Stafford's Party Boat Box Score
STARTERS
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM, POS, OPP, STATUS, ET, PTS
QB Tom Brady, NE QB P @NYJ » L 14-28 (15)
RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac RB @SD » L 13-38 (3)
RB Frank Gore, SF RB NO » L 22-25 (35)
RB/WR Arian Foster, Hou RB @Was » W 30-27 (15)
WR Steve Smith, NYG WR @Ind » L 14-38 (7)
WR Dwayne Bowe, KC WR @Cle » W 16-14 (8)
TE Chris Cooley, Was TE Hou » L 27-30 (15)
D/ST Patriots D/ST, NE D/ST @NYJ » L 14-28 (-1)
K Mason Crosby, GB K Buf » W 34-7 (11)
TOTAL POINTS: 108
BENCH
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM POS OPP STATUS ET PTS
Bench Beanie Wells, Ari RB P @Atl » L 7-41 (0)
Bench Michael Crabtree, SF WR NO » L 22-25 (4)
Bench Malcom Floyd, SD WR Jac » W 38-13 (18)
Bench Visanthe Shiancoe, Min TE Q Mia » L 10-14 (14)
Bench Matthew Stafford, Det QB D Phi » L 32-35 (0)
Bench 49ers D/ST, SF D/ST NO » L 22-25 (1)
Bench Laurent Robinson, StL WR Q @Oak » L 14-16 (1)
BENCH POINTS: 38
AARON MCKIE'S Box Score
STARTERS
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM, POS, OPP, STATUS, ET, PTS
QB Tony Romo, Dal QB Chi » L 20-27 (16)
RB Rashard Mendenhall, Pit RB @Ten » W 19-11 (7)
RB Knowshon Moreno, Den RB Q Sea » W 31-14 (21)
RB/WR Santana Moss, Was WR Hou » L 27-30 (18)
WR Andre Johnson, Hou WR Q @Was » W 30-27 (33)
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Ari WR @Atl » L 7-41 (15)
TE Dallas Clark, Ind TE NYG » W 38-14 (19)
D/ST Packers D/ST, GB D/ST Buf » W 34-7 (12)
K Jay Feely, Ari K @Atl » L 7-41 (0)
TOTAL POINTS: 141
BENCH
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM, POS, OPP, STATUS, ET, PTS
Bench Brandon Jacobs, NYG RB @Ind » L 14-38 (0)
Bench Donovan McNabb, Was QB Hou » L 27-30 (23)
Bench Jerome Harrison, Cle RB Q KC » L 14-16 (7)
Bench Cadillac Williams, TB RB @Car » W 20-7 (6)
Bench Devin Aromashodu, Chi WR @Dal » W 27-20 (0)
Bench Mike Williams, TB WR @Car » W 20-7 (13)
Bench Mike Williams, Sea WR P @Den » L 14-31 (1)
BENCH POINTS: 50
---------------------------------
Not my week. Frank scored the most points for any team in our league in Week 2. Wasn't meant to beat em'. I will admit though, anytime I'm playing any type of Johnson either Calvin, Chris, or Andre...I can't stand it. They always bar burn me. I had a lot more tough match ups with Brady against the Jets, and Foster against the Skins. Totally guess wrong on the Pats, plus Mojo had a disappoint game.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Week 1 - Fantasy Match
Stafford's Party Boat Box Score
STARTERS
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM, POS, OPP, STATUS, ET, PTS
QB Tom Brady, NE QB P Cin » W 38-24 (28)
RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac RB Den » W 24-17 (13)
RB Frank Gore, SF RB @Sea » L 6-31 (13)
RB/WR Arian Foster, Hou RB Ind » W 34-24 (42)
WR Michael Crabtree, SF WR @Sea » L 6-31 (3)
WR Malcom Floyd, SD WR @KC » L 14-21 (7)
TE Visanthe Shiancoe, Min TE Q @NO » L 9-14 (17)
D/ST 49ers D/ST, SF D/ST @Sea » L 6-31 (-1)
K Mason Crosby, GB K @Phi » W 27-20 (12)
TOTAL POINTS: 134
BENCH
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM, POS, OPP, STATUS, ET, PTS
Bench Steve Smith, NYG WR Car » W 31-18 (9)
Bench Beanie Wells, Ari RB P @StL » W 17-13 (0)
Bench Chris Cooley, Was TE Dal » W 13-7 (14)
Bench Dwayne Bowe, KC WR SD » W 21-14 (2)
Bench Matthew Stafford, Det QB D @Chi » L 14-19 (1)
Bench Laurent Robinson, StL WR Q Ari » L 13-17 (10)
Bench Mewelde Moore, Pit RB Atl » W 15-9 (2)
BENCH POINTS: 38
Travis Henry's Kid's Box Score
STARTERS
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM, POS, OPP, STATUS, ET, PTS
QB Philip Rivers, SD QB @KC » L 14-21 (23)
RB Adrian Peterson, Min RB @NO » L 9-14 (12)
RB Ryan Mathews, SD RB Q @KC » L 14-21 (6)
RB/WR LeSean McCoy, Phi RB GB » L 20-27 (18)
WR Brandon Marshall, Mia WR @Buf » W 15-10 (13)
WR Johnny Knox, Chi WR Det » W 19-14 (8)
TE Vernon Davis, SF TE @Sea » L 6-31 (15)
