to see that Hill has the upside to emerge not only as the best WR of this class but after 3-4 seasons in the NFL to be a top 3 WR in the league once he becomes better polished in other aspects of the receiver position.
Draft projection: Colts round 2

5. AJ Jenkins - Compares to Victor Cruz. Jenkins is another highly underrated prospect. He has tremendous acceleration, reaching top speed quicker than most. He runs routes very fluid and has plus balance and body control. He has no issues going over the middle and snagging passes out of the air. Jenkins can also take the top off the defense with his sub 4.4 speed. He also posesses incredible polish. He one of the most well rounded WRs in this class. Jenkins is simply put, "the real deal" and with his current stock where it sits will be one of the biggest gems this draft has to offer.
Draft projection: 2nd round Texans

6. Rueben Randall - Compares to Dwayne Bowe with a side order of mario manningham mixed in. Randle is great at creating seperation and even better with the ball in his hands. He has plus balance, catch radius, route running ability and field awareness and short area burst. He may never develop into a true number 1 for a team but he should make for a very nice number 2 option for many years to come as hes very well rounded.
Draft projection: Vikings 2nd round

7. Mohammed Sanu - Compares to Hines Ward. In the words of Jay Bilas, Sanu is "relentless". His hybrid RB/WR usage and willingness to not only block but absolutely lay would be tacklers out is very much like a guy named Hines Ward. Sanu will excel wherever he lands. He's not a WR... he's a football player as John Gruden likes to say. Sanu is a tenacious competitor with a nose for the endzone. When he steps onto the field no one is safe. Not DBs, not LBs not even D-Lineman. If you get in either his or his teamates way he will blow you up. Sanu is also the first ever freshman to start a season opener under HC Greg Schiano. He only missed one start in his career despite his head hunting demeanor and fearlessness in going over the middle again and again. Sanu is a player all NFL teams should covet. He's a true warrior.
Draft projection: Ravens 2nd round

8. Ty Hilton - Compares to Desean Jackson. Hilton is an incredibly explosive player at the receiver position and as a returner. He can jump out of bed and run a sub 4.4. He has excellent vision, makes sharp cuts with plus short area quickness and once he sees daylight has the elite straight line speed to make a house call everytime. Simply put Hilton is a tremendous playmaker who should get strong consideration as the round 2 skill position run takes off.
Draft projection: Bears 2nd round

9. Alshon Jeffery - Compares to Jonathan Baldwin/Mike Williams. Jeffery might be the biggest risk/reward pick of the 2012 class. Theres no doubting his upside, but his love for food is sadly a concern. It was reported by SC beat writers that a "gut" was easily spotted on Jeffery from the sidelines during his time with the gamecocks. His work ethic and mental toughness is questionable to say the least. He's just as likely to eat up Defenses as he is to scarf down a couple Big Macs from Mickey Ds'. These "character issues" will be the only thing to force him to slide in the draft and the only thing that could hold him back from making a splash at the next level.
Draft Projection: NYJ 2nd round

10. Brian Quick - Compares to Anquan Boldin. Still a raw prospect with limited experience he will likely take quite a bit of seasoning fully develop. The upside of this developmental project is still worthy of a 2nd round pick. He has great balance and concentration, being able to haul in passes under duress with ease. Quick uses his 6'4" 220lb frame and basketball background to shield defenders from the "passing lane". Quick also breaks from his routes sharply despite is lack of experience. His one knock is his lack of straight line speed (4.55 40) which could prevent him from being a deep threat despite his size, leaping and box out abilities.
Draft projection Round 2: Carolina

11. Marvin McNutt - Compares to Almani Toomer. One of the most underrated prospects in this years class. He's not a superior athlete and therefore lacks the big upside of some of his peers but what he does have is solidarity. He's a very well rounded WR who excels at making tough catches in traffic and along the sideline. His hands and quickness are his greatest assets which when coupled with his 6'3" 220lb frame should make him into an excellent possession WR in the NFL. McNutt could easily fall to round 4 or later making him one of the biggest draft steals of 2012.
Draft projection: Patriots round 3.

12. Chris Owusu - Compares to Torry Holt. Owusu will slide in the draft due to his injury risk, but the risk will be well worth the reward. Owusu has a great blend of speed, strength and leaping ability as shown by his combine stats of: 4.36 40. 40.5 inch vert. 19 bench reps. He has plus hands, route running ability and return skills. As long as he can stay healthy Owusu has the talent to be a number 1 WR in the NFL.
Draft projection: 4th round Baltimore

13. Tommy Streeter - Compares to Kenny Britt. Streeter is your typical "prototype" at the WR position standing 6'5" with a sub 4.4 40. He has the potential to be a dominate deep threat in the NFL because of his ability to use his superior build and athleticism to "ball so hard". However, Streeter is incredibly raw (one year as a collegiate starter) and struggles running quality routes. He's still a bit of a project but is a perfect fit for a team rebuilding and his playmaking upside is something worth reaching for especially for a team lacking offensive fire power.
Draft projection: 2nd round Dolphins

14. Ryan Broyles - Compares to Steve Smith NYG version. Who has the record for most catches in NCAA history??? Ryan Broyles, but he is seemingly a forgetten man after suffering an ACL injury 5 months ago. His knee is recovering well as shown by his 4.57 40 time at his proday. No, running a "sub 4.6" is nothing to salavate over but again... he is only 5 months removed from ACL surgery. He will continue to progress from a physical standpoint. What can't be lost is his incredible polish and overall body of work at the college level. Broyles is someone who never stops competing. A quality that should be highly coveted. He will succeed at the next level whether its being a quality number 2 or a premier slot man.
Draft Projection: Denver round 3

15. Chris Givens - Compares to Jeremy Maclin. Givens does a lot of things well but nothing abnormally great which isn't exactly a negative. He's a plus route runner with great acceleration and fluidity. He makes necessary adjustments when the ball is the air and also possesses quality footwork and change of direction speed. His detourants are his occasional "alligator arm" tendencies and how easily jammed he can be at times.
Draft projection: Miami round 3

Lets Talk About Football

2012-02-09T09:35:00.001-08:00

The NFL season is sadly over. Baseball tonight is now airing as Pitchers and Catchers are set to report soon. What are us NFL fans to do? Well how about still talk about football. Heres an early look at the 2012 offseason.

1. Colts

To pay 28 million or not To pay 28 million? Bring back the face of your franchise with a lofty investment or cut all ties with the past? I’m never coughing up that kind of money to pay a player with such a high health risk. However what I believe the Colts should do is in fact cut Manning but only to resign him in an incentive laden deal. I wouldn’t stop there though. As shady and frowned upon as it would be I would then ship Manning with a contract that is moveable. You know Dan Schnieder, the same owner who gave up a top 40 draft pick for a washed up McNabb would get in on the Manning Sweepstakes at that point. In the draft I would likely try to make some sort of Luck for RGIII swap to obtain more picks which I would then use to reunite the Baylor Connection of Griffin-Wright. Their Speed playing together in the RCA dome and their already established chemistry should make for a lethal Combo and eased NFL transition. Wright and Garcon appear to fit the Wallace Brown roles well in Bruce Arians pass heavy offense.

2. Rams

The rams are in desperate need of pass protection. Matt Kallil seems to be the obvious choice. The Rams also really REALLY need a Playmaking WR. This years class is deep enough to land a difference maker at the top of round two. Going after V-Jax is also something that should be considered. Perhaps they do sign Jackson and then are able to use their 2^nd pick on a Lamar Miller type to compliment S-Jax. Who lets face it… could really REALLY use a running mate.

