FakeTeams: FanPosts

New Orleans Saints Best Fantasy Player/Sleeper

Saintsational — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:23:12 -0000

Best Player:

This one was tough, because with so many amazingly talented players on the Saints this season (cough, cough), I had to narrow it down to just one. The top two choices were quarterback Drew Brees and wide receiver Marques Colston. After much debate, I decided to go with my man Drew. Since arriving in New Orleans, Drew has been lights out, leading the entire league in passing in 2006 and finishing second last season. I certainly don't see any signs of slowing down this season, especially now with Jeremy Shockey as a great target in the red zone. Brees could very well be the best quarterback in the NFC, if not the entire league. Draft him!!

Best Sleeper:

While he is a first round draft pick, and thus, really shouldn't be a sleeper, being the only first round pick to not play in a game last season has taken him off most fantasy players' radar. Now healthy, he has shown a lot of promise this pre-season, reminding Saints fans why the team chose him with their first round selection in 2007. While most defenses will be focusing on Colston and now Shockey, look for Meachem to pick up the trash and find a lot of openings. With Drew Brees on the other end of those passes, he is sure to break out this season. Definitely a good pick in the later rounds of your fantasy draft.

Detroit Lions: Best Fantasy Player/Sleeper

Sean Yuille — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:53:26 -0000

Best player:

The Lions' top player for fantasy football is a tossup between receivers Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson. Although Johnson didn't exactly live up to expectations last season, my feeling is that he will be better than Williams in 2008. Johnson's development last year was greatly hampered by a back injury he suffered early on in the season. The injury never really went away and he only got back to 100% health in the offseason.

During the preseason it seemed like Jon Kitna liked throwing the ball to C.J. more than Roy Williams and he did it effectively. The preseason doesn't exactly mean a whole lot, but if it's even the slightest indication of what's to come then Calvin Johnson will become an elite NFL receiver. Between his size and speed, there are very few corners that will be able to match-up well with Megatron, as Roy Williams calls him.

Best sleeper:

Rookie Kevin Smith has already won the starting job at running back for the Lions and should be a solid pickup for any fantasy player out there. The Lions running game is going to take time as their offensive line struggled greatly in the preseason, but Smith can make plays out of nothing, which is good news for a Lions running back. Smith's combination of speed and power, along with his juking abilities, makes it very hard for defenders to tackle him.

Early on I don't think Smith would be a player you would want starting on your fantasy team, but if the Lions' offensive line can improve as time goes by then he could step into a starting role. I view him as a great running back to have for depth reasons and someone that has great upside.

Panthers Fantasy Analysis: Best Player, Sleeper

Jaxon — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:27:02 -0000

Way back in June I reported on the Carolina Panthers Fantasy prospects and would like to offer the following update based on the preseason.

Outside of leagues full of Panther fans you should be able to get Panthers at good value. If you believe like I do that the Panther offense will be much improved then you will want to target the following players in the rounds suggested based on a ten team league:

Best Player - Steve Smith (ESPN Rank #27)

In past seasons Smith was a sure fire 2nd round pick but he will probably slip to the 3rd round this season given the two week suspension he was served for punching teammate Ken Lucas. If you get him there it will be good value in spite of missing the first two games as I expect the return of Jake Delhomme will spark Smith’s production. I’m going to predict 1,150 yards and 10 TD’s through the air. He will add another 120 yards and a TD on the ground. I originally had Smith pegged as a Top 5 WR but missing two games will cost him in many ways. He will crack the top 10 at best.

Sleeper - Jake Delhomme (#200+)

Jake will get no respect in the preseason and fantasy drafts alike. He will still be available in most leagues in the 10th round. I would not draft him to be your starter simply because you should be able to get him as a back-up. I think he will be a huge sleeper at QB as the improved running game will open up the passing game. I’m going to revise my earlier prediction down a tad to 2,800 yards and 24 TD’s with 11 INT’s since it seems the Panthers will be a run first team. Jake will be a good back-up who you can start depending of the match-up. Given the Panthers have a fairly easy schedule there should be opportunity for spot starts. Who knows, he can easily end up starter material if the offense starts clicking.

DeAngelo Williams (#79)

D-Will will start the season at #1 RB and get his share of carries. The problem is that J-Stew may steal his TD’s similar to what Marion Barber did in Dallas and Julius Jones. I say “may steal his TD’s” because in the preseason the Panthers didn’t shy away from him in goal line situations. Given D-Will averaged almost 5 yards per carry I expect him to top 1,000 yards in a season for the first time. Resist the temptation to take D-Will early as he is no more than a 6th rounder. I’m still going to predict 1,000 yards rushing and 4 TD’s. He will also add 300 yards in the air and 2 more TD’s as D-Will has the capability of breaking long TD’s.

Jonathan Stewart (#65)

Though ESPN has him going in the 6th round Stewart is the most likely Panther to get drafted too early. Many people will speculate on him winning a starting job out of the preseason and subsequent breakout season as the Adrian Peterson effect takes hold. I would love to see it but it would be a big risk fantasy wise. I think Stewart will start slow but rack up some short yardage TD’s as he becomes a specialist in that area. Stewart will finish strong though and end up with 800 yards and but I’m going to adjust his TD’s down a tad to 10. It’s hard to predict his receiving yardage but I have heard he can catch the ball out of the backfield. He could end up adding 200-300 yards in the air and another 3-4 TD’s. Certainly a nice season for a rookie but you want more from a #2 RB which is where he will be drafted in many leagues. If he’s there in the 5th round take him but I doubt he will be there as again many people look for the next AP.

