Saturday, September 03, 2005

Fantasy Football - Cowboys Sign Peerless Price

Wide Receiver Peerless Price has been reunited with Drew Bledsoe, signing a 1 year contract with the Dallas Cowboys. Price could end up taking over the number 3 receiver spot, joining Keyshawn Johnson and Terry Glen.

Price probably isn't worth picking up for your fantasy football team yet, but the reunion with Bledsoe is intriguing. We'll see if the chemistry is still there.

Fantasy Football - Miami Dolphins QB's

Gus Frerotte has won the starting quarterback job for the Miami Dolphins and will lead the team into week 1 of the regular season. The job had been up for grabs for the entire preseason and all three of the QB's have struggled. Frerotte was signed in the offseason to compete with A.J. Feeley and Sage Rosenfels for the starting job.

There is no reason to have any Miami Quarterback on your fantasy football roster. However, good starting quarterback play can have an effect on how well fantasy regulars Chris Chambers and Randy McMichael perform, as well as how well the running game opens up.

Frerotte is the most experienced of the three QB's and he'll be expected to run the offense efficiently without making a lot of mistakes and screwing things up.

Fantasy Football - Top 5 Backup Running Backs Who Could Score Big This Year

Backup running backs can literally make or break your fantasy football season. If your top 5 stud running back gets injured mid-season, and you don't have his backup, you could be left high and dry. On the other hand, if your RB's are terrible, you could save your season by getting a fast jump on a backup who gets promoted to a starter due to injury. Last year, Reuben Droughns, Larry Johnson and Nick Goings emerged as former backups turned high scoring fantasy football backs. Who will it be this year? Here are my top 5 fanstasy backup running backs for the 2005-2006 season.

1. Larry Johnson: No Brainer. He ran for 581 yards and 9 touchdowns when Priest went down last year. If Holmes goes down again, you may be looking at the top scoring fanstasy back in the NFL.

2. Tatum Bell: Whoever runs for the Broncos is practically guaranteed to light it up. Mike Anderson has been named the starter, but we all know how quick the Broncos are to change running backs. If Anderson gets yanked, Bell will fill in just fine.

3. DeShaun Foster: Most people expected him to start this year, but it looks like Stephen Davis is back. Davis is injury prone and if he doesn't hold up, look for Foster to take over.

4. Mewelde Moore: Lots of big play ability, and he plays behind the freqently injured Michael Bennett. I'd be really suprised if Moore doesn't at least start a couple of games this year.

5. Chester Taylor: This guy always puts up huge numbers when Jamal Lewis is out.

Fantasy Football - Holmes Continues to Struggle - Will LJ Overtake Him?

Larry Johnson outperformed Priest Holmes again last night, gaining 21 yards on 5 carries vs. Holmes 13 yards on 6 carries. Holmes has looked very unimpressive in the last 2 preseason games. I know that it's only the preseason, but I think it's fair to ask if Priest's injury is still bothering him. After the first exhibition game, Priest claimed that his health was at about 75-80%. He certainly hasn't looked like he's 100% since then.

If this continues, I think the Chiefs will have to consider giving running back Larry Johnson more playing time. There is talk that they will currently split the running back duties 70-30 in favor of Holmes. But if LJ continues to outperform Holmes in the regular season, then I think it won't be long before he becomes the new starter for the Kansas City Cheifs. If you drafted Priest Holmes on you fantasy football team and you failed to pick up Larry Johnson as well, then you may be in some trouble at running back.

Fantasy Football League - Broken Leg: Lions Lose Garcia

Detroit Lions backup QB Jeff Garcia suffered a broken leg during the Lions preseason game with the Buffalo Bills. He may miss the entire season.

The Lions signed Garcia in the offseason to backup and potentially replace the inconsistent Joey Harrington. Early rumors suggested that the Lions had Harrington on a tight leash. It looks like that leash was just loosened a bit. Barring any injury, Harrington should be the Lions QB for the entire season. If he lives up to his potential, he could be a good fantasy football player on what appears to be a loaded Lions offense.

Friday, September 02, 2005

Fantasy Football League - Friday Roundup

There was a lot of action on the NFL wire today, and some interesting news that may have a significant effect on your fantasy football league. Here's a recap of some of the top stories of the day.

1. Stephen Davis is set to take over the starting RB position for the Carolina Panthers. This comes as a shock to a lot of people who were expecting DeShaun Foster to get the job. Davis has been injured for quite some time and hasn't shown us anything at all until last nights preseason game. He felt good during the game, and it looks like he's going to get his old job back.