3. Vikings

With AP and Gerhart downed with ACL injuries their run game looks to be…. In trouble. Kevin Smith has the looks of an ideal stopgap via FA. Iowa LT Riley Reiff could easily be the direction the turn to come draft day as team has a glaring hole at the tackle position. They also need to upgrade their secondary and number 2 WR as Harvin is without a true compliment. Brandon Lloyd would be the ideal addition at the WR position.

4. Browns

The Browns need playmakers. The Browns need Robert Griffin. His skill set is also a good fit for Pat Shurmurs offense which involves many rollouts. They would be wise to add a WR via free agentcy. Desean Jackson, Mario Manningham, Jerome Simpson and Harry Douglas should all receive strong consideration from them. With Peyton Hillis set to leave as a FA the Browns could also use a RB. Preferably a speed back with thirdown abilities to pair with Hardesty. Justin Forsett is one for them to consider given his quickness and thirdown abilities. If the Browns are unwilling to use a high draft pick on a QB, a wise investment might be to sign Vincent Young at what should be a bargain price. Then, perhaps slide down in the draft and attempt to acquire Justin Blackmon and Lamar Miller (while obtaining additional picks) to give their offense some instant fire power. Whatever they do they need to come away with a QB, WR and RB of some sort this offseason. They may elect to handle their offensive needs mostly in free agentcy and select Morris Claiborne to pair with Joe Haden to give them the best two young corners in the game. That route may make the most sense given the way the NFL is today (pass heavy) and in having two potential shutdown corners, the alleviated pressure on the rest of the defense would be vast

5. Bucs

The Bucs were atrocious against the run last season. Selecting DT Devon Still is a plausible solution as one of the drafts premier run stuffers. They also need to add a DB with Ronde Barber being 50 years old and Aquib Talib possibly playing along side Paul “motley” Crew on the mean machine next year. So Morris Claiborne is a very strong possibility. They will likely also look to add a back to play alongside Blount considering his complete disregard passing down skills.

6. Redskins

I’m sure they will be attempting to add Manning or Matt Flynn. I don’t believe they will be able to do either one leaving them with little alternatives. Signing Josh Johnson is possible but in doing so the team will be forced to select a QB early. A QB likely not named Luck or Griffin . They should do whatever they can to move up to number one to snag Luck and make the rest of their moves accordingly.

7. Jags

Well we know MJD can’t do it all by himself. The team has too much dead weight for even him to carry. They would be wise to pursue a reasonably priced QB such as Matt Moore via Trade or perhaps Brady Quinn via FA. They also desperately need a big time WR. Under new ownership that’s likely to be aggressive the Jags maybe a prime spot for landing one of the top FA WRs such as V-Jax. Which would allow Mike Thomas to return to his complimentary role that hes best suited for. Draft wise Quinton Coples is someone I’d look for them to select. Who doesn’t want someone with JPP type upside??

8. Panthers

With Steve Smith sitting at 32 years of age Cam Newton is in need of a young WR. I know their Defense needs a lot of work but I don’t think its possible to pass up Blackmon at this spot completing their offense for the foreseeable future. Adding Red Bryant in FA would be huge for the interior of their Defense which could have a trickledown effect on the rest of their D making everyone better.

9. Dolphins

I don’t think they can get Manning and I don’t think they should either. With Matt Flynn so comfortable in their new offense I think He’s the must add player for them this offseason. I think you then draft either Alshon Jeffery or Michael Floyd to give you a dynamic offense with Marshall on one side Jeffery/Floyd on the other, Davone Bess in the slot and the one two punch of Bush and Thomas.

10. Bills

Stevie Johnson is a FA… might want to start with resigning that guy. With him their offense has all the pieces it will need. Their attention can then turn to defense. When the Bills were knocking off the likes of the Pats it was because they were getting pressure on the QB and forcing turnovers. They need to find a pass rusher. Melvin Ingram just dominated the senior bowl and looks to be one of the top pass rushers this draft has to offer.

11. Chiefs

The Chiefs must figure out who they will have under center whether it’s Matt Cassell or they bring back Kyle Orton or someone else starter worthy. Then they must do their best to protect him as well as give Jamaal Charles as much room to run as possible. Selecting OT Jonathan Martin would do exactly that. He made 37 starts in a prostyle offense, giving Andrew Luck ample time to throw. With Charles coming off an ACL injury they could opt for selecting Trent Richardson to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of Charles for years to come. That route also makes sense. It would also be nice to add a pass rusher to line up opposite Tamba Hali. He desperately needs a sack artist bash brother.

12. Seahawks

They should be one of the teams in the race for Matt Flynn but I don’t think it’s going to happen. So maybe Pete Carroll can team up with Vince Young. Bringing him in to “compete” with Tavaris Jackson would be a wise move. They are also forced to over pay to resign Lynch after his “Beast Mode” finish to last season. In the draft they will be looking at Devon Still and Melvin Ingram. Either would be a nice addition to their D-line. If Morris Claiborne is available though I think he’s a must draft. The worth of a shutdown corner is almost incalculable.

13. Cardinals

Well unfortunately they have a big investment in Kevin Kolb which could prevent them from making a play at Manning or Flynn. Skelton showed some promise last season. Enough when paired with the Kolb investment that I think they might just have to stand pat at the QB position. Use their first pick to address their offensive line issues by selecting a David Decastro.

14. Cowboys

Well the Cowboys underachieved…. Again. Maybe Jerry Jones gets a little desperate this offseason and gets very active and aggressive in the offseason. Since teams can’t get their hands on enough pass rushers maybe he makes a play at Mario Williams or John Abraham. A move like that would better allow Rob Ryan to do what he wants to do. Blitz. They also need to add a corner. Trading up to select Claiborne makes a lot of sense. If they are unable to move up selecting CB Janoris Jenkins is a nice consolation. They are also likely to be in the back up QB market with Kitna now retired. If Chad Pennington is on the market he may just be the add.

15. Eagles

After one of the busiest and most hyped offseasons I look for them to be relatively quiet this time around. Particularly on the hype part and get the focus back on winning. The Eagles are in a bit of a pickle though. Paying Desean Jackson the money he will ask for doesn’t make sense but letting him go and using the 15^th overall pick on a Kendall Wright doesn’t make much sense either. In the end I think they will let D-Jax go and will in fact select Kendall Wright after he runs his expected sub 4.4 forty. Part of what makes their offense so dynamic is having that burner to stretch the field and open things up for Maclin and Celek. They also have a need for LB which they will likely address later on in the draft.

16. Jets

I think this offseason is rather simple for the Jets. Get Peyton Manning. Once hes ready to play hes a huge upgrade over Sanchez. Mannings leadership, work ethic, and passion for winning would do wonders in their lockeroom. And what better way for Sanchez to morph his game then to learn under Manning. 2 seasons of sitting should be more than motivating and he should have added tools in his game and might finally be ready to carry the Jets to the Super Bowl. They could then Draft a Michael Floyd or Alshon Jeffery to give them a big athletic redzone target with Burress set to move on. The Jets also have a need for a pass rusher to better the effectiveness of their defense and get them back to their dominant ways.

17. Raiders position (Bengals Draft pick)

Well if the Raiders did still on the pick I’m sure they would find some none elite player on the wrong side of 30 to ship it for. Perhaps they could settle for finding a couple good trainers to add to their staff considering their weekly injury updates look like “should be ready for next weeks game…. There is no longer a time table for their return” Since they don’t have to worry about who to give their pick to they can focus on resigning Michael Bush and finding a cover corner and add a pass rusher. Maybe they will decide to make a wise investment at the corner position this season and sign Brent Grimes (the best DB on the market) Who really knows what the Raiders will do? Nothing they do anymore surprises me. Not even trading for Kareem Jackson to .. uhh… amplify the void at corner would be a shocker.

