The News - Antonio Pierce is not Ray Lewis

The Game - Sean Payton has industrial sized trouser pebbles!

The Questions - Floyd calls in to gloat!

The News - Getting a Contract Extension is a Brees?
The Game - We both pick the Colts
The Questions - Top 10 WRs of all time.

The News - Warner to hang it up?

The Games - 5 turnovers = overtime?

The Questions - Floyd is of the ledge, window still open.

The News - Everyone is in the Pro Bowl.

The Games - Floyd goes opposite!

The Questions - We pick our top 10 QBs of all time.

News Flash - Favre may retire at seasons end.

The Games - We suck… bet against us!

The Questions - Talkin’ Floyd off the ledge.

The News - Holmgren Gets His Mangina On!

The Games - Lyle Picks The Cowboys!

The Questions - Mojo Makes A Case For Ohio… We Still Think It Sucks!

I wasn’t able to put these out every week like I did last year, I’ve just been way too busy with family stuff to put the time into it. So I decided to do a “What I Learned” end of the season edition.

Arizona Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald was able to debunk the Madden curse, right up until the end of the season when we all needed him most, thank god he was still able to score TDs for us. Beanie Wells could be a very good player, he just might have to go Tanya Harding on Tim Hightower to get the chance to show it. I’ll be very interested to see where Boldin ends up next season, I don’t see any way that they can keep him under is current pathetic contract and expect him to not throw another fit about it. Either pay the guy or trade him already.

Atlanta Falcons: Looks like Michael Turner wasn’t able to avoid the curse of 370 after all. I think he’ll be better next year, but he certainly won’t be a first rounder next draft. People in shallow keeper leagues will have a tough choice with him as well. Roddy White’s end of the year numbers will look impressive, but he has the feel of Chad Johnson circa the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Baltimore Ravens: Troy Smith asked to be traded, that’s funny right there. Any bets he lands in Oakland? I, like many others, will be praying that Willis McGahee is gone next year. Ray Rice was incredible this year, but if McGahee is gone he could put up Chris Johnson type numbers. Will Derrick Mason stick around for another year? After the season he’s had I think he just might. If they get Flacco another option (see Boldin, Anquan above) to pair with Mason he could be a top 8 QB next year.

Buffalo Bills: Hopefully whoever they get to coach their team makes it a point to install Fred Jackson as the starter. Firstly he’s a more explosive player, and secondly he doesn’t have the jacked-up grill that Lynch has. Sorry Bills fans, but I think that your team is going to struggle for a while. No QB + no WRs = FAIL. At least their defensive secondary has a lot of promise. Where will Terrell Owens go from here? My money is on the Bears making a run at him.

Carolina Panthers: Goodbye Jake Delhomme, you made picking a weekly defense less of a gamble. I think he just threw another pick. The Williams/Stewart backfield will be back in full swing next year. They’ll get their o-line healthy and they should get an easier schedule than this year.

Chicago Bears: Jay Cutler is the Eeyore of quarterbacks. Seriously. Every time I see this guy on TV he looks like someone just told him that Santa Claus isn’t real. Maybe he’ll be better next year after they draft some help. What’s that? They gave up virtually ALL of their draft picks to get him? Oops. Matt Forte is definitely tops on my sh!t list. Last year I traded Chis Johnson for you in my keeper league, you slow, plodding bastard!!!!! Thank God I was able to unload you for Steven Jackson in week 6.

Cincinnati Bengals: They swept the AFC North. Really? Let that sink in people. It’s one thing to beat the Browns twice, but it’s an entirely different thing to beat the Steelers and Ravens twice each. As a Steeler fan I have to tip my hat to you. Cedric Benson may have revived his career with the Bengals, but after the interviews I’ve seen him give recently it’s clear that being cut and out of work for a time didn’t teach him humility, he’s just as arrogant as ever.

Cleveland Browns: Move along people, nothing to see here. Ok, maybe Jerome Harrison is worth keeping an eye on, but only if he can keep getting 30+ carries a game next year.

dallas cowboys: It’s spelled lower case on purpose folks. My hatred of the cowboys grew exponentially after the duo of Miles Austin and Jason Witten nearly erased my 45 point lead in my championship game. Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, there’s no denying that Miles Austin deserves to be considered in the top 10-12 WRs next year. Any of you that were fortunate enough to be in the bottom of your league standings when he blew up really landed a gem off the wire. There’s also no denying that Roy Williams is nothing more than a WR5 next year.