2. Miami Dolphins rookie running back Ronnie Brown will start for the Dolphins at least until Ricky Willaims returns back from a 4 game drug suspension. Brown looked good last night, rushing for 25 yards on 5 carries.

3. The Saints home opener on September 18th will be played in the Meadowlands in New York against the Giants. (Which means it's not really a home game at all) This is due to the devastation caused by the recent events in New Orleans. It may be a long time before the Saints play in the Superdome again, and there has been talk that they will eventually play their home games at LSU.

4. Reubin Droughns performed well against the Bears last night, rushing for 60 yards and a touchdown on 9 carries. I think this makes Droughns the frontrunner for the Cleveland starting RB job, with Lee Suggs injured and William Green looking unimpressive. But, like Carolina, I would proceed with caution. The week 1 starter may not still be the starter in week 3.

5. Jets rookie kicker Mike Nugent was brought in to solve the teams kicking woes. He delivered in the preseason last night, kicking 3 field goals in a winning effort. If you are looking for a good kicker that not a lot of people have heard of, give Nugent a try. He was a stud at Ohio State (team captain his senior year) and he should be an immediate success.

Fantasy Football - Stephen Davis Expected to Start for Carolina in Week 1

The Charlotte Observer is reporting that Carolina Panther's running back Stephen Davis is expected to take over the starting role after returning from knee surgery. Davis made his preseason debut last night against the Steelers and carried 5 times for 17 yards.

This comes as a bit of a shock that Davis has regained his role as the starting running back for Carolina. Early in the preseason, Deshaun Foster was expected to take over the starting job, but apparently, Davis' knee is holding up well. We'll see how this situation develops as the season progresses.

Carolina is still expected to use Deshaun Foster as a change of speed back, but this certainly hurts Foster's fantasy football value. We may be looking at Carolina moving to a running back by committee approach, which is always a fantasy nightmare.

Fantasy Football League - Trent Green's Mysterious Operation

Kansas City Chief's quarterback Trent Green had surgery on Tuesday to fix a circulation problem in his leg. The problem was apparently caused by scar tissue that was a result of Green's 4 knee operations. He is not expected to miss any time.

Trent Green has been very durable in Kansas City after battling injuries in St. Louis. He gave everyone a bit of a scare earlier in the week, but it looks like he won't miss any time because of this and he should be ready to go against the Jets in week 1.

Trent Green is poised for another great fantasy football year in Kansas City and should be one of the top 5 QB's this year.

Thursday, September 01, 2005

Fantasy Football League - Julius Jones Runs Big Against the Jaguars

Dallas Cowboy's second year running back Julius Jones scored big again in the preseason, rushing for 75 yards on 11 carries against a tough Jacksonville Jaguars defense.

Julius Jones is poised for a breakout year, after finishing off last season strong for the Dallas Cowboys. He has looked great in the preseason, and he is expected to get a lot of carries under the leadership of Bill Parcels. Look for Jones to be one of the top 10 fantasy football running backs this season.

Jones opens the season against another tough defense at San Diego. If he runs against the Chargers like he did against the Jaguars, it should be a big opening week for Julius and the Cowboys.

Fantasy Football League - Cowboy's looking at Peerless Price

Ex-Bengals wide receiver Peter Warrick was picked up by the Seahawks just days after being released by his former team. Now it looks like the Dallas Cowboys are interested in landing the services of Peerless Price, whom Bill Parcels calls "a pretty good player."

Price had some success with current Cowboys QB Drew Bledsoe while he was in Buffalo (1,200 yards, 9 touchdowns). I wouldn't expect him to put those numbers up again this year, but the possibility of these two working together again is intriguing.

Fantasy Football League - Question of the Day? Which RB will score the most points in week 1? Answer: Curtis Martin

The NFL season kicks off a week from today, and it's time to start looking at week 1 matchups.

Today's question is: Which NFL running back will score the most fantasy football points in week 1 of the regular season?

There are a lot of great backs poised to have huge seasons, but often matchups can determine which running back scores the most points in a given week. My pick for the top back of the first week of the season is Curtis Martin. He's facing a Kansas City Chiefs defense that still has a lot to prove, and Curtis has a history of starting off the season well. In his first game last year, Martin ran for 196 yards and scored 2 touchdowns.

Some of the other top backs in the league are facing some pretty good defenses in week 1, and although they should still have good games, their numbers will probably be down a bit. Shaun Alexander visits a tough Jacksonville defense, while Tomlinson starts the season against Dallas.

Look for Curtis Martin, last year's rushing champ, to run through the Kansas City defense when on the first Sunday of the regular season.