18. Chargers

Coming off yet another letdown season I think its long over due the Chargers get it together. They enter this offseason with a need for a pass rusher, youth at the Tackle spot behind Marcus McNeil (who may be released) a WR to fill V-Jax likely vacated slot and a CB. An Offense featuring Rivers, Mathews, Gates, Vincent Brown and Malcom Floyd is explosive enough together to not need much spending on that side of the ball. Maybe they could be in the Reggie Wayne market depending on the price. I think their main focus has to be in finding a pass rusher. With Mario Williams and John Abraham likely requiring too much green they will look to the Draft. Whitney Mercilus could be the perfect prescription as he lead the NCAA in Sacks and forced fumbles last season.

19. Bears

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the Bears 2012 offseason is Cuba Gooding Jr yelling “show me the money” That’s right. I’m talking about Matt Fortes’ contract issue. The Bears start and Finish with Forte. He’s worth every penny he and his agent ask for. Next up for the Bears, finding a playmaker at the WR position. A guy who can bail out Jay Cutler. Just go up and get it. You simply cannot have Roy Williams as your number “1” WR. Drafting Michael Floyd or Alshon Jeffery would make a lot of sense.

20. Titans

Munchak called out the O-line last season numerous times for not opening up running lanes. With the future of the Franchise set to take over under center it would be wise to protect him. So upgrading the O-line might just be their main focus. They could turn to OG Gordy Glen or OT Mike Adams in the draft. They also have a weakness on the D-line as they ranked near the bottom against the run. Adding a Red Bryant type via FA would be wise.

21. Bengals

The Bengals main focus is likely to be at the RB and CB position. Having two first round picks (Thanks again Raiders) they have the luxury of attending both of those needs with top 21 draft picks. I look for them to go after Dre KirkPatrick and Doug Martin. As for FA I don’t see them making much of a splash and their most noteworthy move maybe be letting Benson walk.

22. Falcons position Browns Draft slot.

Turner and Tony Gonzales have a lot of mileage on them. The Falcons should look to add young understudies behind them this offseason. Cyrus Gray is the ideal selection at RB and maybe add a guy like Jacob Tamme at TE in FA. With Brent Grimes and John Abraham as FA’s they will also need to do all they can to either resign them or find adequate replacements.

23. Lions

Well one thing is for sure, they don’t need to add any more offensive weapons or D-tackles either for that matter. A pass happy offense with a 23 year old 5,000 yard passer under center you simply cannot have enough big bodies in the trenches for protection. They could easily turn to Mike Adams when they go on the clock at 23. The Lions could use another corner and it might be best to add another pass rusher as well with Vanden Bocsh being 33 and Avril a FA.

24. Steelers

Ummm…. O-line… O-line… O-line…. Corner Corner… O-line. Yep… that should be their focus this offseason. Of course Mendenhall likely will be on the PUP list to start the season, Baron Batch too is coming off an ACL injury and Mewelde Moore is a FA so RB maybe a bit of a need as well, but a very minute one. Gordy Glenn looks to be a good fit and perhaps a Dre KirkPatrik slides to them. Whatever the case may be the Steelers should be looking to add multiple Corners and O-linemen in this years draft.

25. Broncos

Being an avid Tebow fan I really don’t know what I would do if I were them. My guess is they bring in a veteran QB like Chad Henne or Derek Anderson and draft a QB in the 3^rd round or later such as Kirk Cousins or Russell Wilson. I think with their first pick they may just be in the LaMichael James neighborhood. Run heavy team in desperate need of youth speed and playmakers. They also need to come away with an addition to their secondary. Maybe a Courtland Finnegan or Marcus Trufant in FA.

26. Texans

A few simple things come to mind when thinking of the Houston Texans.

1. Teddy KGB saying “Pay him… Pay that man his money” in his strong Russian Accent. Referring to of course Arian Foster. I’m not a fan of breaking the bank for RB’s but no player has earned stupid money more than Foster. He is the best and most complete RB in the game today.

2. Seriously… Get a number 2 WR who can actually play. How much more frustration can Kubiak put his fans (and Fantasy owners) through by fielding Kevin Walter and Jacoby “popcorn butter hands” Jones? With a WR class as deep and talented as this years Please Please Please draft a WR who can actually compliment Andre Johnson. Speaking of Complimenting Andre Johnson is their a WR out there who would be a better fit than Kendall Wright? I believe he is this missing piece to the Texans already dynamic offense. His ability to stretch the field and make plays after the catch would help create countless mismatches. Imagine how difficult you make it on a defense when you’re pounding Foster and Tate play after play and then you go play action with Wright going deep Andre a comeback and Daniels a crossing pattern. I smell the burnt toast already. Texans… for once make an aggressive move and land this guy.

3. For the love of all that is holy get rid of Kareem Jackson. Never have I ever seen a first round pick
literally make a team worse or opposing offenses salivate more by his mere presence on the field

For Teams 27-32 please subscribe To Springs Most Wanted Insiders edition for only $99.99 a day. Its totally worth it

Beating the Spread Week 10

2011-11-13T08:58:00.000-08:00

DAL -5.5

JAC -3

DEN + 3.5

WAS +4

PHI - 13.5

HOU -4

CAR -3.5

SEA + 7

DET -2.5

NYG +3.5

MIN +13

Beating the Spread week 9

2011-11-06T10:07:00.000-08:00

ATL -7

NO - 8.5

HOU -10.5

NYJ +2.5

KC -5.5

DAL -10

DEN + 7

STL +1.5

NE -8.5

GB -6

CHI +8

Beating the Spread week 6

2011-10-16T02:40:00.000-07:00

Season recap 37-23

STL +15 @ GB

GB 38 – 27 ---- STL

PHI -3 @ WAS

PHI 31-27 ---- PHI

SF +4.5 @ DET

DET 24-17 ---- DET

CAR +5 @ ATL

ATL 27 -24 ---- CAR

IND +6.5 @ CIN

CIN 20-16 ---- IND

BUF +3.5 @ NYG

NYG 34 - 24 ---- NYG

HOU + 7 @ BAL

HOU 24-20 ---- HOU

CLE +6.5 @ OAK

OAK 31-17 ---- OAK

DAL +7 @ NE

DAL 34 - 24 ---- DAL

NO -5.5 @ TB

NO 27-24 ---- TB

MIN +2.5 @ CHI

CHI 24 - 17---- CHI

MIA +6.5 @ NYJ

NYJ 20 - 13 ---- NYJ

Pick ups of the week (week 6)

2011-10-11T14:24:00.000-07:00

Tim Tebow - Normally when teams bench their starting QB its in favor of their back up, but move over Brady "now I'm done" Quinn.... It's Tebow Time! After countless chants, riots and cult gatherings in the Denver area it appears John Fox is ready to go with the peoples choice. When Timmy entered the game he provided an instant spark. An entirely different energy to the team. Tebow brought them all the way back to with in one 30 yard strike away from victory. The game was perhaps the most celebrated loss in Broncos history as the fans were seemingly not concerned with the outcome but rather the simple fact that Timmy Tebow was under center. Despite his mediocre passing skills Tebow was the top fantasy QB weeks 15-17 (his only starts) of last season. You might consider him Cam Newton light. He's not going to put up gaudy passing numbers but his rushing production will more than make up for it making him start worthy in 12 team leagues. A man once said "If you are fortunate enough to spend five minutes around Tim Tebow, your life is better for it." If thats true just think of what he will do to your fantasy team.