Musin Muhammad (#178)

It’s hard to say whether Moose will be reliable enough for spot starts. It will depend on the match-up but he will put up an occasional good game. I expect 800 yards and 4 TD’s from Moose as he becomes the #2 WR in the offense. Moose should be worth a late round pick on your team depending on how many rounds you have.

Fantasy DUD - DJ Hackett (#106)

Hackett has been a bit on an enigma in Carolina as he has sat out the entire preseason nursing an injury, not a great start for a guy close to wearing the “injury-prone” collar. He will get draft higher than Moose but won’t equal his stats. I expect Hackett to put up 650 yards and 3 TD’s in part time work as I expect him to miss some games at some point. He will get drafted but I would take a wait and see approach. If he starts slow he will probably be out there on the waiver wire and will be worth a look as he takes time to build a rapport with his new QB. If he should somehow stay injury free this season then he could work up to a #2 receiver. More than likely he gets dinged at some point and misses some games.

Jeff King

TE Jeff King has little fantasy value but may be worth an occasional start based on the match-up. I can’t see going for more than 300 yards and 3 TD’s on the season but it will be hard to predict when he will get his yards.

John Kasay

I think John Kasay will benefit from the improved offense and be a top 10 kicker. In spite of his age Kasay showed in the preseason he can still hit from 50+ yards, nailing a 52 yarder against the Redskins. Head coach John Fox also doesn’t hesitate to let Kasay let it rip from up to 54 yards. I think he will hit 26 FG’s and all his point-afters to top 100 points pretty easily.

Panthers D/Special Teams

The Panther D will get no respect given their next to last place finish in sacks in 2007. They will fair a little better this season though you can expect them to be available in the late rounds. Given the Panthers start the season against the Chargers they should go undrafted if not for the optimistic Panther fan. Prior to the preseason I expected the Panther D to be middle of the road at best fantasy-wise. After seeing the Panthers run more stunts and blitzes and seeing an obviously reenergized Julius Peppers they look to be much improved and may be worth a spot start given their fairly easy schedule. I think they will be a serviceable #2 defense with spot starts against their lesser opponents.

Minnesota Vikings: Best Fantasy Player and Biggest Fantasy Sleeper

Gonzo — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:46:08 -0000

I apologize for not getting this post in at the same time as the rest of their NFC North brethren got theirs in over here at Fake Teams. My wife and I live down on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, so you can just about imagine how hectic the past few days have been for us. However, the old adage is "better late than never," and so here's my take on the best fantasy player and the biggest fantasy sleeper for the 2008 Minnesota Vikings.

The best fantasy player for the Vikings in 2008 should be a relatively obvious one. Take a look at the cover of any fantasy football draft magazine on the shelves of your local bookstore, and you'll see a picture of #28, the man they call "Purple Jesus," Adrian Peterson. Peterson and LaDanian Tomlinson should be 1-2 in any fantasy draft, and which one goes where is pretty much a matter of personal preference. Personally, I might still lean towards Tomlinson at #1. . .but if you could guarantee me that Peterson would be healthy for all 16 games, I'd probably move him up to that slot. Unfortunately, nobody can make that guarantee.

For a less obvious choice, I think that the Vikings' defense should be the first defense off the board in your fantasy draft. They manage to find ways to score lots of defensive touchdowns, and the addition of Jared Allen will greatly enhance their sack totals, their yardage allowed, their points allowed, and so forth.

Looking at fantasy sleepers for Minnesota, a lot was made this off-season about the Vikings' addition of Bernard Berrian, and he will have an impact. However, if you want a sleeper for the Vikings, take a look at the WR on the other side of the formation, Sidney Rice. Rice has amazing athletic ability, soft hands, and the ability to outjump just about anybody on the field. Despite injuries, he had 31 receptions and 4 TDs in 2007. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see both of those numbers double in 2008. You should be able to grab him fairly late in most of your drafts. . .somewhere in the 11th or 12th round range would be appropriate, in my opinion.

Cincinnati Bengals: Best Fantasy Player, Best Fantasy Sleeper

Kirkendall — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 17:19:02 -0000

While in recent seasons the Bengals offense had an endless well of fantasy football potential, too many questions arose over training camp to mindlessly continue the trend. Both of our starting wide receivers are recovering from preseason injuries; Chad ~~Johnson~~ Ocho Cinco with a partially torn labrum, T.J. Houshmandzadeh with a hamstring injury. Both are projected to start kickoff weekend against the Baltimore Ravens, but no one is confident enough to truly predict any successes. Not that any of that matters. When you think fantasy stud, and then quarterback, you think Carson Palmer. Really. Must I expand on that?

Originally, before the Bengals released Rudi Johnson, I had Chris Perry tagged, not as the team's sleeper, but the league's best fantasy sleeper pick. Too many people are frightened to take a flyer on the oft-injured running back, and with reason. However, from the offseason minicamps through the four preseason games, fans, teammates and coaches developed confidence that he'll stand up after each hit. And he has. The critical thing to note with Perry isn't just that he's the starting feature back with the Bengals, but he's given head coach Marvin Lewis confidence that he could also play the role of third-down back. This is hugely significant, and well practiced during the preseason when Palmer often looked at Perry standing five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, on third down. Provided the unanswered question of Perry's health doesn't end with curses, Perry's playing time will be huge, and his contributions will end with career-highs in nearly every offensive catagory.