Fantasy Football League - Seahawks add WR Peter Warrick

After being dropped by the Cincinnati Bengals earlier in the week, WR Peter Warrick has signed a 1 year contract with the Seattle Seahawks. Warrick will join receivers Darryl Jackson, Bobby Engram, and Joe Jurevicius on what should be a potent passing offense led by QB Matt Hasselbeck.

Warrick has had success playing in the slot position, but it is too soon to say how he will fit in with the team. There is talk that Warrick could return punts this year for the Seahawks. However, it remains to be seen whether or not Warrick is worthy of being added to your fantasy football team. We'll keep and eye on his progress.

Fantasy Football League - Colts win over DT Corey Simon

Espn is reporting that the Colts have agreed in principle to a contract with former Eagle's defensive tackle Corey Simon.

This is a serious upgrade for an often criticized Colts defense. Simon will add even more pass rushing ability to a Colt's defense that already has Dwight Freeney, the NFL's sack leader last year.

Although the Colts were the 29th ranked defense in the NFL last year, there were actually a pretty good fantasy football defense. This is because they had a lot of sacks and they create a lot of turnovers. Simon should help them increase their sack total from a year ago. If you're looking for a good scoring fantasy defense, keep your eye on the Colts. They are usually available on the waiver wire.

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Fantasy Football League - Question of the Day? Which QB will score the most points in week 1?

It's time to start looking at week one matchups with the first regular season game kicking off a week from tomorrow.

Today's question is: Which QB will score the most fantasy points in week 1 of the regular season?

Last year the answer to this question was Peyton Manning - about every single week. But this year the Indianapolis Colts open the season against the tough defense of the Baltimore Ravens.

In fact, a lot of the top QB's will face tough defenses in week one. That's why I think that Brett Favre has the best opportunity to light up the fantasy football scoreboard. He faces a Detroit Defense in the dome that he tore apart last season. The Detroit D is fresh of a spanking by St. Louis on Monday night.

Look for Favre to throw for 300 yards and a couple of touchdowns when Green Bay visits the Lions.

Fantasy Football League - Antwaan Randle El Wins Starting WR Job

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antwaan Randle El appears to have won the starting job opposite Hines Ward. Randle El will replace Plaxico Burress, who left to join Eli Manning and the New York Giants in the offseason.

Randle El posseses a tremendous amount of athletic talent and should do well in the Steelers offense. Hines Ward will continue to be the favorite target of Ben Roethlisberger, but Randle El will be a nice #2 compliment.

Because the Steelers have a run first offense, there may not be enough passing attempts to make Randle El an every week fantasy starter. His raw talent makes him worth a look, but I wouldn't count on putting him in your fantasy football lineup on a weekly basis.

Fantasy Football League - Jerry Porter's Slow Healing Hammy

Oakland Raider's WR Jerry Porter will not play in the preseason finale against the Saints because of an injured hamstring. Porter has been slowed throughout the preseason and his recovery is not going as quickly as planned. He is looking iffy for the week 1 opener against New England.

Jerry Porter's fantasy football owners may want to find another option at WR until his hamstring heals up. Porter is expected to bookend Randy Moss on what should be a potent Oakland Raiders offense. But if his injury doesn't heal soon, expect Porter to get off to a slower start this year. WR Ronald Curry is currently listed on the depth chart behind Porter along with Doug Gabriel.

Fantasy Football League - Hurrican Katrina may Force Saints Out of Town

Hurricane Katrina continues to devastate New Orleans. It will be quite some time before the city is functioning normally, and it may force the NFL's New Orleans Saints to play their home opener in another location. There have reportedly been talks with San Antonio to play in the Alamodome and the team plans on practicing there after Thursday night's exhibition against the Oakland Raiders.

This is a terrible situation and many of the New Orleans Saints players have had their homes destroyed. It would be very understandable if the team is distracted by this tragedy for many weeks to come. Hopefully, they will be able to return to the Superdome this season, but undoubtedly, they will be dealing with the effects of Hurricane Katrina throughout the year.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Fantasy Football League - Priest Holmes challenged by Larry Johnson

Kansas City Chiefs Running Back Priest Holmes is being challenged by backup running back Larry Johnson for the starting role this seasonl. As of now, Coach Dick Vermeil has insisted that there is no running back controversy, but L. Johnson's stellar play this preseason has rasied questions as to how Vermeil will keep both running backs happy.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported on Monday that the Chiefs plan to split time among both backs as much as 60-40 in favor of Holmes. This is not welcome news for Priest Holmes owners.