Denver Broncos: Can someone please explain to me why Josh McDaniels hates Eddie Royal so badly? Royal’s second year has made Michael Clayton’s second year look like a success.

Detroit Lions: Their unofficial team motto, “We’ll Get ‘Em Next Year”!!! No, they won’t. Easily one of the worst defenses to ever take the field. What are the odds of them drafting another WR with their first pick? No, just kidding, they’ll probably take a RB.

Green Bay Packers: Aaron Rodgers is a tough SOB. It’s been painful watching him get crushed all year. It was like he and Ben Roethlisberger had a bet over who could get sacked more. I don’t know about your league’s scoring but Rodgers was the top QB in my league. It’s scary to think what he will do if they improve their o-line.

Houston Texans: Did Matt Schaub really play every game this year? That’s a hell of an achievement right there. I wonder who they’ll have at RB next year? I don’t think it will be Slaton, his nerve damage issue sounded pretty serious.

Indianapolis Colts: BOO!!!! BOO!!! Yes that’s me jumping on the bandwagon to boo the coaches for pulling the starters and letting the Jets win and throwing the whole damn AFC playoff picture out of whack. Looks like all the talk of Joseph Addai’s downfall were a bit premature. The guy played really well this year. Maybe he’s just one of those players that needs the threat of losing his starting job in order to play at a high level. Anthony Gonzalez, welcome back to the bench. Get comfy, because Garcon and Collie have already staked their claims.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Goodbye Jack Del Rio, hello Bill Cower? Maybe, but the threat of a lockout in 2011 is making teams a lot more cautious (e.g. John Fox, Carolina). I was right to believe that Maurice Jones-Drew would outperform Adrian Peterson this year. Even though he failed us a little toward the end of the season, I was happy to have him on my roster.

Kansas City Chiefs: Jamaal Charles looks like the real deal folks. I’d be thrilled to have him as my RB2 next year. Any bets on Dwayne Bowe showing up out of shape again next year? I won’t be drafting him as anything more than a WR3 on draft day.

Miami Dolphins: Ted Ginn Jr. is the Darius Heyward-Bey of his draft class, a fast guy that was drafted too high and can’t play the WR position very well. I like what I’m seeing from Chad Henne though, the kid isn’t afraid to chuck the ball.

Minnesota Vikings: Maybe they can get Tiki Barber to work on ball security with Adrian Peterson in the off-season. I’m putting the over/under at 4 months for the Brett Favre stay or go decision. If/when Favre leaves it will be a shame to see Percy Harvin and Sydney Rice wasting their talent with Tarvaris Jackson.

New England Patriots: Anything less than 10 catches is a down day for Wes Welker. Funny how everyone in fantasyland knew that Randy Moss is lazy when he knows he isn’t getting the ball, but the main stream media just barely found out in week 14.

New Orleans Saints: Can you imagine what Drew Brees would be able to do with a pair of WRs like Fitzgerald and Boldin? No offense to Colston and company, but THAT would be something special to watch.

New York Giants: In other news that the main stream media is just figuring out, Eli Manning isn’t very good in the 2nd half of the season. It’s one of the few things you can count on in football. That said, he’s gonna put up a bunch of points the first half of next season, those WRs he has are pretty damn good.

New York Jets: It’s funny how exited everyone got when Braylon Edwards arrived. It was like everyone forgot that there was a rookie QB there, and Braylon’s opposable thumbs only function 50% of the time. Next year will be Shonn Greene time, there’s just no way Thomas Jones can do it again. Is there?

Oakland Raiders: Hey Al Davis, remember that time you drafted Darius Heyward-Bay over Michael Crabtree, Percy Harvin, and Jeremy Maclin? Good times man, good times. Seriously though, they don’t have a shot at being good until Al Davis is out of the picture. There’s no way that Tom Cable WANTED to stick with JaMarcus Awful as long as he did, you just know that was Al Davis calling that shot.

Philadelphia Eagles: Maybe the talk of Donovan McNabb being done was a little premature. But then again, Kevin Kolb looked awfully good while McNabb was out. Just sayin’.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Santonio Holmes is the Anti-Eli Manning, he can only produce in the second half of the season. Mike Wallace is gonna be special, but not until Hines Ward retires. On a side note, if anyone ever makes a movie about Ben Roethlisberger I hope they get Will Ferrell to play him. Every time I see a close up of Ben with his helmet on it reminds me of Will Ferrell in Talladega Nights.

St. Louis Rams: Steven Jackson is good, now move along.