D/ST Giants D/ST, NYG D/ST Car » W 31-18 (14)
K Neil Rackers, Hou K Ind » W 34-24 (11)
TOTAL POINTS: 120
BENCH
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM, POS, OPP, STATUS, ET, PTS
Bench Hakeem Nicks, NYG WR Car » W 31-18 (29)
Bench Mike Wallace, Pit WR Atl » W 15-9 (8)
Bench Dez Bryant, Dal WR P @Was » L 7-13 (13)
Bench Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG RB Car » W 31-18 (14)
Bench Marion Barber, Dal RB @Was » L 7-13 (5)
Bench Tim Hightower, Ari RB @StL » W 17-13 (15)
Bench Kenny Britt, Ten WR Oak » W 38-13 (0)
BENCH POINTS: 84
--------------------------------
As you can clearly see, I got the biggest break when he didn't play Nicks. He originally had Nicks in there too, but I got some luck thrown my way and he told him out. Foster was a freak and I won in Week 1. A nice way to start off the season
STARTERS
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM, POS, OPP, STATUS, ET, PTS
QB Tom Brady, NE QB P Cin » W 38-24 (28)
RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac RB Den » W 24-17 (13)
RB Frank Gore, SF RB @Sea » L 6-31 (13)
RB/WR Arian Foster, Hou RB Ind » W 34-24 (42)
WR Michael Crabtree, SF WR @Sea » L 6-31 (3)
WR Malcom Floyd, SD WR @KC » L 14-21 (7)
TE Visanthe Shiancoe, Min TE Q @NO » L 9-14 (17)
D/ST 49ers D/ST, SF D/ST @Sea » L 6-31 (-1)
K Mason Crosby, GB K @Phi » W 27-20 (12)
TOTAL POINTS: 134
BENCH
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM, POS, OPP, STATUS, ET, PTS
Bench Steve Smith, NYG WR Car » W 31-18 (9)
Bench Beanie Wells, Ari RB P @StL » W 17-13 (0)
Bench Chris Cooley, Was TE Dal » W 13-7 (14)
Bench Dwayne Bowe, KC WR SD » W 21-14 (2)
Bench Matthew Stafford, Det QB D @Chi » L 14-19 (1)
Bench Laurent Robinson, StL WR Q Ari » L 13-17 (10)
Bench Mewelde Moore, Pit RB Atl » W 15-9 (2)
BENCH POINTS: 38
Travis Henry's Kid's Box Score
STARTERS
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM, POS, OPP, STATUS, ET, PTS
QB Philip Rivers, SD QB @KC » L 14-21 (23)
RB Adrian Peterson, Min RB @NO » L 9-14 (12)
RB Ryan Mathews, SD RB Q @KC » L 14-21 (6)
RB/WR LeSean McCoy, Phi RB GB » L 20-27 (18)
WR Brandon Marshall, Mia WR @Buf » W 15-10 (13)
WR Johnny Knox, Chi WR Det » W 19-14 (8)
TE Vernon Davis, SF TE @Sea » L 6-31 (15)
D/ST Giants D/ST, NYG D/ST Car » W 31-18 (14)
K Neil Rackers, Hou K Ind » W 34-24 (11)
TOTAL POINTS: 120
BENCH
SLOT PLAYER, TEAM, POS, OPP, STATUS, ET, PTS
Bench Hakeem Nicks, NYG WR Car » W 31-18 (29)
Bench Mike Wallace, Pit WR Atl » W 15-9 (8)
Bench Dez Bryant, Dal WR P @Was » L 7-13 (13)
Bench Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG RB Car » W 31-18 (14)
Bench Marion Barber, Dal RB @Was » L 7-13 (5)
Bench Tim Hightower, Ari RB @StL » W 17-13 (15)
Bench Kenny Britt, Ten WR Oak » W 38-13 (0)
BENCH POINTS: 84
--------------------------------
As you can clearly see, I got the biggest break when he didn't play Nicks. He originally had Nicks in there too, but I got some luck thrown my way and he told him out. Foster was a freak and I won in Week 1. A nice way to start off the season
No. 20 for Doc (Late Pass)
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100921&content_id=14915176&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi
Super late pass right here! I've been so extremely busy with all the different fantasy baseball/football leagues that I forgot to update the blog here. I went to the Phillies vs. Braves game last week (game two of the series) and it was the last game of my ticket plan. Needless to say it was a lot of fun. DOC got his twenty win of the season against the Braves who have been ahead of us almost all season. The Phillies got the sweep, and just clinched the NL East title last night. We are truly in the Golden Age of Phillies baseball. I said goodbye to our good friends Mike and Megan who sat next to us all season. They were really great people and I loved talking to them during the games. Hopefully we get seats near them during the playoffs.