Cleveland Browns: Top Fantasy Performer, Sleeper, and DUD

ChrisPokorny — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:42:10 -0000

This is Chris from over at Dawgs By Nature, SB Nation's site for all the news and nuggets you need on the Cleveland Browns.

Before last season, nobody really wanted to touch most of the Browns' players prior to the first five or six rounds. Things have changed heading into this year though, as the Browns have a quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end who could each be considered a top-5 player at their position.

Of those superstars, who should you try to snag first? Let's take a look...

With acrobatic plays like this one against the Steelers, Edwards has defined himself as an elite receiver in the NFL.

CLEVELAND BROWNS TOP FANTASY FOOTBALL PLAYER - BRAYLON EDWARDS

Look no further than Browns Pro Bowl WR Braylon Edwards as the Browns' best fantasy option. Some fans may be concerned that he missed the team's final three preseason games, but fear not: the injury is not one that will linger. After the first preseason game, Edwards did something he'd later regret by racing teammate Donte Stallworth with his shoes off. Stallworth's cleat caught Edwards' foot and left a gash that required stitches. The stitches are healed now, so all concerns are gone.

Stat-wise, you never know how a player will be affected if a quarterback injury occurs. In Arizona, Larry Fitzgerald's stock may drop or go up depending on whether or not Kurt Warner remains the team's starting quarterback or if Matt Leinart is inserted back into the lineup. With Cleveland, both Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn have seemed comfortable in getting the ball to Edwards. After recording 16 TDs last season, the chemistry between Edwards and Anderson was reportedly ten times better in training camp this year than it was last year. The pair were connecting on several long touchdowns each day of camp.

Edwards gets the slight advantage as the Browns' best fantasy player over Anderson for one reason: Anderson will still turn the ball over. You may see Anderson throw for 2 TDs one game, but along with them will be 2 INTs. Sure, you'll love it when he has another 5 TD game, but realize that his distribution of stats differs from a Peyton Manning or a Tom Brady.

Phil Dawson's wild kick against the Baltimore Ravens off the goal posts twice and back out was the reason for instant replays being allowed this year..

CLEVELAND BROWNS TOP FANTASY FOOTBALL SLEEPER - PHIL DAWSON

Already having been one of the most accurate NFL kickers in history, Phil Dawson is a definite sleeper that can still be grabbed in the last round of your draft or off of the waiver wire.

If you recall, Dawson was 26/30 overall on field goals last season, and 7/8 on kicks between 40-49 yards. He also scored 42 PATs due to all of the touchdowns the Browns' offense put up.

Already in the preseason, Dawson has absolutely drilled two 50+ yard field goals, including a 53- and a 56-yarder, each with plenty of room to spare. He really made an effort to improve his leg strength during the offseason, and so far it has paid off. The Browns have a lot of tough games this season, so on the off chance that the offense struggles getting touchdowns against solid defenses, Dawson will be called upon often.

CLEVELAND BROWNS TOP FANTASY FOOTBALL DUD - THIRD WR

This category stretches across a broad range of Browns players. Do not think to yourself "I'm going to get a sleeper by taking the guy after Braylon Edwards and Donte Stallworth". Right now, the pool of players for the Browns' No. 3 receiver role is limited to Joshua Cribbs and Syndric Steptoe. Here's the problem: the Browns don't use their third wide receiver, partly because TE Kellen Winslow already acts as that guy.

Last year, the Browns designated WR Tim Carter as their third receiver all season long. What did he do? He had 8 catches for 117 yards and 1 touchdown all season long. Those do not sound like the statistics of a player worth stashing away on your bench. Bottom line: stay away from Cribbs, Steptoe, and rookie Paul Hubbard, unless an injury occurs to one of the starters.

Baltimore Ravens Fantasy Studs/Sleepers

Rexx — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 14:38:49 -0000

Due to the Baltimore Ravens offense ranking in the bottom part of the league, you'd think there wouldn't be a fantasy stud on this team. However, RB Willis McGahee had a very solid 2007 season, both on the field and on your fantasy team, if you had him. This season should be no different, although he may get off on a slow start. McGahee had his previously injured knee scoped this summer and hasn't made it back on the field since. He will probably miss the opening game and perhaps another one or two and therefore might be a risk to take in the first round or even early in the second. However, he will end the year as a solid starter and if he's still available later in the second round, grab him, as he's still a lock for 1000 yards and 10 TD's, especially on a team that focuses its offense on the ground game.

As far as sleeper, stick with the running backs on this team and you might not only cover your bases, but get the sleeper you're looking for. Rookie Ray Rice has filled in nicely for McGahee in his absence. He has run with the first team and taken an overwhelming majority of the reps in the backfield this preseason. Look for him to line up on offense when the Ravens open at home versus a weak defensive team, the Cincinnati Bengals. Rice is built in the mode of Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew, and we all have seen the benefit of having MJD alongside Fred Taylor.

So if you grab Willis McGahee earlier in your fantasy draft, be sure to grab his insurance policy, Ray Rice, later on. That way, you have the Baltimore Ravens starter, whether it be last year's stud or this year's sleeper. Good luck!