Jackie Battle - Their is a new sheriff in KC and his name is Jackie Battle. Out from the depths of the KC roster Battle jumped on to the scene accounting for 140 total yards in spite of receiving just 1 first quarter carry. Battle, an undrafted 4 yr vet with just 51 career carries prior to Sunday doesn't carry the highest of pedigrees. However one could say the same thing of Freddy "action" Jackson who went undrafted out of Coe College. Jackson didn't get his first start till he was 28 (same age as Battle is now). Many will discount Battle's breakout game as a one hit wonder, but with the Cheifs offense getting back on track and Battle the only ball carrier in KC worthy of workhorse type carries, he is a must add in all leagues

Doug Baldwin - With teams rolling coverages to Sidney Rice things have really opened up for Baldwin who now has 3 80+ yard performances through 5 games thus far. Whether its Jackson or Shane Falco.... I mean Charlie Whitehurst under center Baldwin will continue to be a useful WR3 especially with the byes rolling in. Baldwin is a good buy in 12 team and deeper leagues.

Lee Evans - Evans isn't quite 100% yet but he is close to it after the bye week. He should play and provide plug in play totals against the Houston Texans this week. Remember Flacco's favorite thing to do is go deep (the ravens play action more than anyone in the league) and thats what Evans specializes in. Snag Evans now while you still can for he and Flacco might just begin a reign of terror on Defensive secondaries.

Titus Young - The Lions have obviously been stellar, but they have still yet to live up to their immense potential. Stafford has overthrown Young a couple times on deep passes this year which is something I wouldn't look to continue for too long. Young's role in the offense will continue to grow and this week they play the Niners a team that is suceptible to the long ball. Young is a nice fliar this week and someone to stash for later in the year.

Greg Little - McCoy has been lobbying to get Little more involved. After their bye week Little has been promoted to the starting line up. He's by far their most explosive player. His promotion after a bye week could be a foreshadowing that they are now set to make him their primary WR.

Early Doucet - Any WR who receives 16 targets in one game deserves roster consideration. He has Andre Roberts far out classed in talent and production. As the Cardinals head into a bye they may just make Doucet the starter as they need a spark offensively.

Harry Douglas - With Julio Jones battleing a hamstring injury Harry Douglas will likely step into the starting line up this week. Douglas has excellent hands and is a very explosive WR. He's a solid plug in play this week against the Panthers in what could be a shootout.

Danario Alexander - The snap total for the Rams most Talented WR have increased weekly. The only things that can hold him back are his knees. He has had no trouble with them thus far and coming off a bye only assures that. The winless Rams need to get things clicking offensively. They will need to get the ball into the hands of their best players. They have had a bye week to better adapt to Josh McDaniels system and draw a very beatable fantasy match up against the Packers this week (30th against the pass)

Delone Carter - I feel obligated to mention Carter's name with Addai set to miss at least one game. Carter doesn't have much upside, but he will serve as an emergency plug in play as long as Addai is out.

Beating the Spread Week 5

2011-10-07T17:22:00.000-07:00

Season Recap: 29-20

KC +2.5 @ IND ---- IND

PHI -2.5 @ BUF ---- PHI

OAK +6 @ HOU ---- OAK

CIN +2.5 @ JAC ---- CIN

SEA +10 @ NYG ---- SEA

TB +3 @ SF ---- TB

NYJ +7.5 @ NE ---- NE

SD -3.5 @ DEN ---- SD

GB -6 @ ATL ---- GB

CHI +5.5 @ DET ---- DET

Sit Start Week 5

2011-10-06T22:36:00.000-07:00

START

Josh Freeman - The Niners are 4th in the league against the run but 27th against the pass, thus the Bucs will lean heavily on Freeman. The opportunity for big plays will be their as the Niners have allowed 5 pass plays of at least 40 yards which puts them in a tie for second most given up. Projected stats: 26-36 for 294 yards 2 TDs 4 rushes for 21 yards

Isaac Redman - Redman is a tackle breaking machine and has been the most effective short yardage runner in the Steelers backfield over the last 2 seasons. Tennessee does rank 8th against the run, but with Redmans likely 20+ touch workload and his career 4.8 ypc he still holds enough upside to end the day with RB 2 totals. Projected stats: 21 carries 82 yards 3 catches 24 yards 1 TD

Mark Ingram - The Saints will look to the ground more than usual in this one with the Panthers giving up over 143 yards rushing per game and Brees failed to throw for 300 yards in either start against them last season. With high scoring offense of the Saints (32 ppg) and the generous Panther defense (25.5 ppg) Ingram has definite multi TD potential. Projected stats: 17 carries 84 yards 2 TDs

Sidney Rice - The Giants have given up 15 pass plays of at least 20 yards, something Rice specializes in (getting down field). Tavaris Jackson is coming off a 300 yard game and Rice has eclipsed double digit fantasy points in his two starts on the year. Seattle should also be playing from behind, increasing the pass attempts and leaving the possibility for nice garbage time production. Projected stats: 6 catches 102 yards 1 TD

Donald Jones - Lead the team in targets last week and is second behind Steve Johnson for the team lead on the year. Jones is a coaches favorite with a high snap total. Gailey has stated that Jones's role in the offense will continue to grow as the season goes on. This week they face the Eagles, a team in must win mode who will light up the score board against the very generous Bills defense (allowing over 400 yards of offense per game). Steve Johnson will draw Nnamdi Asomugha likely shutting him down forcing Fitzpatrick to look elsewhere. Jones should be where he looks the most, making Jones a nice play this week. Projected stats: 7 catches 90 yards 1 TD

Pierre Garcon - Curtis Painter may be a below average QB, but hes much more familiar with the Colts offense than Collins. Painter also has a strong enough arm to better utilize Garcon's skill set. They just missed hooking up for a TD against the Steelers but connected for 2 long scores against the Bucs. Garcon is the most explosive player on the colts roster and has a very beatable match up this week against KC who has surrendered the 5th most pass plays of 20 yards or more. Projected stats: 4 catches 70 yards 1 TD

Cincinnati Defense - The Bengals have the leagues top defense and a match up against the leagues 31st offense with a Rookie QB should have fantasy owners salivating. They held the high powered Bills to just 20 points and should have no problem holding the Jags offense to even less. Projected stats: 9 points allowed 3 sacks 2 Turnovers Forced.

Fliars/desperation plug ins:

Preston Parker/Arrelious Benn, Kendall Hunter, Stevan Ridley, Titus Young, Dane Sazenbacher, Jackie Battle, Victor Cruz, Mark Sanchez

SIT

Matt Schuab - The Texans were already in a run heavy mind set before the return of Foster and the injury to Andre Johnson. Now they will only run the ball even more especially in a match up against the leagues 29th run defense. Projected stats: 18-26 200 yards 1 TD

LeGarrette Blount - Will be facing the leagues 4th best run defense this week. A team that held Lesean McCoy to just 18 yards on the ground. Blount holds little upside in this gruesome match up. Projected stats: 17 carries 60 yards 0TDs.

Michael Turner -The Packers are likely to build a lead early in this game and they hold the leagues 2nd best run defense. Not the best of combinations for production. Tuner seems destined for a down game. Projected stats: 17 carries 68 yards 1 catch 8 yards.