Super late pass right here! I've been so extremely busy with all the different fantasy baseball/football leagues that I forgot to update the blog here. I went to the Phillies vs. Braves game last week (game two of the series) and it was the last game of my ticket plan. Needless to say it was a lot of fun. DOC got his twenty win of the season against the Braves who have been ahead of us almost all season. The Phillies got the sweep, and just clinched the NL East title last night. We are truly in the Golden Age of Phillies baseball. I said goodbye to our good friends Mike and Megan who sat next to us all season. They were really great people and I loved talking to them during the games. Hopefully we get seats near them during the playoffs.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
.5 Back!
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100906&content_id=14382414&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi
Earlier in the season, I had to trade in some of my tickets because I could not make certain games due to family or other related business, and one of the games I traded in for was this one. I finally got to see Roy Oswalt pitch this time (last time was in LF!) with the Phillies pinstripes on. The game was a lot of fun, and also it was great to see the Phillies only get .5 behind the Braves. We clearly have a great race going on in the NL East, and hopefully we can start winning more games and move ahead of the Braves. Only time will tell...
Earlier in the season, I had to trade in some of my tickets because I could not make certain games due to family or other related business, and one of the games I traded in for was this one. I finally got to see Roy Oswalt pitch this time (last time was in LF!) with the Phillies pinstripes on. The game was a lot of fun, and also it was great to see the Phillies only get .5 behind the Braves. We clearly have a great race going on in the NL East, and hopefully we can start winning more games and move ahead of the Braves. Only time will tell...
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Squad Predictions!
Here are all the fantasy predictions from ESPN on the football players that I drafted (my team only).
Maurice Jones-Drew: MJD makes for a heck of a bronze medal. He's tiny, but all he did in his first season as the Jaguars' lead back was exceed 200 carries in a season for the first time (he had 312), eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the first time (he had 1,391), and score 15 rushing touchdowns, second in the NFL, behind only Adrian Peterson. Heck, Jones-Drew actually improved his per-carry average from 4.2 in his final year as a tandem back with Fred Taylor to 4.5 in 2009. He led the league in red zone carries last season, and was third in carries inside the 10 and inside the 5; in short (pun intended), he's a touchdown machine. Plus, becoming the Jags' full-time halfback didn't affect his receiving numbers (in '09, he finished sixth in running back targets). MJD doesn't have Chris Johnson's top speed or Peterson's bruising size, but he's about as safe as they get.
Yds: 0/1302/439, TDs: 14 (305)
Frank Gore: Gore had a mixed 2009 season. He scored double-digit touchdowns for the first time in his career, finished 11th in the NFL in rushing yards, and was third in running back targets and fifth in receptions. But he also missed two more games with an ankle injury, meaning he hasn't made it through a full season since '06, and more significantly he went through a 10-game stretch in which he carried the ball more than 20 times just once. The 49ers went shotgun with Alex Smith in the middle of the season, and that isn't Gore's strength. Heck, take away three rushing touchdowns of at least 64 yards (two of which occurred in the same game), and Gore winds up with 897 rush yards and less than 4 yards per carry. We believe the Niners will get back to a more balanced attack that takes advantage of Gore's strengths in '10. But his incredible '06 season just doesn't seem likely to repeat.
Yds: 0/1178/405, TDs: 10 (261)
Tom Brady: Yup, that's what we were worried about. Brady returned from his 2008 knee-ligament injury and didn't produce anything close to his spectacular '07 numbers. Some folks will tell you it was because he still felt the lingering effects of his injuries well into the season, and maybe he did. But from our perspective, Brady's 50-touchdown '07 looks like the same kind of unsustainable career anomaly as Peyton Manning's 49-TD '04. We don't think either guy will ever approach those numbers again. That's not to say Brady can't be a valuable fantasy commodity. Of course he can. Even as the Patriots' offense disappointed, Brady had his second-best passing yardage season, tied his second-highest single-season passing TD output, and completed a stellar 65.7 percent of his throws. He's terrific. But he's not that guy you remember from '07. Don't draft him that way.
Yds: 4458/24/0, TDs: 31 (340)
Steve Smith: The "other" Steve Smith broke the Giants' single-season receptions record in 2009, plus became the franchise's first Pro Bowl representative at wideout since 1968. His impressive numbers were good enough to put him 11th in fantasy points among receivers last season, and like his more famous Panthers' namesake, he's erased concerns about being too small to line up outside the slot. The Giants were a pass-first team in '09, and should be again in '10. So why aren't we even higher on Smith? Despite all the glowing things we just wrote about him, he isn't really a deep threat; he had two plays of 40-plus yards last year and his 11.4 yards-per-catch average is reminiscent more of Wes Welker than Randy Moss. Simply put, there are bigger, faster receivers on this team: Hakeem Nicks to name one. Smith will work the middle and be extremely steady, but probably not explosive.