Tennessee Titans Fantasy Stud and Sleeper

Jimmy — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 21:49:24 -0000

Jimmy from Music City Miracles here.

There isn't a lot of meat on the fantasy bone when it comes to the Titans, which is why Yahoo! ranked them #31 in their Fantasy Juggernaut Index.

The fantasy stud when it comes to the Titans is their defense. They ranked in the top 10 last season in rushing, passing, total and scoring defense. They have a stud defensive line that includes Pro-Bowlers Kyle Vanden Bosch and Albert Haynesworth to rack up sacks. They also have some big time playmakers at linebacker and in the secondary that will get some interceptions.

The fantasy sleeper is rookie running back Chris Johnson. Johnson proved in his first preseason game that he is going to be a special player by breaking a 66-yard TD run. The Titans will use him a ton in both the running and passing game. I am not going to say that he is the next Brian Westbrook, but he has a very similar skill set..

Fantasy MLB Transactions

lavapen — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 05:03:57 -0000

Before this message gets deleted as spam ... I've been a member of the Athletics Nation for several years. I wanted to share a project I've been involved with with the other SB Nation members.

Just wanted to let everyone know about a new fantasy baseball game that can be played all year round.

Here's the link for the "home" page for the game:
http://www.flooza.com/games/4/home

I am a web designer and have been working on a new web site (http://www.flooza.com) for over a year now where you can create your own fantasy game (called a "flooza"). Not being a football fan, I was jones-ing after baseball season ended to play some fantasy ..... so I created a flooza that can be played off-season as well as during the regular season. It is based on MLB transactions such as trades, signings, etc. (see the list of scoring stats below).

It's free to register and play.

I've been testing it for the last several months and it's pretty fun if you are into trying to guess the next trade or keep track of player movements between the big leagues and minors. The players available are all the MLB General Managers, all MLB teams and all players on all 40-man rosters, plus lots of minor leaguers and prospects (I add a few new players a day!)

I have created a special league for the mlb blogger world if anyone wants to try it out. Here's the link:
http://www.flooza.com/leagues/138/create_team

The players/positions for this flooza are:

GM:	General Manager
PRO:	MLB Baseball Player
TEAM:	MLB Team

Here is the complete list of scoring stats:

Scoring "Stategories"

DFA	Designated For Assignment
FIRE	Manager or General Manager fired
MNRC	Signed to Minor League contract
OPT	Optioned to the Minor Leagues
OUTR	Outrighted to Minor Leagues
RCLL	Recalled player/Player recalled from Minor Leagues
REL	Released player/Player released
SIGN	Signed/Re-signed to Major League Contract (number of years)
SUSP	Any player in entire system suspended for any reason
T	Trade
WAIV	Claimed Off Waivers

If you want to play you can either create a league and invite your friends, or join a public league. It's free to register and play.

Of course, you can also create your own fantasy game if you are so inclined. You can see what others have created here http://www.flooza.com/games. It's a brand new site so things are just getting cooking.

I have created a special league for the mlb blogger world if anyone wants to try it out. Here's the link:
http://www.flooza.com/leagues/138/create_team

Here are the top 25 players so far this year:


Kevin Towers (Padres) (GM)	323
San Diego Padres (TEAM)	322
Kansas City Royals (TEAM)	319
Mark Shapiro (Indians) (GM)	309
Dayton Moore (Royals) (GM)	303
Cleveland Indians (TEAM)	303
Texas Rangers (TEAM)	287
Jon Daniels (Rangers) (GM)	283
Arizona Diamondbacks (TEAM)	275
Minnesota Twins (TEAM)	284
Josh Byrnes (Diamondbacks) (GM)	274
Bill Smith (Twins) (GM)	282
Florida Marlins (TEAM)	266
Michael Hill (Marlins) (GM)	264
Boston Red Sox (TEAM)	261
Theo Epstein (Red Sox) (GM)	260
Chicago White Sox (TEAM)	262
Ken Williams (White Sox) (GM)	261
Colorado Rockies (TEAM)	245
Adele Armagost (Rockies) (GM)	244
Jim Bowden (Nationals) (GM)	245
Detroit Tigers (TEAM)	242
Washington Nationals (TEAM)	237
New York Yankees (TEAM)	229
Ed Wade (Astros) (GM)	231

COME ON DOWN AND PLAY!

Michael LaBash

Houston Texans: Fantasy Juggernaut and Fantasy Sleeper

Tim — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:25:27 -0000

I know, I know...who do the Texans have that could possibly be worth a damn for fantasy purposes? Two words, my friends: Ahman. Green.

I jest. I wouldn't draft Ahman Green if my life depended on it. And neither should you. He probably just broke a nail while reading this; that'll keep him out ten (10) weeks, easy. But down to business. The best fantasy option on Houston's roster is:

Andre Johnson (WR): You knew I was going here. For my money, 'Dre is one of the top three (3) WRs in the league, if not the best WR in the NFL. Yes, he missed seven (7) weeks last year with a knee sprain, but he's no injury risk; that's the first time he's missed any real time since he was drafted. And don't underestimate how many balls are heading his way; before last year's injury and after he returned, Andre Johnson was Matt Schaub's favorite target. The Texans haven't shown any ability to consistently run the ball, so you know they're taking to the air early and often this season. Bottom line: Expect a ton of yards and a ton of TDs from Andre Johnson. He's a legitimate No. 1 WR on any fantasy roster.