Stevie Johnson - A match up against Nnamdi is a death sentence for fantasy production. Held Hakeem Nicks to just 25 yards and as good as Johnson is he isn't Nicks. Projected stats: 3 catches 36 yards

Wes Welker - The Jets held him under 60 yards in their playoff meeting in January and it has already been noted that Revis will match up against him often. Welker is virtually impossible to bench, but if your in a league with 10 men or less and have good WR depth the opportunity for crafty managing is here. Projected stats: 7 catches for 68 yards

Marques Colston - Colston is still coming back from injury and had just 9 catches for a total of 149 yards in his last 4 games against the Panthers (just a 37.25 ypg average). The Panthers are 31st against the run and Brees is always a spread the wealth QB with Jimmy Graham and Lance Moore as his guys in crucial situations. Unless he can find the endzone Colston will produce little for fantasy owners. Projected Stats: 4 catches for 41 yards

Others who could disappoint

Cedric Benson, Drew Brees, Beanie Wells, Steve Smith

Pick Ups of the Week. (bye week edition)

2011-10-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

Must Adds in all Leagues

Stevan Ridley - After his 97 yard outburst on Sunday his ypc average is now 7.9. His the best RB in New England and his role is only growing. His schedule is tough over the next few weeks, but over the stretch run of Fantasy he has games against KC, PHI, IND, WAS, DEN, MIA, BUF weeks 11-17. Ridley has late season Gem written all over him. Stash him away now and reap the benefits later.

Ryan Torrain - Reports late last week were that Shanahan was close to benching Hightower in favor of Torrain during the game against the Cowboys. This week he pulled the trigger. The Redskins RB situation will continue to be hazy throughout the season but whoever starts is an RB2. Right now it appears The Torrain Train is a full go.

Isaac Redman - Early reports are Mendenhall and Moore will miss this weeks game against the Titans giving Redman a full workload. He has been the most effective back for the Steelers on the season particularly in short yardage situations. He's a great bye week plug in.

Bernard Scott - Cedric Benson will be suspended at some point, missing multiple games. Scott would become a 3 down RB giving him plenty of Fantasy upside

Michael Crabtree - He's back the Niners offense is showing signs of life. Crabtree received 9 targets last week. He's a mid level WR3 as it stands now, but with further improvements to their offense Crabtree could become a WR2 by years end.

Victor Cruz - He's become much more than a Preseason sensation. Last week the Giants benched Mario Manningham in favor of Cruz. Cruz again produced. He's averaged 104 yards in his last 2 games. Even with Manningham in the mix the Giants can support 3 WR's and Cruz will still hold WR3 value especially with the bye weeks rolling in.

Bye Week Fliars

Pierre Garcon - Curtis Painter may be a below average QB, but hes much more familiar with the Colts offense than Collins. Painter also has a strong enough arm to better utilize Garcon's skill set. They just missed hooking up for a TD against the Steelers but connected for 2 long scores against the Bucs. Garcon is the most explosive player on the colts roster and has a very beatable match up this week against KC

Arrelious Benn - Benn Flashed his skill set on a 62 yard catch last night, breaking numerous tackles and exploding down field for a score which was negated. His targets are still scarce but his talent is undeniable. This week and weeks that follow the Bucs face teams stout against the run but suceptible to plays downfield. Leaving the potential for Benn to have productive games as the teams lone deep threat.

Kevin Walter/ Jacoby Jones - With Andre Johnson set to miss "some time" the Texans will have to look elsewhere for downfield option. Owen Daniels is likely to be the main beneficiary and their Run Heavy approach is make it tough to consistently support even one wide out. One of them should emerge as a good plug in play while Andre is sidelined. Walter being the safer option with Jones holding much more upside.

Donald Jones - Lead the team in targets this week and has a growing role in one of the most explosive offenses. He's a team favorite and HC Chan Gailey has already said he wants to get Jones the ball more. This week he faces the Eagles who are likely to shutdown Stevie Johnson leavin Fitzpatrick to look elsewhere and the Eagle have given up production to number 2 WRs thus far.

Beating the Spread Week 4

2011-10-01T23:43:00.000-07:00

MIN -2 @ KC ---- MIN

NO -7 @ JAC ---- NO

BUF -3 @ CIN ---- BUF

DET +1.5 @ DAL ---- DET

SF -8.5 @ PHI ---- PHI

WAS -2 @ STL ---- WAS

TEN -1 @ CLE ---- TEN

ATL -5 @ SEA ---- ATL

NYG -2 @ ARI ---- NYG

MIA +6.5 @ SD ---- SD

DEN +12 @ GB ---- GB

NE -6 @ OAK ---- NE

NYJ +4.5 @ BAL ---- NYJ

IND +10 @ TB ---- IND

Week 4 Game Breakdowns

2011-09-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

DET +1.5 @ DAL

The Lions go to Dallas to face their toughest test to date. Possibly catching the Cowboys at the perfect time with all their injuries they currently have. The Dallas defense is 2nd in the league against the run thus far and should make the Lions one dimensional. Rob Ryan's defense will apply pressure to Stafford whos coming off a 5 sack game. When given time Stafford should have no problem finding holes in the Cowboy secondary. This is one of the games of the week even with the injuries on both sides (particularly the cowboys). I'm unsure as to how effective Dez Bryant will be if he plays as he was a shell of himself last week. Without him the Cowboys are very limited on weapons which I think will be the deciding factor. Lions win 20-17

NO -7 @ JAC

Greg Williams will be dialing up different looks and blitzes at Blaine Gabbert. The Jags will lean heavily on MJD, but he will need more than a 100 yard effort to keep this game within reach. Points will be scarce for the Jags, but will be a plenty for the Saints. Brees and the Saints have put up over 34 ppg so far this season and shouldn't have any problem continuing their pace. The Jags should do a good job of stifling Ingram and Thomas limiting the Saints rushing production, but Brees again will hook up with Jimmy Graham and his favorite pass catcher Lance Moore early and often, connecting with either Meachem or Henderson on a deep pass or two and Sproles on check downs screens and swing passes. He will also be getting Colston back from injury, but he might be brought along slowly thus I look for Moore to lead the team in receiving, eclipsing 70 yards and a score with Graham producing similar totals. Yards will be hard to come by for the Jags offense, with Mike Thomas again leading the receiving totals with 50+ and MJD eclipsing the 80 yard mark. Saints win 27-13

SF +8.5 @ PHI

The Eagles will be looking to rebound after back to back loses. Vick will be looking to make a statement. They can't allow the wheels to come off. I look for Desean Jackson to get back on track with Maclin doubtful to play and the Niners have allowed the second most plays of 40 yards or more. Steve Smith should also jump into relevancy, absorbing a good portion of Maclin's would be targets. The Niners are 3rd in the league against the run, but Vick and McCoy should be able to wiggle their way to adequate totals. Alex Smith will be hard pressed to find open WR's. Frank Gore's availability is in question at this point but Kendall Hunter is likely an upgrade over the sluggish Gore. If Hunter gets the start he stands a good chance at a 100 total yards against the soft Eagle run D. The Niners will need more than just a valiant performance from Hunter to steal this one. Eagles win 24-14

TEN +1.5 @ CLE

Tennessee has the leagues number one Defense along with the most efficient 3rd down offense. The loss of Kenny Britt is huge, but Hasselback has been more than proficient. He will spread the ball around nicely. Chris Johnson is off the a career worst start. He's said to have finally picked up the changes in the offense after missing all of the preseason and to be back in football shape. So far Johnson has been a hesitant runner, looking for the home run. I look for him to turn it around this week providing football fans with his one or two of his Highlight runs. The Browns 26th ranked offense will have trouble getting in rhythm and finding themselves in scoring opportunities. The Titans will key in on stopping the run, making the browns one dimensional. Titans win 20 - 13