Yds: 0/0/1188, TDs: 6 (252)
Beanie Wells: Let's face it, most rankings of Cardinals players post-Kurt Warner are contingent. Ken Whisenhunt says he plans on keeping his same offensive system with Matt Leinart running the show, but color us skeptical. Given how good an impersonation Beanie Wells did of a bulldozer toward the end of 2009 -- and how mediocre Leinart has looked when he's gotten chances to play -- we find it hard to believe Arizona will feature the league's second-most pass-heavy offense again in '10. In his rookie year, Wells shrugged off widespread concerns about his durability and scored six touchdowns in the season's final eight games, often using his 240-pound frame to simply crush defenders. Tim Hightower will likely remain the Cardinals' primary pass catcher out of the backfield, but we think Beanie is ready to be the touchdown maker right now. That entire Arizona offense is risky, but Wells has serious breakout potential.
Yds: 0/1138/97, TDs: 9 (187)
Michael Crabtree: Crabtree held out for the first five games of 2009, and it shows in his final rookie numbers. They're nothing special. It would be foolish to proclaim that, with a full training camp, Crabtree will suddenly be ready to become All-Pro. His quarterback, after all, will still be Alex Smith. Nevertheless, there were parts of Crabtree's game we loved in '09. While he didn't always seem to know what defense he was looking at, his instincts and ball skills are tremendous, and he's just really, really big. The 49ers still don't really have a true burner, but between Crabtree, Vernon Davis and Josh Morgan, they've got some electric athletes with the ball in their hands. It's fair to salivate over Crabtree's upside, while understanding that he's played all of 11 NFL games, and had all of four red-zone targets last season. There's still work to be done.
Yds: 0/0/938, TDs: 7 (203)
Chris Cooley: Cooley is psyched that Donovan McNabb is coming to Washington. After all, Donnie Football has made a living checking down to his tight ends, and he's probably never had as polished a receiving tight end as Cooley. But let's inject a bit of reality. Cooley is coming off a broken ankle that limited him to seven games in 2009, and while he amassed a career-high 849 receiving yards in '08, he scored just once that year. Add the fact that Fred Davis played exceptionally well in Cooley's absence last season, and it's fair to say Cooley has a lot of risk associated with him. He could ascend back to elite fantasy levels, but he also could find himself in a rotation.
Yds: 0/0/910, TDs: 5 (197)
Dwayne Bowe: We were sold a bill of goods with Bowe last year. Matt Cassel plus Todd Haley's offense was going to turn Bowe into Anquan Boldin (without Larry Fitzgerald around to steal all those targets). What we got instead was an undisciplined guy who came to training camp overweight, didn't score a touchdown after Week 7, led the NFL in dropped passes and earned a four-week suspension for using a banned substance. Awesome. There's no doubting Bowe's athletic abilities: he's an insane leaper and a difficult guy to bring down. But his commitment is in question. Charlie Weis is the Chiefs' new offensive coordinator, and he has a reputation for making offensive stars. But we're concerned about the offensive line in Kansas City, and we're also not ready to be burned by Bowe's brain again. We acknowledge he could be a value pick, but he scares us.
Yds: 0/0/980, TDs: 6 (208)
Arian Foster: Foster made our preseason list of deep sleepers in 2009, and then took 14 weeks to even see the field. When he did finally start in the season's final two games, he gained 216 yards and scored three touchdowns on 39 carries. With Ben Tate's injury clearing the way, Foster will get a shot at being the team's featured back, with Steve Slaton the only legitimate threat to his carries.
Yds: 0/1020/158, TDs: 8 (186)
Malcom Floyd: Floyd ascended to the Chargers' starting lineup when the team released Chris Chambers around midseason last year. He wound up averaging an impressive 17.2 yards per catch and 10.5 yards per target. Unfortunately, if you remove a garbage-time contest in Week 17, he also never caught more than four passes in a game. He'll be behind Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates for aerial looks, but Philip Rivers does like to use Floyd's insane wingspan in the red zone, and Jackson is suspended for the first three games of the season, giving Floyd some quality 1-on-1 time with his quarterback.
Yds: 0/0/901, TDs: 3 (149)
Visanthe Shiancoe: Shiancoe finished second in touchdowns among tight ends in 2009 with 11, so you're forgiven for thinking we have him ranked a bit low here. After all, he came from relative obscurity to finish sixth in fantasy points at his position. But while Shank makes an excellent close-in receiver, he doesn't get nearly the same number of looks overall as his counterparts on this list. He had 79 targets in '09, good for only 14th in the NFL. Accordingly, his receiving yardage ranked just 17th. The Vikings don't use Shiancoe down the field, primarily because they have so many excellent wideouts, so he's a touchdown-dependent player, and we all know touchdowns can vary wildly from season to season. Thus, if you're planning on grabbing him to be your starter, be sure to draft a solid backup, too.