San Diego Chargers: Thanks for all those great years Mr. Tomlinson, but it’s time to step aside. He might still be able to be effective, but needs to accept a reduced role. Keep an eye on where Malcom Floyd ends up next season, the kid has big time skills.

San Francisco 49ers: I really like what they’re doing here. Solid defense and an emerging offense. Hopefully Alex Smith doesn’t regress again. Imagine how good Crabtree could have been if he hadn’t acted like such a tool with his contract holdout.

Seattle Seahawks: They sure are lucky the Rams are there to keep them out of last place in their division. Justin Forsett could be a really good RB for them, but for some reason teams refuse to give up on Julius Jones.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: As bad as they are I really like watching Josh Freeman play, the kid brings some excitement to the game. Other than that, I’m not really sure what else to say here.

Tennessee Titans: Who knew Vince Young could still play football? Not me that’s for sure. It’s well documented that I’m the doofus that traded Chris Johnson for Matt Forte in my keeper league last year, and I’m pretty sure that trade is the reason for his huge success this year. I hate myself for that trade more and more with every game.

Washington Redskins: Seriously, why would anyone want to coach there? I mean, you’re working for an owner that trades all his draft picks away for FAs every year, so it’s not like you can rebuild through the draft. And it’s also an owner that likes to micro manage his coaches (see Davis, Al above).

Well, that’s all I got folks. I hope you enjoyed reading it. If you were fortunate enough to win a championship this year (like me!) then I congratulate you. And if not, then better luck next year. Remember, no amount of planning can make up for the fact that winning in our little game has as much to do with luck as anything else. As evidence of this there is a guy in my league that has Adrian Peterson, Wes Welker, Randy Moss, Brandon Marshall, and Donovan McNabb. Luckily he was eliminated in the semi-final round (week 15) when his team fell apart so I didn’t have to face him in the championship.

The News - Braylon Guarantees… a drop

The Games -Who’s in, Who’s out?

The Questions - Only 5

The News - Mangina Out?

The Games - VaGiant Suckage Needs Apology!

The Questions - Lyle Has A Broner For Barry!

The News - Trouble in Favre-adise

The Games - Snees for Snelling?

The Questions - Harrison will not run for 286 yards this week.

The News - Holmgren Has a Brown Eye… For Talent

The Games - Arian Foster… Australian for Benched, Mate!

The Questions - Jeenyus First Post Hell

The News - Chris Henry R.I.P.

The Games - Arian Foster… YES!

The Questions - Supreme says “Hardy Har Har”

The News - The Walrus goes Cleveland?

The Games - Blackjack for Brandon!

The Questions - Snowman = Fred Savage ?

The News - Chad plans to “Blow a Viking’s Horn”!

The Games - Ben sucking? Play the Lions!

The Questions - Finished ‘em, bitches!

The News - Portis Done!

The Games - Penalty-Gate!

The Questions - It’s only a 90 minute show.

The News - Lewis out, forever?

The Games - Indy vs. Ten game of the week?

The Questions - Creepiest Call Ever!

The News - DJax Concussed!

The Games - Breesus!

The Questions - So you wanna podcast? Don’t.

The News - Mad Mike to Buffalo

The Games - Who has a better week Cutler or V.Young? $20 bet.

The Questions - All questions answered

The News - Big Ben Busts His Dome Piece

The Games - Should Detroit’s Tradition Remain?

The Questions - PopPop’s Taint Cheese

The News - Mr. Noodle banks some chedda’

The Games - Detroit Suck City!

The Questions - Motorboatin’ Dat Ass!

* The News - Westbrook done?
* The Games - Belichick’s decision
* The Questions - More porn!

The News - Portis: Very, Very Doubtful

The Games - NE @ IND = Game of the year

The Questions - 30+ porn pics

The News - Call of Duty

The Games - Call of Duty

The Questions - Call of Duty

The News - Roy not trying to be T.O.

The Games - Start all Seahawks

The Questions - The old rules return

The News - Slaton riding pine

The Games - Favre bones Lambeau

The Questions - SupremeClientele has Jesus H. Christ on his roster.

The News - Westbrook could play?

The Games - Shootout in Motown?

The Questions - Snowman moves to the front.

The News - Westbrook loses his head

The Games - Ass-kickin’ week

The Questions - F@ck the Yankees

Download Torrent

The News - Zorn quits, almost.

The Games - Jolly olde England.

The Questions - Snowman goes old skool.

Download Torrent

The News - Trading places

The Games - 59 - 0

The Questions - New Rules, f@ck it!

Download Torrent

The News - MJD Speaks up!

The Games - DWill again?