BUF -3 @ CIN

The Bills going on the road against a team that is easily looked past after coming off an emotional/triumphant win against the Patriots could equate to a letdown in week 4. I'm going to say otherwise. The Bills offense is just too potent for the Bengals to keep pace with. Fitzpatrick, Fred Jackson and Stevie Johnson should again post big numbers. The Bengals should be able to put together some good drives but ultimately fall short. Bills win 27-17

ATL -5 @ SEA

Seattle surprisingly sits as the tenth best defense in totals yards through the first 3 weeks of the season. Their defense should be able to keep this game close throughout. Lynch and the Rushing attack looks destined to once again post pedestrian totals with Tavaris Jackson not having too much more success. Sidney Rice is their lone threat who I look for to once again eclipse the 100 yard mark. Unless the defense can force some Turnovers the Seahawks won't be lighting up the score board. Matt Ryan should have a quality day hooking up with Roddy White and Julio Jones throughout the game. Turner will get his opportunities but will likely have a lackluster game as Seattle is fairly stout against the run (allowing less than 100 yards per game). Atlanta wins 20-13

MIN -1.5 @ KC

Adrian Peterson should be able to lead the Vikings to their first win of the season. The Cheifs have been terrible on defense particularly against the run where they rank 28th against the run. The Vikings defense however is 4th against the run. The Vikings should be able to yet again build a nice half time lead forcing the KC to play catch up in the second half leaving Jared Allen and the Vikings pass rush to do what they do best. Get to the QB. Ground success coupled with the lead should help Percy Harvin's chances at getting open deep downfield for a long score off play action. The teams are both 0-3 but the Vikings have had every chance to be 3-0 in their games and still have actual playmakers on both sides of the ball (Peterson Harvin Allen) where the Cheifs playmakers are on IR. Vikings win 24-13

NYG -2 @ ARI

With Mario Manningham back this week Eli and the Giants have their full arsenal of weapons back. Hakeem Nicks should break out after failing to produce elite totals the last two weeks. Manningham and Cruz should post nice days as well. Bradshaw and Jacobs will put this game on ice as they should have no problem finding room to run against the 27th run defense. The Cardinals will have little room to run whether Beanie Wells plays or not. Kolb will yet again be throwing up prayers to Larry Fitzgerald who should provide 100+ yards and a score, being the lone cardinal with significant success on the day. Giants win 24-17

MIA +7.5 @ SD

With Daniel Thomas Now out for the Dolphins they will be forced to turn to Reggie Bush. The yards Thomas produces on First and Second down will be dearly missed for the Dolphins. They will be forced into a more pass heavy scheme this week where the Chargers rank 9th in defending the pass. Bush will need to come up big on 3rd downs on draws and as a reciever to help extend drives. Henne will lean Heavily on Brandon Marshall in this one. The two have posted nice totals thus far but have been completely out of sync when entering the redzone (connecting on just 1 of 11 passes). Ryan Mathews should once again post strong totals carrying the ground game for the Chargers and Rivers too will post good totals likely leading the Chargers to victory. With Gates looking to be held out again I look for McMichael to step in with a score or possibly even two. In the end Chargers win 28-20

DEN + 12.5 @ GB

Denver should be able to find some scoring opportunities but they just won't be able to keep up with scoring pace of the Packers. Rodgers just has too many weapons to exploit defenses with. Especially against Denvers mediocre cast. Rodgers should eclipse the 300 yard mark hooking up for big plays with his top guns Jennings and Finley. Starks will be able to ice the game away in the second half going over 100 yard total. On the flip side opportunities for Eric Decker and Brandon Lloyd to make plays will be there as teams have been able to get to the Packers secondary thus far this season (31st against the pass).
Packers win 34-20

NE -4.5 @ OAK

There could be a little hangover effect here for the Patriots and the Raiders will be motivated to prove they are legit. McFadden will carry the Raiders with Rookie sensation Denarius Moore playing Robin to his Batman. The Raiders finally have a winning vibe surrounding them. Whispers of Just Win Baby making their rounds. This game is a showcase of perhaps the top two candidates for League MVP as early as it is in McFadden and Brady. McFadden has emerged as the best RB in the NFL this season and will be looking to put the team on his back this week. The deciding factor in this game will be the Defensive line of the Raiders. If they can apply pressure to Brady they will win. If they can't their secondary will be picked apart. I look for another high scoring affair, Patriots 35-28

NYJ +3.5 @ BAL

A matchup against two teams who mirror each other. This will be the most physical game of the week. The Jets have gotten away from what their Identity has been under Rex Ryan. If that continues they will fail to meet expectations. Their O-Line has failed to open up consistent running lanes which is one of the reasons for the increased pass frequency. The Jets will need to establish some semblance of a run game in order to have success. Sanchez will also need to play no mistake football, leaving his defenses in favorable situations and play field position. Ray Rice has the ability to post solid totals against the Jets Defense, but he won't do anything close to what McFadden was able to do a week ago. The Teams are near equals so I will side with the Home team in this one. Ravens 20-17

IND +10 @ TB

The Colts are in complete disarray now. The injuries are piling up and the team was lucky to be in the game last week. Now on the road this week under the command of Curtis Painter I look for the Colts hole to deepen. Joseph Addai will likely be the focal point of the attack for the Colts and he should provide nice totals for them however, Josh Freeman is one of the great young leaders in the NFL. He will lead his team to a win on Monday night, connecting with Mike Williams and company for over 250 yards. The Colts did a great job last week against Rashard Mendenhall but I look for Blount to have a very nice evening on the ground. Bucs win 27-20

Pick ups of the Week

2011-09-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

Stevan Ridley - Ridley was the best runner in the Patriots backfield against the Bills. he had 44 yards on 7 carries compared to the Law Firms and Woodheads 37 combined yards on 15 carries. Ridley came in off the bench to provide a spark for the Pats run game. His play should earn him more carries as the season goes on and he holds the potential to take over as the lead guy. Stash him away now before its too late.

Nate Washington - Hes a must add now with the injury to Kenny Britt If you haven't snatched him up already. Washington has a nice rapport with Hasselback and should only build on that going forward.

Randy Moss - If you have the roster space Moss is a nice speculative pick up to hold onto as the buzz around a return is enough to warrant a roster stash.

Kendall Hunter - Frank Gore has looked sluggish to say the least and now his week 4 status is in doubt. Hunter is a very explosive runner with big upside if Gore misses extensive time or his abismal performances continue.

Torrey Smith - Provided us with the surprise performance of the week filling in for Lee Evans, with his 5 catch 152 yard 3 TD out burst. Flacco Loves going deep. If Evans remains sidelined Smith will remain the lone deep threat. He's a boom or bust WR3 as a starter.