Yds: 0/0/589, TDs: 8 (160)
Matthew Stafford: The fact that we've got a sophomore quarterback with 10 starts and a whopping 20 interceptions even this high on our list speaks more to the troubled depth in NFL quarterbacking than to Stafford's excellence. Yes, he's got potential. Yes, he led the Lions to a heroic and improbable November win over the Browns with a separated non-throwing shoulder. But Detroit still has a subpar offensive line and big questions at running back, and we can't be sure Nate Burleson's presence will be enough to free up Calvin Johnson. Still, Stafford threw the ball a ton in his rookie campaign (at least 36 attempts in seven different games), which augurs a pass-first offense in 2010. He'll make mistakes, but the Lions are committed to Stafford and his growing pains.
Yds: 3710/93/0, TDs: 22 (243)
49ers D/ST: The 49ers finished 2009 as fantasy's No. 1 defense, but they didn't really have that kind of season. Take away their 39-point effort in Week 4 against the Rams (the highest total any defense registered all season), and suddenly they're seventh in fantasy. Still, this is an ascending unit, boosted by its switch to a 3-4 scheme last season and the corresponding stardom of nose man Aubrayo Franklin. Patrick Willis is amazing, Justin Smith didn't miss a beat adjusting to his 3-4 duties as a defensive end, '07 fourth-rounder Dashon Goldson looks like a fixture at free safety, and Shawntae Spencer came back from ACL surgery to be the Niners' best corner. But Nate Clements looks washed up, Michael Lewis keeps getting concussed (though he'll be backed up by rookie Taylor Mays in 2010), and nobody stands out as truly excellent among the outside linebackers.
YA: 4904, PA: 312 (117)
Mason Crosby: A fringe benefit of an offense that can move the ball is a kicker who gets lots of attempts. Crosby is no exception; he's tied with David Akers for the most field-goal tries over the past three seasons combined. Unfortunately, Crosby made only 75 percent of his kicks in 2009, but that average looks better when his 2-of-6 from beyond 50 is removed. He should continue to be a high-volume fantasy performer.
(127)
Laurent Robinson: The Falcons gave up on Robinson too easily, shipping him to St. Louis for a late draft pick, and he ascended to the Rams' No. 1 receiving role in training camp. The former third-rounder is 6-foot-2, has 4.38 speed and is a natural pass-catcher, but he broke his fibula in Week 3 of the 2009 season and went on injured reserve. That's consecutive seasons cut short by injury, but he has more upside than any Rams receiver for '10.
Yds: 0/0/832, TDs: 5
Mewelde Moore: Moore rushed for 588 yards in 2008, as Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall were injured. So is he a viable handcuff to Mendenhall in '10, with Parker out of Pittsburgh? We don't think so. The Steelers' offensive line isn't what it was just two seasons ago, and even in a situational role in '09, Moore's yards per carry dropped to 3.4. We're betting the work would get split between Moore and rookie Jonathan Dwyer should Mendenhall get injured.
Yds: 0/315/186, TDs: 4 (98)
Maurice Jones-Drew: MJD makes for a heck of a bronze medal. He's tiny, but all he did in his first season as the Jaguars' lead back was exceed 200 carries in a season for the first time (he had 312), eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the first time (he had 1,391), and score 15 rushing touchdowns, second in the NFL, behind only Adrian Peterson. Heck, Jones-Drew actually improved his per-carry average from 4.2 in his final year as a tandem back with Fred Taylor to 4.5 in 2009. He led the league in red zone carries last season, and was third in carries inside the 10 and inside the 5; in short (pun intended), he's a touchdown machine. Plus, becoming the Jags' full-time halfback didn't affect his receiving numbers (in '09, he finished sixth in running back targets). MJD doesn't have Chris Johnson's top speed or Peterson's bruising size, but he's about as safe as they get.
Yds: 0/1302/439, TDs: 14 (305)
Frank Gore: Gore had a mixed 2009 season. He scored double-digit touchdowns for the first time in his career, finished 11th in the NFL in rushing yards, and was third in running back targets and fifth in receptions. But he also missed two more games with an ankle injury, meaning he hasn't made it through a full season since '06, and more significantly he went through a 10-game stretch in which he carried the ball more than 20 times just once. The 49ers went shotgun with Alex Smith in the middle of the season, and that isn't Gore's strength. Heck, take away three rushing touchdowns of at least 64 yards (two of which occurred in the same game), and Gore winds up with 897 rush yards and less than 4 yards per carry. We believe the Niners will get back to a more balanced attack that takes advantage of Gore's strengths in '10. But his incredible '06 season just doesn't seem likely to repeat.