Vermeil is insisting that Holmes is the starter, however, it looks like the Chiefs may end up using a running back by committee this year. With Holmes age and history of injuries, it makes sense not to overuse him. Moreover, its becoming increasingly difficult to hold back the surging Larry Johnson. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops throughout the season. I would expect Larry Johnson to get a higher share of playing time as the season progresses.

Fantasy Football League - Wide Receivers get Axed

Two WR's who once showed great promise have been cut by their respective teams. Peter Warrick, the #4 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2000, was released today and is now a free agent. In Atlanta, WR Peerless Price, who was wooed by the Falcons in 2003 in a trade with the Buffalo Bills, was also released.

Both WR were not expected to have much of a fantasy impact this year, but it just goes to show you how quickly things can change in the NFL.

Fantasy Football League - Willie Parker likely to start as week 1 RB for Steelers

Because of injuries to Duce Staley and Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh Steelers RB Willie Parker will most likely get the start in week 1.

If you are in need of a starting running back for week one, you may want to think about picking up Parker. Parker played the last game of the year last year and rushed for 102 yards. He's also looked good in the preseason.

Bettis and Staley are expected to be back from injuries early in the season, but you may be able to get a start or two out of Willie.

Fantasy Football League - St. Louis Romps Detroit - Steven Jackson Runs for 108 yd

The St. Louis Rams looked sharp last night, beating the Detroit Lions 37-13. The Rams passing game looked as explosive as ever, with Mark Bulger and Isaac Bruce connecting for a 31 yard touchdown in the second quarter. Steven Jackson also punished the Lions with 108 rushing yards and a TD.

Detroit, unfortunately, did not look any better than they did last year. QB Joey Harrington was only 9/18 for 106 yards and the team didn't score a touchdown until the end of the fourth quarter.

Fantasy football owners should feel good about the Rams again this year. All of the major players are back except RB Marshall Faulk, and second year RB Steven Jackson looks like a worthy replacement for Faulk.

Detroit, however, still looks inconsistent on offense. I expect WR Roy Williams and RB Kevin Jones to have some great games, but there are probably going to be weeks where they don't score very many fantasy points. This is supposed to be the year that Detroit turns the corner. It remains to be seen whether or not that will happen.

Monday, August 29, 2005

Fantasy Football League - Michael Bennett and Mewelde Moore

Viking's running backs Michael Bennett and Mewelde Moore will probably miss Friday's preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks. Bennett is still undecided as to whether or not he will miss the first game of the season.

It looks like Bennett still has the starting job when he gets healthy. Bennett has a history of injuries, so its not a bad idea to have Moore sitting on your bench.

Fantasy Football League - Cedric Benson Finally Signs with the Bears

Chicago Bears RB Cedric Benson has finally signed with the team, after holding out for almost the entire preseason. The contract is reportedly for 5 years.

Thomas Jones has looked sharp in Benson's absence. I would expect Jones to start the season as the top RB, but Benson could see more action as the season progresses.

Sunday, August 28, 2005

Fantasy Football League - Weekend Roundup

The fantasy football season is quickly approaching and this weekend was most likely our last chance to get a look at the league's top players before the season kicks off. Here are some of the weekends most interesting developments.

1. Mike Anderson seems to have secured the starting RB job in Denver, rushing for 159 yards and scoring 2 touchdowns against the Colts on Saturday.

2. Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb hooked up for the first time this season and put up stellar numbers.

3. Kansas City Chiefs backup RB Larry Johnson put up massive numbers again this week and overshadowed Priest Holmes. Johnson is expected to have a greater role in the offense this year. Don't be suprised if he ends up being the starter by the end of the year.

4. Miami Dolphins RB Ricky Williams looked good against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, rushing for 59 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries. Rookie Ronnie Brown did not look impressive, picking up only 20 yards in 6 carries. Williams is suspended for the first four games, giving Brown a chance to win the job. If Brown fails to perform, look for Ricky to take over.

5. Cowboys RB Julius Jones continues to look strong, rushing 10 times for 50 yards and a touchdowns against the Houston Texans.

6. The Colts offense finally got it going against the Denver Broncos, putting to rest fears that the offense was out of sync. Manning threw for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2-1/2 quarters.

7. Bears rookie Kyle Orton has won the starting QB position. He outperformed Chad Hutchinson in the preseason and has played with a great deal of poise.

8. Seattle Seahawks WR Darrell Jackson caught seven passes for 99 yards and one touchdown.

9. Tampa Bay rookie running back Cadillac Williams looked great, gaining 28 yards in five carries for Tampa Bay against Miami on Saturday.

10. Maurice Clarett has been cut by the Denver Broncos.