Updated Week 3 Rankings

2011-09-25T00:33:00.000-07:00

QB's

1. Tom Brady

2. Phillip Rivers

3. Cam Newton

4. Drew Brees

5. Aaron Rodgers

6. Matt Stafford

7. Michael Vick

8. Tony Romo

9. Ryan Fitzpatrick

10. Ben Roethlisberger

11. Josh Freeman

12. Matt Ryan

13. Jay Cutler

14. Matt Schuab

15. Kevin Kolb

WR's

1. Larry Fitzgerald

2. Steve Smith

3. Vincent Jackson

4. Andre Johnson

5. Dez Bryant

6. Kenny Britt

7. Calvin Johnson

8. Mike Williams

9. Mike Wallace

10. Brandon Marshall

11. Roddy White

12. Jeremy Maclin

13. Greg Jennings

14. AJ Green

15. Wes Welker

16. Brandon Lloyd

17. Santonio Holmes

18. Desean Jackson

19. Michael Crabtree

20. Julio Jones

21. David Nelson

22. Lance Moore

23. Stevie Johnson

24. Jordy Nelson

25. Johnny Knox

26. Dexter McCluster

27. Regge Wayne

28. Nate Burleson

29. Dwayne Bowe

30. Anquan Boldin

31. Percy Harvin

32. Eric Decker

33. Deion Branch

34. Plaxico Burress

35. Santana Moss

36. Hakeem Nicks

37. Danario Alexander

38. Sidney Rice

39. Mike Sims-Walker

40. Andre Roberts

41. Robert Meachem

42. Mike Thomas

43. Nate Washington

44. Jerome Simpson

45. Arrelious Benn

46. Devery Henderson

47. Kevin Ogletree

48. Jabar Gafney

49. Early Doucet

50. Greg Little

RB's
1. Chris Johnson

2. Ben Tate

3. Maurice Jones-Drew

4. Ray Rice

5. Adrian Peterson

6. Michael Turner

7. Rashard Mendenhal

8. Shonn Greene

9. Ahmad Bradshaw

10. Jahvid Best

11. Ryan Matthews

12. Darren McFadden

13. Mike Tolbert

14. LeSean McCoy

15. Fred Jackson

16. Peyton Hillis

17. Daniel Thomas

18. BenJarvis Green-Ellis

19. Matt Forte

20. Frank Gore

21. Mark Ingram

22. Willis McGahee

23. Felix Jones

24. LeGarett Blount

25. James Starks

26. Pierre Thomas

27. Brandon Jacobs

28. Beanie Wells

29. Marshawn Lynch

30. Dexter McCluster

31. Tim Hightower

32. Deji Kareem

32. Regge Bush

33. Danny Woodhead

34. Johnathan Stewart

35 Cedric Benson

35. Steven Jackson

36. Deangelo Williams

37. Thomas Jones

38. Darren Sproles

39. Joseph Addai

40. KnowShon Moreno

TE's

1. Rob Gronkowski

2. Jermichael Finley

3. Jason Witten

4. Jimmy Graham

5. Dustin Keller

6. Fred Davis

7. Randy McMichael

8. Greg Olsen

9. Vernon Davis

10. Owen Daniels

11. Evan Moore

12. Tony Gonzales

13. Ed Dickson

14. Scott Chandler

15. Jermaine Gresham

OUT - Miles Austin, Mario Manningham, Lee Evans, Earl Bennett, Malcom Floyd, Jacoby Ford

Game Time Decisions - Beanie Wells, Arian Foster (likely to sit) Antonio Gates (looks to be out) Steven Jackson, KnowShon Moreno

IN - Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Felix Jones (role unknown), Peyton Hillis, Michael Crabtree

Downgraded - Dallas Clark (now Questionable - riskey play)

Other(s) to note - Brandon Petigrew (likely to be active but with limited role)

Pick ups of the Week (Bonus Edition)

2011-09-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

Bernard Scott - Cedric Benson Is facing a 3 game suspension

Greg Little - Colt McCoy has been quoted, prasing Littles development and to be wanting to get the ball in his hands more. Little is the most explosive player on the roster and holds more than enough upside to be rostered

Nate Washington - Received at least 8 targets in each game thus far with a good matchup against the Broncos this week.

Kevin Ogletree - Miles Austin out, Dez Bryant not practicing. Could be the number one WR for the Cowboys this week. Will at least start.

Michael Crabtree - If hes available in your league stash him away on your roster. He will return this week from injury and Edwards will miss at least 3 weeks due to injury.

Week 3 Rankings continued

2011-09-21T16:12:00.000-07:00

RB's

1. Chris Johnson

2. Ben Tate

3. Maurice Jones-Drew

4. Ray Rice

5. Adrian Peterson

6. Michael Turner

7. Rashard Mendenhal

8. Shonn Greene

9. Ahmad Bradshaw

10. Jahvid Best

11. Ryan Matthews

12. Darren McFadden

13. Mike Tolbert

14. BenJarvis Green-Ellis

15. Fred Jackson

16. Peyton Hillis

17. Daniel Thomas

18. LeSean McCoy

19. Matt Forte

20. Frank Gore

21. Mark Ingram

22. Knowshon Moreno

23. Felix Jones

24. LeGarett Blount

25. James Starks

26. Pierre Thomas

27. Brandon Jacobs

28. Beanie Wells

29. Marshawn Lynch

30. Dexter McCluster

31. Tim Hightower

32. Deji Kareem

32. Regge Bush

33. Danny Woodhead

34. Johnathan Stewart

35 Cedric Benson

35. Steven Jackson *

36. Deangelo Williams

37. Thomas Jones

38. Darren Sproles

39. Joseph Addai

40. Willis McGahee

TE's

1. Rob Gronkowski

2. Jermichael Finley

3. Jason Witten

4. Jimmy Graham

5. Dustin Keller

6. Fred Davis

7. Randy McMichael

8. Greg Olsen

9. Evan Moore

10. Owen Daniels

11. Vernon Davis

12. Dallas Clark

13. Ed Dickson

14. Scott Chandler

15. Jermaine Gresham

Monitor Injuries. Rankings boost if outlook is good

Week 3 Rankings

2011-09-21T14:19:00.000-07:00

Beating the Spread Week 3

2011-09-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

Season recap 13-9

NE -8.5 @ BUF ---- NE

HOU @ NO -4 ---- NO

MIA + 2.5 @ CLE ---- MIA

DEN + 7 @ TEN ---- TEN

DET -3 @ MIN ---- DET

JAC + 3.5 @ CAR ---- CAR

KC +15 @ SD ---- KC

NYJ - 3.5 @ OAK ---- NYJ

BAL -4 @ STL ---- BAL

ATL + 1.5 @ TB ---- ATL

ARI -3 @ SEA ---- ARI

GB -4 @ CHI ---- GB

PIT -10.5 @ IND ---- PIT

WAS +3.5 @ DAL ---- WAS

Pick ups of the week.

2011-09-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

Dexter McCluster - as stated in last weeks pick ups McCluster is a rising player in the Chiefs offense (He received the same total of touches as Charles week 1) and if Charles ever went down McCluster would become RB 2 worthy with the possibility of being plugged in as a WR3 depending on league eligibility standards. That time has come. If McCluster is available in your league don't hesitate to add him to your roster.

Daniel Thomas - Showed great decisiveness and burst in his runs against the Texans. His line proved able to open up consistent holes for the rookie back which he took full advantage of rushing for over 100 yards in his NFL debut. Many people gave up on Thomas after his demotion. As they should've. Thomas displayed nothing but hesitation as a runner which added validity to all the reports. If Sunday was any indication of things to come Thomas will be the lead back for the Dolphins the remainder of the season with Bush sliding into the change of pace role. As the featured back you can expect Matt Forte light numbers from Thomas.

Eric Decker - Received a lot of buzz at the end of Bronco camp then came up big with an 87 yard punt return TD against the Raiders on MNF. Yesterday Decker added to his resume with a 5 catch 113 yard 2 TD out burst, filling in for an injured Eddie Royal. Royal will remain out over the next few weeks. Decker will star in Royals absence and could hold onto the job retaining fantasy value for the rest of the season. Decker should be owned in all 12 team leagues.