Yds: 0/1178/405, TDs: 10 (261)
Tom Brady: Yup, that's what we were worried about. Brady returned from his 2008 knee-ligament injury and didn't produce anything close to his spectacular '07 numbers. Some folks will tell you it was because he still felt the lingering effects of his injuries well into the season, and maybe he did. But from our perspective, Brady's 50-touchdown '07 looks like the same kind of unsustainable career anomaly as Peyton Manning's 49-TD '04. We don't think either guy will ever approach those numbers again. That's not to say Brady can't be a valuable fantasy commodity. Of course he can. Even as the Patriots' offense disappointed, Brady had his second-best passing yardage season, tied his second-highest single-season passing TD output, and completed a stellar 65.7 percent of his throws. He's terrific. But he's not that guy you remember from '07. Don't draft him that way.
Yds: 4458/24/0, TDs: 31 (340)
Steve Smith: The "other" Steve Smith broke the Giants' single-season receptions record in 2009, plus became the franchise's first Pro Bowl representative at wideout since 1968. His impressive numbers were good enough to put him 11th in fantasy points among receivers last season, and like his more famous Panthers' namesake, he's erased concerns about being too small to line up outside the slot. The Giants were a pass-first team in '09, and should be again in '10. So why aren't we even higher on Smith? Despite all the glowing things we just wrote about him, he isn't really a deep threat; he had two plays of 40-plus yards last year and his 11.4 yards-per-catch average is reminiscent more of Wes Welker than Randy Moss. Simply put, there are bigger, faster receivers on this team: Hakeem Nicks to name one. Smith will work the middle and be extremely steady, but probably not explosive.
Yds: 0/0/1188, TDs: 6 (252)
Beanie Wells: Let's face it, most rankings of Cardinals players post-Kurt Warner are contingent. Ken Whisenhunt says he plans on keeping his same offensive system with Matt Leinart running the show, but color us skeptical. Given how good an impersonation Beanie Wells did of a bulldozer toward the end of 2009 -- and how mediocre Leinart has looked when he's gotten chances to play -- we find it hard to believe Arizona will feature the league's second-most pass-heavy offense again in '10. In his rookie year, Wells shrugged off widespread concerns about his durability and scored six touchdowns in the season's final eight games, often using his 240-pound frame to simply crush defenders. Tim Hightower will likely remain the Cardinals' primary pass catcher out of the backfield, but we think Beanie is ready to be the touchdown maker right now. That entire Arizona offense is risky, but Wells has serious breakout potential.
Yds: 0/1138/97, TDs: 9 (187)
Michael Crabtree: Crabtree held out for the first five games of 2009, and it shows in his final rookie numbers. They're nothing special. It would be foolish to proclaim that, with a full training camp, Crabtree will suddenly be ready to become All-Pro. His quarterback, after all, will still be Alex Smith. Nevertheless, there were parts of Crabtree's game we loved in '09. While he didn't always seem to know what defense he was looking at, his instincts and ball skills are tremendous, and he's just really, really big. The 49ers still don't really have a true burner, but between Crabtree, Vernon Davis and Josh Morgan, they've got some electric athletes with the ball in their hands. It's fair to salivate over Crabtree's upside, while understanding that he's played all of 11 NFL games, and had all of four red-zone targets last season. There's still work to be done.
Yds: 0/0/938, TDs: 7 (203)
Chris Cooley: Cooley is psyched that Donovan McNabb is coming to Washington. After all, Donnie Football has made a living checking down to his tight ends, and he's probably never had as polished a receiving tight end as Cooley. But let's inject a bit of reality. Cooley is coming off a broken ankle that limited him to seven games in 2009, and while he amassed a career-high 849 receiving yards in '08, he scored just once that year. Add the fact that Fred Davis played exceptionally well in Cooley's absence last season, and it's fair to say Cooley has a lot of risk associated with him. He could ascend back to elite fantasy levels, but he also could find himself in a rotation.
Yds: 0/0/910, TDs: 5 (197)
Dwayne Bowe: We were sold a bill of goods with Bowe last year. Matt Cassel plus Todd Haley's offense was going to turn Bowe into Anquan Boldin (without Larry Fitzgerald around to steal all those targets). What we got instead was an undisciplined guy who came to training camp overweight, didn't score a touchdown after Week 7, led the NFL in dropped passes and earned a four-week suspension for using a banned substance. Awesome. There's no doubting Bowe's athletic abilities: he's an insane leaper and a difficult guy to bring down. But his commitment is in question. Charlie Weis is the Chiefs' new offensive coordinator, and he has a reputation for making offensive stars. But we're concerned about the offensive line in Kansas City, and we're also not ready to be burned by Bowe's brain again. We acknowledge he could be a value pick, but he scares us.
Yds: 0/0/980, TDs: 6 (208)
Arian Foster: Foster made our preseason list of deep sleepers in 2009, and then took 14 weeks to even see the field. When he did finally start in the season's final two games, he gained 216 yards and scored three touchdowns on 39 carries. With Ben Tate's injury clearing the way, Foster will get a shot at being the team's featured back, with Steve Slaton the only legitimate threat to his carries.