The Questions - Skin Question…

Download via bittorrent

The News -Seau back in NE

The Games - Anderson drops a deuce

The Questions - Headlights at the Grand Canyon

The News - Edwards’ pimp in NY
The Games - Complete rundown
The Questions - Sit Slaton?

The News - Edwards’ pimp hand is strong

The Games - Favre has a future

The Questions - Kiss it, or Diss it!

The News - The wrong Jones is out for Seattle.

The Games - McGahee an every week start?

The Questions - Quest is smited for camping during football.

The News - Injuries Galore

The Games - The Lions WIN!

The Questions - Bench Tom Brady?

The News - Eagles Offense Limited In Practice

The Games - Start no one on the Raiders, Broncos, or Bucs

The Questions - Who the F’ would camp?

The News - Westbrook/Barber banged up.

The Games - Gore/Chris Johnson!

The Questions - Grab Slaton Now!

The News - Bell taking the starting job in NO?

The Games - Avoid Cowboys!

The Questions - We answer them…

The News - “McRib”

The Games - Sanchez has best performance by rookie QB this week.

The Questions - FREAKOUT!

The News - Welker hurt?

The Games - Ced Benson, big week?

The Mail - You ask, we answer…

The News - Marshall to stay in Denver?

The Mail - D.Jax, Forte for R.Bush, D.Will?

The Calls - Supremely checkin in…

The News: Seattle found their “Edge…

The Mail: Hot girls!

The Calls: We answer the phone!

QUARTERBACKS

Ben Roethlisberger. On average, he’s being taken a full two rounds after Matt Ryan and Jay Cutler, though he’s more than capable of outproducing either (if not both) of them. His MockDraftCentral.com ADP is #93, which is the equivalent of the late 8th round pick in a 12 team league (or early 10th in a 10 teamer). I’ll take some of that, please.

Matt Hasselbeck. With a real, actual WR (T.J. Houshmanzadeh), it’s hard to not like Hasselbeck as a #2 QB this year. Especially at #107 overall. Are you kidding?

Trent Edwards. I’ve seen people claim that they’d rather have Brett Favre. Blech. Edwards, at pick #138, and with Terrell Owens and Lee Evans to throw to, will outperform Favre by leaps and bounds. T.O. always seems to perform well in his first year in a new city, and the Bills’ rushing attack is good enough to keep defenses honest. It all adds up to a big year for Edwards. Well worth the late round flyer.

Jason Campbell. He’s being written off by most folks, but at pick #182, I love him as a QB#3 with upside to be much better. He’s got some weapons to work with. He’ll face the Eagles and Giants twice, but he’ll benefit from a last place schedule in non-divisional games.

Shaun Hill. It skeeves me that Matthew Berry is now trumpeting him as a sleeper, but he’s right on this one. He’s the 30th QB taken overall, and the Niners’ new OC has a running mindset, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that the Niners play in an awful division with questionable pass defenses. If Josh Morgan breaks out like everyone thinks, Hill will be the beneficiary. Let’s also not forget that Frank Gore is an adept receiver as well. Hill, who is being passed over in 85% of fantasy leagues, is certainly worth a flyer.

RUNNING BACKS

I’ve had to scratch two players off of this list because their ADPs have skyrocketed in recent weeks: Ray Rice and Chris “Beanie” Wells. If you’re in a league with seasoned fantasy football veterans, you can pretty much forget about nabbing either player as a late round sleeper. That leaves us with:

Larry Johnson. At pick #52 overall, I think Johnson is an excellent #3 RB and a serviceable #2 in many formats. I have him rated above Addai, who will lose carries to Donald Brown, and Lynch, who will lose touches to Fred Jackson when he ISN’T suspended. I don’t expect LJ, the clear-cut top dog in the KC backfield, to come anywhere close to the kinds of seasons that once made him an elite fantasy RB, but as far as his career number of carries is concerned, he’s got a lot more tread left on the tires than most people realize. We’ve seen several renaissance seasons by RBs once written off as dead or insignificant, most recently Thomas Jones. Johnson has a lot of incentive to have a monster year this season, is likely to surpass the numbers that Jones (#37) will put up this season in a suddenly crowded NYJ backfield. You can have TJ; I’ll take LJ a round or two later.

Julius Jones. I don’t like “Orange” Julius much, but at pick #86, he represents value as a team’s #1 rushing option who’s still on the board at that point. Jones is one of those guys you like to have on your team for depth purposes, but you don’t want to have to start him. Remember what I said above about Hasselbeck, though…the Seahawks will be a better team this year, and Jones will likewise get several tasty intra-divisional matchups. You can do a lot worse in the 8th or 9th round.