Denarius Moore - With Jacoby Ford, Darrius Heyward-Bey out Moore shined, with 5 catches for 146 yards and a nice TD in between two defenders. He also added 25 yards on the ground. Moore is a great athlete with good ball skills. He's a poor mans Mike Wallace. His performance should secure a starting spot for him. He's already put his potential on display. Moore should be snatched up in all 12 team leagues and 10 team leagues with roster space or those who are hurting for upside. He's not startable this week against the Jets, but the schedule is quite fantasy friendly over the few weeks that follow ( NE, HOU, CLE, KC, DEN)

Fred Davis - Davis is probly the best TE in the league that most don't know of. He has been stuck behind Chris Cooley his whole career. Cooley is dealing with injury right now and Davis is taking full advantage with 191 yards and a TD in the first two games. Even when Cooley returns to 100% (he played week 1 and 2) Davis should still be the go to guy.

Danario Alexander - The ultra Talented WR broke out on MNF with 122 yards and a TD. Talent has never been an issue for Alexander as hes a very gifted WR. Knee issues have been his down fall. A wise man once said it best "his knees will make you crazy but his talent will make you hazy". If Alexander can stay healthy it is very possible he will be the Brandon Lloyd of this year as he could put up monstrous totals such as this regularly. This is all you need to know about Danario Alexander. watch listen and enjoy

others to consider: David Nelson, Delone Carter, Jerome Simpson, Titus Young, Ryan Fitzpatrick

Week 2 Game by Game Breakdown

2011-09-18T02:54:00.000-07:00

KC @ DET -8

KC was embarrassed at home last week to the Bills. Detroit fairly easily beast a solid Bucs team on the road. Lets face facts the Chiefs overachieved last year. They had a soft schedule which Charlie Weis exploited not Todd Haley. Weis was a major reason for their offensive success. The loss of Eric Berry will only make them fall further down the NFL heirarchery. The Lions are a force. They can play with any team. Their D-line is dominate and Matt Stafford is quickly becoming one of the leagues best. Stafford will exploit Berry's absence to the fullest, picking apart the cheifs defense making numerous connections with his pass catchers down field. The Chiefs will have to impose a successfull run heavy approach early to stand a chance. They need to give Jamaal Charles the ball as much as he can handle to keep pace with Detroits scoring but we all know Todd Haley has other plans. He will feed McCluster the ball a near equal amount of times. Detroits line should dominate and leave Cassel with limited time to throw or get comfortable. Once the Lions have a big lead they will ice the game feeding Jahvid Best and Jerome Harrison who should provide some explosive runs. Perhaps the Lions call the dogs off a little early and impliment the prevent defense allowing the Chiefs time to make the game appear closer than it really was but either way the Lions will win by double digits. Lions 34 - 17

JAC @ NYJ -9.5

The Jets are coming off a rather fortunate win against the cowboys. Forced to abondon their roots of ground and pound to play catch up. That won't be the case this week. The Jets will be commited to establishing Shonn Greene and the running game early, taking the pressure off Mark Sanchez who will be allowed to drop back and make the occasional throw down field to Plaxico. Uncertainty still surrounds Holmes availabilty but it won't have too much effect on the game as the Jets should win with ease. The offense won't have to put up too many points as Luke McCown and the Jags aren't much of a threat to light up the score board. Especially when matched up against the NYJ defense. This game could quickly turn into a slaughter if the Jets get some big plays early on Special Teams or Defense which is possible. Jets Roll with or without Holmes 24-3

ARI @ WAS -3 1/2

Both teams coming off wins, Washingtons being the most impressive. They stiffled the Giant offense limiting them to just 14 points and Rex Grossman threw for over 300 yards while not turning the ball over. The Redskin defense will attack Kolb, leaving him unable to find rhythem. Kolb will lean on Fitzgerald heavily but looking his way often doesn't translate to production. If the skins grab an early lead forcing the Cardinals in catch up mode the washington defense will take full advantage of the added drop backs. The Cardinals will need a big game out of Beanie Wells to keep their shaky secondary off the field. Rex Grossman should still have all the time he needs to hook up with Santana Moss and Anthony Armstrong deep. He will have nice underneath options with fred davis and Jabar Gafney. Skins take it. 27 - 17

BAL @ TEN +6

The Titans should be up and ready for this rivalry game and the Ravens are coming off an emotional win which could spell an upset recipie. I'm going to ride with the more obvious. The Ravens are good on both sides of the ball. The Titans are mediocre on both side of the ball. Ray Rice should have another big day and Flacco will be able to hook up with Lee Evans and/or Ed Dickson for a big play or two. As long as the Ravens can contain Chris Johnson they should be able to cover here. Ravens 27 - 13

SEA @ PIT -14

The Steelers will be angry. They will be looking to make a home opener statement against the Seahawks. Very unfortunate for the Seahawks. Tavaris Jackson will be helpless as the Steeler Defense will wreak Havoc on him. Big Ben will light up the seattle secondary. Connecting with Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown for big plays. This game will be a an early blowout. Steelers 31 - 10

GB @ CAR +10

The Packers Offense looked pretty much unstoppable last week. Which is about right. Rodgers has endless weapons. Rodgers should connect with Jermichael Finley numerous times leading to a lot of hurt on the Panther Defense. They will score time after time. Dom Capers will have the Packer Defense throwing all kinds of different looks at Cam Newton. We will get to see what hes truely made of this week after a historic NFL debut. Whats my prediction on the game? Well to quote Clubber Lang from Rockie III "Pain". Thats my prediction. The Panthers might be able to hang tough for a while at home, but they wont be able to keep up with the scoring pace of the Packers. 38 - 20

DAL @ SF +3

I know this sounds like a joke, but I think Romo will be motivated this week. Yes. Romo... motivated. I think he may finally be ready to silence critics after yet another meltdown. He looks likley to be without Dez Bryant, but Romo will connect with his favorites (Austin and Witten) time and time again. Alex Smith is very erratic under pressure. Rob Ryan will have the Dallas D getting too him forcing multiple Turnovers. Their Defense just shutdown one of the best Running teams in the NFL so Gore won't carry them. San Francisco didnt do much on offense last week against a weak Seattle secondary (just 209 total yards and 1 TD). They won't do any better offensively this week. They won't get another 2 return TD's again. Dallas had 390 yards of offense last week agains the jets and looked very dominate before the closer minutes mishaps. They won't have the same collapse nor will it be that close. The niners are vulnerable through the air. Dallas wins by more than a FG. 27 - 17

HOU @ MIA +3

Houston was flat dominate last week on both sides of the ball. The Dolphins were exposed to say the least on defense. Houston will impliment a run heavy approach with last years NFL leading rusher back in the mix. The Texans should dominate the time of possesion, leaving their defense rested. They will wear down the Dolphin defense with their runs going for more yardage as the game goes on. Schuab will connect with Andre a fair share of times too but its Foster and Tate who will carry the offense. Texans win 24-17

SD @ NE -7

The Patriots defense gave up over 400 yards last week to Chad Henne. The Chargers held McNabb to 39 yards. The Chargers be able to contain the Patriot offense, at least at a pace the chargers will be able to keep up with Rivers will utilize his WRs size advatage over the NE corners. Hooking up with Vincent Jackson for big plays downfield. I like the Chargers chance at an upset, but given how dominate the Patriots looked last week I will still go with the Pats in the game. 34 - 31
CIN @ DEN -4

Denver really struggles stopping the run and running is what the Bengals will doing often. The Broncos will also be without Knowshon Moreno, Champ Bailey and Ty Warren in this game. This game looks to be brutal to watch. I shall make my pick anyways. Denver 20 - 17

PHI @ ATL +2.5

I will keep this one simple. Vick is not going to lose in his return to the Georgia Dome. He's too much of a competitor. He will be too motivated. Yes the Falcons will be riding Turner to keep Vick off the field, but once Vick does step onto the field he will waste no time making plays. As I predicted in an earlier column It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Eagles win 31 - 17