Yds: 0/1020/158, TDs: 8 (186)
Malcom Floyd: Floyd ascended to the Chargers' starting lineup when the team released Chris Chambers around midseason last year. He wound up averaging an impressive 17.2 yards per catch and 10.5 yards per target. Unfortunately, if you remove a garbage-time contest in Week 17, he also never caught more than four passes in a game. He'll be behind Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates for aerial looks, but Philip Rivers does like to use Floyd's insane wingspan in the red zone, and Jackson is suspended for the first three games of the season, giving Floyd some quality 1-on-1 time with his quarterback.
Yds: 0/0/901, TDs: 3 (149)
Visanthe Shiancoe: Shiancoe finished second in touchdowns among tight ends in 2009 with 11, so you're forgiven for thinking we have him ranked a bit low here. After all, he came from relative obscurity to finish sixth in fantasy points at his position. But while Shank makes an excellent close-in receiver, he doesn't get nearly the same number of looks overall as his counterparts on this list. He had 79 targets in '09, good for only 14th in the NFL. Accordingly, his receiving yardage ranked just 17th. The Vikings don't use Shiancoe down the field, primarily because they have so many excellent wideouts, so he's a touchdown-dependent player, and we all know touchdowns can vary wildly from season to season. Thus, if you're planning on grabbing him to be your starter, be sure to draft a solid backup, too.
Yds: 0/0/589, TDs: 8 (160)
Matthew Stafford: The fact that we've got a sophomore quarterback with 10 starts and a whopping 20 interceptions even this high on our list speaks more to the troubled depth in NFL quarterbacking than to Stafford's excellence. Yes, he's got potential. Yes, he led the Lions to a heroic and improbable November win over the Browns with a separated non-throwing shoulder. But Detroit still has a subpar offensive line and big questions at running back, and we can't be sure Nate Burleson's presence will be enough to free up Calvin Johnson. Still, Stafford threw the ball a ton in his rookie campaign (at least 36 attempts in seven different games), which augurs a pass-first offense in 2010. He'll make mistakes, but the Lions are committed to Stafford and his growing pains.
Yds: 3710/93/0, TDs: 22 (243)
49ers D/ST: The 49ers finished 2009 as fantasy's No. 1 defense, but they didn't really have that kind of season. Take away their 39-point effort in Week 4 against the Rams (the highest total any defense registered all season), and suddenly they're seventh in fantasy. Still, this is an ascending unit, boosted by its switch to a 3-4 scheme last season and the corresponding stardom of nose man Aubrayo Franklin. Patrick Willis is amazing, Justin Smith didn't miss a beat adjusting to his 3-4 duties as a defensive end, '07 fourth-rounder Dashon Goldson looks like a fixture at free safety, and Shawntae Spencer came back from ACL surgery to be the Niners' best corner. But Nate Clements looks washed up, Michael Lewis keeps getting concussed (though he'll be backed up by rookie Taylor Mays in 2010), and nobody stands out as truly excellent among the outside linebackers.
YA: 4904, PA: 312 (117)
Mason Crosby: A fringe benefit of an offense that can move the ball is a kicker who gets lots of attempts. Crosby is no exception; he's tied with David Akers for the most field-goal tries over the past three seasons combined. Unfortunately, Crosby made only 75 percent of his kicks in 2009, but that average looks better when his 2-of-6 from beyond 50 is removed. He should continue to be a high-volume fantasy performer.
(127)
Laurent Robinson: The Falcons gave up on Robinson too easily, shipping him to St. Louis for a late draft pick, and he ascended to the Rams' No. 1 receiving role in training camp. The former third-rounder is 6-foot-2, has 4.38 speed and is a natural pass-catcher, but he broke his fibula in Week 3 of the 2009 season and went on injured reserve. That's consecutive seasons cut short by injury, but he has more upside than any Rams receiver for '10.
Yds: 0/0/832, TDs: 5
Mewelde Moore: Moore rushed for 588 yards in 2008, as Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall were injured. So is he a viable handcuff to Mendenhall in '10, with Parker out of Pittsburgh? We don't think so. The Steelers' offensive line isn't what it was just two seasons ago, and even in a situational role in '09, Moore's yards per carry dropped to 3.4. We're betting the work would get split between Moore and rookie Jonathan Dwyer should Mendenhall get injured.
Yds: 0/315/186, TDs: 4 (98)
Fantasy Football Squad...