And my fantasy sleeper from the Houston Texans is:

Matt Schaub (QB): Last season's numbers aren't spectacular; I'll give you that, though that was wholly due to some missed games due to cheap shots (I'll always hate you, Drayton Florence). I fully expect, however, that The Schaub is going to stay upright and productive all year. Pencil him in for 3,500 yards and 20+ TDs. Even better, you should be able to pick him up after most of the alleged surefire fantasy QBs are off the board. I promise you he won't let you down. Well, he better not, because I took my own advice and drafted him last weekend. God, I'm a homer.

Join my Fantasy Football League on Yahoo!

Bieds — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:15:21 -0000

Since it's nearing football season, I thought I'd invite everyone from Fake Teams over to join a fun, competitive league up on Yahoo, draft is this Monday evening.

It's 16 teams h2h, with 2 qb's per team. Makes for a very interesting league. There are pretty deep IDP rosters per team, and a core of pretty competitive players. Looking for a smarter than your average bear set of players. No money involved, but it's always a very fun league. So check it out

League ID 1837

PW football

How would you draft a defense with this scoring format?

ILLZ — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:51:06 -0000

My 3rd league has an odd (read: ridiculous) scoring format for Team defense. You LOSE 1 point for every point your defense gives up. So, you could have the TB defense, record 8 sacks, 4 INT's, 6 fumble recoveries and give up 20 points and STILL lose points. It's insane and dumb that Team Defense can affect your weekly performance in such a large way, but that's how it is! I've been trying to figure out how to draft a defense here though... obviously points allowed is the key stat... to hell with turnovers and sacks. How would you try to predict this? The fantasy defense rankings that are readily available across the internet are more or less useless because they rely largely on a different scoring system. I was thinking of basically going through the divisions and determining which teams are likely to be anemic on offense this year, and then try to take defenses on good teams that are in those weak offensive team's divisions. Confusing? Does it make sense? Anyobdy have a different idea?

One Man's Junk Is Another Man's Fantasy Treasure: Atlanta Falcons

Dave the Falconer — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:21:46 -0000

Many people will tell you that the Atlanta Falcons will be the worst team in the league this year. They may even tell you to avoid drafting everyone besides Matt Ryan and maybe Michael Turner. But they lie.

Why, there's actually...um...at least two decent fantasy players on the team this year! And I'll prove it by totally coming up with some right now. You'll see!

Don't rush me!

Best Atlanta Falcon Fantasy Option: RB Michael Turner

It sure as hell wasn't going to be Joey Harrington. Turner is a bruising runner who won't be pulled on the goal line, so he has excellent value in leagues that push yardage and leagues that are TD only. The offensive line actually looks solid, so if Turner can hold up to a full season's pounding he should give you around 1,000 yards and 6-8 TDs. That's not best in the league, but he's certainly a terrific complementary back for a great fantasy team and a workhorse for a not-so-great one.

The biggest problem with Turner is that you have to trust me, always a daunting proposition. He's shown flashes of great talent, but he's never had to carry the load himself. Fortunately, the Falcons have a great backup and change of pace guy in Jerious Norwood, but he's virtually no threat to Turner's touchdown production.

It also helps that the Falcons will lean on him with rookie QB Matt Ryan taking his first real lumps in the NFL. If he's getting killed early, my projections for Turner will go up a couple hundreds yards and a TD or two.

He's a little bit of an unknown, but he's a great value considering many people will consider anyone on the Falcons as fantasy arsenic. Give him a shot and you may thank me later.

Best Atlanta Falcon Sleeper: WR Laurent Robinson

It amazes me that nobody's talking about this guy. My co-owner in my dynasty league had to slam my head off the table a couple times to get me to stop calling for us to draft Robinson, who could well break out like Roddy White did for the Falcons last year. Everyone dismisses him because he's the second or third receiver on a bad team, but L-Rob an intriguing prospect.

His biggest question may still be his hands, but he's actually a very solid pass catcher. He's also fast, rangy and agile, allowing him to get plenty of separation. He's also playing for a team that has a 75 year-old Marcus Pollard and a handless Ben Hartsock at tight end, so he's certainly not threatened for catches there. Once he inevitably passes Michael Jenkins on the depth chart, Robinson should be a #2 receiver.

It's probably only fair to write him in for 600-700 yards and 5 TDs, but he can round out your yearly league and be a terrific flier in dynasty leagues, where he's likely to be one of the last receivers selected if he's picked at all. He's a very low cost investment that could pay you very big dividends down the line.

Atlanta Falcon Fantasy Poison: QB Michael Vick

For those of you who aren't aware, he's not exactly with the Falcons anymore.

So it's a fairly weak team to pick from, and Matt Ryan is still a huge wildcard. I think you can still get solid value with Turner, Roddy White and Robinson, so I'd recommend giving one a shot. Kicker Jason Elam is also a solid bet, as he's going to be kicking plenty of field goals for a relatively weak offense.

Go forth and draft well!

The Best Fantasy Player and Fantasy Sleeper: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

JScott — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:14:42 -0000

Buccaneers Best Fantasy Player:

You would think with a Pro Bowl Quarterback and a Receiver who amassed over 1,000 yards last season that our Best Fantasy Player would be one of those two guys… You my friend would be wrong. The Bucs Best Fantasy Player is its DEFENSE. If your league doesn’t draft defenses, well, move on to the next paragraph describing the Sleeper Pick If you’re like the rest of us keep reading:

Last season the Bucs had several new faces on Defense in starter roles: S Tanard Jackson, DE Gaines Adams, and LB Barrett Ruud. The team still ranked #1 in Yards allowed per game. Ranking #2 in Rush defense and #3 in Pass Defense, that entire unit has a year under its belt. Sure we lost CB Brian Kelly to the Lions in the off-season, but Phillip Buchanon stepped in nicely for him last season and Rookie 1st Round Pick Aqib Talib should prove to be a nice pick-up as well. Last season our leading sack getter (Greg White) had 8 sacks, we should vastly improve upon that with a more experienced DE in Gaines Adams (6 sacks) and DT in Jovan Haye (6 sacks). Our depth has also been improved with a healthy S Sabby Piscitelli, newly acquired DE Jimmy Wilkerson, and a battle tested LB in Quincy Black. The only achilles heel of the defense tends to be our Run Defense, but even then its nothing to get overly concerned about.

Lastly if you’re a numbers man, just consider that Pro Bowl QB Jeff Garcia averaged a putrid 10.31 points last season for Fantasy Players, Aaron Rodgers is expected to average 12.5 points this season. Although Joey Galloway was above average last season (8.14 Fantasy points per game), he’s been nursing a sore groin and shoulder this off-season and has yet to play a down in the Pre-Season (and won’t). With that said, I don’t feel comfortable suggesting anyone draft him without a clean bill of health, checkout last seasons Wild Card Playoff Game against the Giants for proof (Galloway was non-existent with a banged up shoulder).

Buccaneers Sleeper Fantasy Player:

This player used to be known as Mr. August, as he turned in stellar Pre-Season performances for three straight years. We now know him as RB Earnest Graham. Last season he averaged (11.98) Fantasy Points per game, that led our team. He didn’t even start the season as our feature back. This season he will be the feature back and I expect him to vastly improve upon last season as the line he’s running behind has another year’s worth of experience (and newly signed Free Agent C Jeff Faine). As the season wore on Graham produced more and more and I think that is a tale tell sign that he is primed for a good statistical and productive Fantasy Football Season.

Good luck with your Fantasy Seasons and if you’re interested in Tampa Bay Buccaneer Football be sure to head over to BucEm.com for more Bucs news and info…

As a Dodgers fan

raygu — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:15:19 -0000

I couldn't have said it any better than Toycannon over at Truebluela.com:

Hang em High

by ToyCannon on Aug 28, 2008 8:23 PM EDT

Ned, you are without a doubt the best person I've ever hired but as I look at my 18 million doller center fielder playing in AAA, my other 8 million dollar center fielder sitting on the bench, my 15 million ace playing soft catch for the last two season, my 15 million dollar SS taking a summer vacation, my current 18 millon dollar middle infielders showing the range of a failed AI contestant, the 7 millon I'm paying that clown you picked up last Sept, I think it is safe to say that no matter the good intentions, everything you touch turns to shit. You are just an unlucky SOB and I can't afford that kind of luck. On your way out can you ask Kim to come in. Say Hi to the kids.

The $18 million daollar middle infielders cost them the game last night, but waht does it matter at this point? They have 3 games at Arizona starting tomorrow night. Anything less than 2 wins, we amy be able to stick a fork in them.

And maybe my wish will be granted and they will "fire" Joe Torre.

After posting this, I am sure LA will go on a 10 game winning streak, win the West, and I will change my name to Mush.

Finding Fantasy Gold - The Denver Broncos

TheSportsGuru — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:28:01 -0000

It's been years since the Denver Broncos have been a "friend of fantasy". Since the days of Terrell Davis, Mike Shanahan has annoyed fantasy owners with his revolving door of running backs. Every year, friends of mine that play fantasy football ask me who the running back in Denver will be. Everyone knows there is gonna be a Bronco that rushes for 1200 yards and is the reason a team wins a FFL title and they all want him.

That changed a bit last year with the complete failure that was Travis Henry. No Bronco running back eclipsed the 1000 yard mark and fantasy owners were left scratching their heads. Was this the beginning of the end for the Broncos as a relevant fantasy option? Not so fast!

2008 provides fantasy owners several big-time fantasy options to not only fill their rosters, but their starting lineups every week. Here are a couple "locks", as well as a guy you should keep your eyes on in the later rounds. You won't be disappointed.