STAFFORD'S PARTY BOAT
9 Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac RB
12 Frank Gore, SF RB
29 Tom Brady, NE QB
32 Steve Smith, NYG WR
49 Beanie Wells, Ari RB
52 Michael Crabtree, SF WR
69 Chris Cooley, Was TE
72 Dwayne Bowe, KC WR
89 Arian Foster, Hou RB
92 Malcom Floyd, SD WR
109 Visanthe Shiancoe, Min TE
112 Matthew Stafford, Det QB
129 49ers D/ST, SF D/ST
132 Mason Crosby, GB K
149 Laurent Robinson, StL WR
152 Mewelde Moore, Pit RB
As you can clearly see I got A LOT of steals. Mainly in the RB positions and some deep sleeper WR. I still don’t understand how I landed MoJo with the 9th pick, but either way I’ll take it. I also drafted Sean’s team because he had to go to a viewing so I’m going to post his team as well.
TEAM CASEY
3 Ray Rice, Bal RB
18 Cedric Benson, Cin RB
23 DeSean Jackson, Phi WR
38 Brett Favre, Min QB
43 Brent Celek, Phi TE
58 Percy Harvin, Min WR
63 Ronnie Brown, Mia RB
78 Texans D/ST, Hou D/ST
83 Justin Forsett, Sea RB
98 Jay Cutler, Chi QB
103 Braylon Edwards, NYJ WR
118 Kellen Winslow, TB TE
123 Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oak WR
138 Michael Bush, Oak RB
143 Sebastian Janikowski, Oak K
158 Nate Burleson, Det WR
I structured Sean’s team a lot like my own, my only problem with his team is that he really really wanted Brett Favre because that’s his favorite QB. I’m not crazy about Favre at all but I did give him Cutler who should probably get started over Favre most of the time.
9 Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac RB
12 Frank Gore, SF RB
29 Tom Brady, NE QB
32 Steve Smith, NYG WR
49 Beanie Wells, Ari RB
52 Michael Crabtree, SF WR
69 Chris Cooley, Was TE
72 Dwayne Bowe, KC WR
89 Arian Foster, Hou RB
92 Malcom Floyd, SD WR
109 Visanthe Shiancoe, Min TE
112 Matthew Stafford, Det QB
129 49ers D/ST, SF D/ST
132 Mason Crosby, GB K
149 Laurent Robinson, StL WR
152 Mewelde Moore, Pit RB
As you can clearly see I got A LOT of steals. Mainly in the RB positions and some deep sleeper WR. I still don’t understand how I landed MoJo with the 9th pick, but either way I’ll take it. I also drafted Sean’s team because he had to go to a viewing so I’m going to post his team as well.
TEAM CASEY
3 Ray Rice, Bal RB
18 Cedric Benson, Cin RB
23 DeSean Jackson, Phi WR
38 Brett Favre, Min QB
43 Brent Celek, Phi TE
58 Percy Harvin, Min WR
63 Ronnie Brown, Mia RB
78 Texans D/ST, Hou D/ST
83 Justin Forsett, Sea RB
98 Jay Cutler, Chi QB
103 Braylon Edwards, NYJ WR
118 Kellen Winslow, TB TE
123 Darrius Heyward-Bey, Oak WR
138 Michael Bush, Oak RB
143 Sebastian Janikowski, Oak K
158 Nate Burleson, Det WR
I structured Sean’s team a lot like my own, my only problem with his team is that he really really wanted Brett Favre because that’s his favorite QB. I’m not crazy about Favre at all but I did give him Cutler who should probably get started over Favre most of the time.
DOC Does It Again...
http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100904&content_id=14278638&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi
Went to the Phillies game last night to see DOC pitch again, and it was another nice night at the park. The Phillies won, ending that little losing streak that I was going through (two games) and it was one of the nicest nights that I had at the ballpark this season. The weather was just perfect and it was around 70 degrees with a nice breeze. I finally got around the buying the 2010 Yearbook and I also put my down payment on Post-Season tickets (IF we get there!!). It would be nice to see the Phils make the playoffs but the Braves are really making it hard, but we shall see what happens. The next game is this Monday, which I’m pretty sure is a dollar dog night.
Update: This Monday is the first week of the fantasy baseball playoffs. I barely clinched my spot Saturday night but I did make it back into the fold. I was the 6th team and final to make the push.
Update II: I’ll be posting my fantasy football team (even though his is a baseball blog, I want to post about other fantasy teams).
Went to the Phillies game last night to see DOC pitch again, and it was another nice night at the park. The Phillies won, ending that little losing streak that I was going through (two games) and it was one of the nicest nights that I had at the ballpark this season. The weather was just perfect and it was around 70 degrees with a nice breeze. I finally got around the buying the 2010 Yearbook and I also put my down payment on Post-Season tickets (IF we get there!!). It would be nice to see the Phils make the playoffs but the Braves are really making it hard, but we shall see what happens. The next game is this Monday, which I’m pretty sure is a dollar dog night.
Update: This Monday is the first week of the fantasy baseball playoffs. I barely clinched my spot Saturday night but I did make it back into the fold. I was the 6th team and final to make the push.
Update II: I’ll be posting my fantasy football team (even though his is a baseball blog, I want to post about other fantasy teams).
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