Broncos Fantasy Studs

1. WR Brandon Marshall -- This is the season Brandon Marshall becomes a household name in the world of Fantasy Football. Last season, Marshall was 5th in the NFL in Receptions(102), 6th in Yards(1325) and 7th in Yards per Game(82.8). Oh, and he added 7 TDs. That is the number that will make him a Fantasy Star in 2008. Jay Cutler is healthy and Brandon Marshall is his favorite target. So far this pre-season, Cutler-to-Marshall has been unstoppable. Because lessor-skilled fantasy players will look purely at Marshall "low" TD count he could be a steal in teh 2nd or 3rd round. If he's there, GRAB HIM! It's true he could miss the first three games, look for the suspension to be reduced to 1. A solid WR option each and every week.

via media.rockymountainnews.com

2. QB Jay Cutler -- Cutler is entering his 3rd year in the NFL and his 2nd as the full-time starter in Denver. 2007 was an up and down season for Cutler, and in the spring we found out why when it was announced Cutler had Type 1 Diabetes. Even with the disease, which led to the loss of 30 pounds during the season, Cutler still threw for 3500 yards and 20 TDs. Now completely healthy, Cutler is set to explode. Cutler has been nothing short of spectacular this pre-season, completing 70% of his passes and throwing 3 TDs. Yes, it is the pre-season, but he's done it against some pretty good defenses in Dallas and Green Bay. While fantasy owners differ on the value of a QB, Cutler remains a solid option, especially in a season where QBs that are traditional fantasy powers have injury concerns.

Broncos Fantasy Sleeper

RB Andre Hall -- There has to be a Broncos player on this list, right? I am going to go with Hall because it appears he will get most of the opportunities to score TDs for the Broncos this season. So far in Training Camp, Hall has been called upon in short yardage and goal-line situations. Of course, he also has the ability to carry the rock as the starting HB, but the Broncos seem convinced that the 2-back approach is best to start the season. Hall would be a solid late round choice, especially if you play in a league with 3 starting RBs.

Broncos Player To Avoid

RB Selvin Young -- Avoid the temptation. You are going to hear that Young is the starting HB and that is true. But for the same reasons I gave to include Hall as a sleeper I give you Young as a guy to let someone else take a chance on. Young does possess home run speed and ability, but has proven unreliable in the red zone and short yardage. Before rookie Ryan Torain was hurt, it appeared Young was going to be beaten out by the former Sun Devil. Young also has concerns in the durability concerns and has yet to carry the ball over 250 times in a single season at any level. That isn't Fantasy worthy. Keep an eye on Young, however, as a guy you could grab off the waiver wire during the year.

The Best Fantasy Player and Fantasy Sleeper: Kansas City Chiefs

Chris — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:37:28 -0000

The Kansas City Chiefs will again have a killer fantasy season with Trent Green, Priest Holmes and Dante Hall all putting up big numbers yet again.

Wait a second. What year is this? 2008? Wow, for some reason when I thought of the Kansas City Chiefs and fantasy football my mind only remembers through the 2003 season. Oh well. I'll do my best to update you on this year's squad.

Kansas City's Best Fantasy Option: TE Tony Gonzalez

You know him. You love him. He may have even saved your life once upon a time. Besides his Hall of Fame talent, Tony Gonzalez will continue to be a top fantasy option in 2008 because of another year of shaky offense in Kansas City.

And if the last three years or so have taught us anything in Kansas City, it's that no matter what you can bank on Tony Gonzalez producing at a fantasy level within the top three tight ends in the NFL.

Before the 2007 season, I assumed that Tony Gonzalez, then entering his 11th season, would have to succumb to the inevitable pains of old football age. I predicted a still fantastic 81 receptions, 975 yards and 6 touchdowns.

I'm happy to report, as you probably remember, TG clowned me by catching 99 balls for 1172 yards and 5 touchdowns.

So, you'd be foolish to think that TG would have any significant drop off in 2008. The KC offense is still a big question mark and when Croyle rolls back and the o-line disintegrates, who do you think he's going to look for? A 15% reduction in stats would be a fair analysis to give Gonzalez although I wouldn't be surprised if he proved me wrong once again.

Best Fantasy Sleeper: ???

Okay, I know the question marks are a cop out. But with a team that has maybe three fantasy players (and not even #1s at that), how am I supposed to pick one sleeper? Fantasy football is all about offense and the Chiefs don't exactly have a huge cache of weapons to choose from. Plus, most of the guys who would fall far enough under the radar to be considered sleepers are 1st or 2nd year guys with zero NFL football under their belt and not exactly the best chance to succeed. I'll do my best.

I can't give just one, which is why I'm going to give a few options.

RB Kolby Smith is a good handcuff for Larry Johnson. Smith ran decently in place of LJ last year and he'll start the season as the #2 running back. I don't anticipate Larry Johnson getting injured again this season but he will get fewer carries than he has in the past, resulting in more carries for Kolby Smith. RB Jamaal Charles is another possible handcuff but he won't start the season getting many touches. Watch out for Charles as the season progresses though because Herm Edwards and Chan Gailey could start getting more comfortable using the lightning of Charles and the thunder of LJ more often in games.

Rookie WR Will Franklin, currently sitting with an injured knee, is definitely a player to keep an eye on when he gets healthy. Franklin quickly solidified himself as the #3/2 WR in the early days of camp before his knee injury. Aside from Dwayne Bowe, the Chiefs really have nobody of note on the depth chart and a healthy Franklin will be given plenty of opportunities.

That's it for the sleepers. The Chiefs offense won't be much to look at this year so you're probably already hunting elsewhere for fantasy prospects. I can't say I blame you.

The Best Fantasy Player and the Best Fantasy Sleeper: Seattle Seahawks

John Morgan — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:41:58 -0000

I don't even know what sleeper means anymore. The guy autodraft ignores? Or the one where your buddy wonderin' where Shaun Alexander went never heard of? And is the best fantasy option the one who will score the most points or the one who is more valuable than their projected draft slot? Anyway, I'm tired and curmudgeonly. Don't mind me. How about then we look at Seattle's best and best sleeper with an eye to value over projected round. I can do that.

Seattle's "Best" Fantasy Option: Matt Hasselbeck

Projected Round in a 12 team league: Y! 6-7, ESPN 5

Value: 7-9

I like Hasselbeck, but his stock suffers because of the depth of talent at QB. Though an improved running attack and improved offensive line will help his actual performance, those two factors should also ensure Seattle avoids abandoning the running game. He's not likely to push 4,000 yards again, nor is he likely to improve upon the 28 touchdowns he threw last season. With players like McNabb, Rivers, Cutler and Schaub falling into the mid to late rounds, it's probably not worth it to reach for Hasselbeck.

Seattle's Best Fantasy "Sleeper": Julius Jones

Projected Round: Y! 6, ESPN 4

Value: 3-4

Jones takes a knock in league's that emphasize touchdowns over all other stats. It's hard to be sure Jones will get most of the looks in the red zone. Mike Holmgren is a traditionalist, and with a back like TJ Duckett in the mix, Jones might cede carries within the 10. Jones gets a boost in points per receptions leagues. Holmgren is enamored with his newfound ability to pass to his backs, and after last year's intimate look at his play card, we know he's wanted to "just call" screen passes.

Either way, despite some recent hype and ubiquitous "sleeper" status, Jones is a safe value in almost every league. Seattle's combination of strong D and a good projected record means the Hawks will find themselves protecting a lot of leads. Remember the golden rule: Winning teams produce good fantasy rushers.

The Best Fantasy Player and Fantasy Sleeper: San Francisco 49ers

Fooch — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:02:25 -0000

San Francisco 49ers Best Fantasy Player:

Joe Nedney, Fantasy God....ok I'm just kidding. Without a doubt, Frank Gore is the man that makes this offense go and the man who will provide the greatest fantasy production. Gore struggled a bit last year due to an otherwise inept offense and a particularly bad offensive line. Many fantasy magazines have predicted less than stellar things from Gore. In my last fantasy draft he dropped to the 2nd round. Well, take my word on this, Frank Gore is going to have a monstrous fantasy season for two reasons:

1) The offensive line's poor 2007 performance was an aberration. Eric Heitmann was coming back from a broken leg and Larry Allen struggled with the big fork sticking out of his back. The offensive line has shown cohesivness not see since the dominant 2006 o-line.

2) Four words: Mike Martz/Marshall Faulk: Gore has been the leading pass-catcher for the 49ers the last two years and this figures to go up with the Martz offense. If you're in a point per catch league, I think Gore is up there with a guy like Westbrook in terms of overall value. I don't think 2,000 total yards of offense is out of the realm of possibility.

San Francisco 49ers Fantasy Sleeper:

Josh Morgan is a guy you can take with your last pick or snag off waivers without any problems (until people read this of course). Morgan was a 6th round draft choice out of Virginia Tech who slipped due to some character concerns. While he was shutout in the 3rd exhibition game, he was the 49ers leading receiver the first two weeks and has shown a great chemistry with new 49ers QB J.T. O'Sullivan (possible another sleeper).

Morgan went from fighting for a roster spot in July to fighting for the starting split end position now. Bryant Johnson was brought in to be the X receiver opposite Isaac Bruce but he just returned to practice yesterday, for the first time since August 4. Even if he starts the season at the X, it's entirely possible Morgan is starting at some point this season. Morgan has the combination of size and speed to be an impact receiver in this league. It's too early to say he's the next Marques Colston, but if it does happen, you heard it here first.

We'll be keeping plenty of tabs on Morgan, Gore and everybody else over at Niners Nation.

The Best Fantasy Player and Fantasy Sleeper: Arizona Cardinals

cgolden — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:08:45 -0000

Arizona Cardinals Best Fantasy Option:

As with most teams, this is fairly easy and I'm sure most would agree that the best option is Larry Fitzgerald. He's the '1a' of, arguably, the best WR duo in the league and the only thing that catapults him over Anquan Boldin is touchdowns. He's scored double digit touchdowns twice in his four year career and he's about to turn 25 years old, so he's yet to play his best football. He's what every fantasy owner should dream about, a consistent threat who puts points on the board every single week. In 15 games in 2007 he would have scored at least 8 points in 13 of them and went over 18 points in four games (assuming standard scoring without any bonuses). A 1,500 yard season with 12-15 touchdowns should be out of reach by any means.

Arizona Cardinals Best Sleeper Option:

This one is tougher for me to nail down because I think there are several different options and the QB competition throws an added level of difficulty into the mix. If Warner ends up being the starter, he is a legitimate #1 fantasy starter as well. We all know that he's got a bad habit of turning the ball over but he's also a prolific scorer. Consider that in weeks 10-17 (when you're in the stretch run and the playoffs), he threw multiple touchdowns in every game (5 games with 3 TDs) and averaged 295 yards per game. Another good sleeper option is the Cardinals defense/special teams. Not only is the defense much improved and healthy after being ravaged by injuries in 2007, Steve Breaston is one of the better returners that most fans haven't ever heard of, and he's entering just his second season. He was top 5 in both kickoff and punt return yards last year and he took a punt back for a score. If your scoring allows points for return yardage, bump Arizona a bit farther up your board.