Fred Jackson. In a Week 17 start against the Patriots last year, Jackson gained 137 yards on 27 carries in a losing cause. He’ll be the Bills’ starting RB the first three games of the season, and there’s reason to believe he’ll still see ample playing time after Marshawn Lynch returns from his suspension. Jackson actually gained more yards per carry than Lynch last year, and gained almost 2 yards more per reception, as well. With an ADP of #108, Jackson is being drafted after Willis Freaking McGahee, who’ll be the third option out of the backfield in Baltimore (if he’s lucky).

Ahmad Bradshaw. Think of the year Derrick Ward had last year. Now, think of what a guy who’s averaged over 6 yards a carry to date in his brief NFL career might do with the lion’s share of Ward’s carries. Let’s also remember that Brandon Jacobs hasn’t been the healthiest of fellows so far, so pencil Bradshaw in for a couple of starts as well. It’s worth noticing that Bradshaw caught almost half as many passes in the first preseason game as he did all of last year. This could very well signal an even more expanded role for Bradshaw, who’s ADP is currently #128. It’s hard to find better RB value this late in a draft.

Shonn Greene. It’s hard to believe that two bona fide sleeper RBs play in (er, near) the Big Apple, but Greene is somehow slipping by everyone. Perhaps it has something to do with playing the same position on the same team as the AFC’s leading rusher from a year ago. However, Thomas Jones has not endeared himself to the organization this year, and is rumored to be available via trade. The Jets believe they struck gold in Greene, at tough runner who should tote the rock inside the red zone often. Behind a very solid offensive line, Greene has immense upside should Jones find himself in a different uniform or on the trainer’s table.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Ted Ginn, Jr. At #108, Ginn is being taken after Devin Hester and just before Jeremy Maclin, two guys whom Ginn should outperform by leaps and bounds this year. Ginn is primed for a breakout season and is clearly the most talented receiving option in Miami, a team with a better offense than most people realize. Ginn, a third-year receiver who logged 56 catches last year, is an excellent high upside addition in Round 9 or 10.

Josh Morgan. At #148, the odds-on favorite to be the #1 wideout for the San Francisco 49ers is being taken, on average, just after a kicker (Neil Rackers). If I need to explain why this makes Morgan a great value pick, then you’re either a noob or Al Davis.

Chris Henry. The 52nd wide receiver to leave the fantasy green room this draft season, Henry’s ADP of 153 puts him right in front of K Nick Folk (#154). That’s right…a 6′ 4″ red zone target who was once relevant as a #3 WR now finds himself moving up the depth chart while he slides down fantasy draft boards. Henry is my odds-on favorite to play the role of Antonio Bryant this season. Don’t believe me? Well, let’s review: Tall? Check. Gifted? Check. Checkered past? Check. See? It all checks out.

Keenan Burton and Ronald Curry. With Donnie Avery hobbled by injury and unlikely to be up to speed in time for the start of the season, opportunity has presented itself to others to strut their stuff at the wideout position in St. Louis. Burton, a second year six footer from Kentucky, has an ADP of 290, which means he’s rarely drafted, if ever. Curry, an underrated 30 year old veteran who has caught 50 passes three times as a Raider, is being selected #293 overall. One of these guys will have a nice season, so it behooves you to take a flyer on at least one of them late in your draft.

TIGHT ENDS

John Carlson. At pick #103 overall, Carlson - by most accounts a star-in-the-making - represents good value at a position that’s deeper than most people think.

Visanthe Shiancoe. Yes, that’s spelled correctly…I double checked. Pronounce it at your own risk. With an ADP of #139, Shiancoe is the only player on the Vikings who’s stock rises significantly via the Favre signing. I still wouldn’t take him until the late rounds, though.

Brent Celek. The Eagles utilize the TE more than most teams, yet Celek - the clear #1 in Philadelphia - is only being drafted in 50.7% of mock drafts on MockDraftCentral.com. Celek (ADP: 172) played a big role in the Eagles’ playoff success last year, and the injury to rookie Cornelius Ingram only solidifies Celek’s role in the offense. I don’t advocate drafting any more TEs than necessary, but Celek is a terrific consolation prize if you wait until the late rounds to take a TE while filling out your roster with value in other positions.

Chris Baker. The 222nd player taken overall, Baker feasted on the Eagles in the first preseason tilt this year. Being a red zone target for Tom Brady can only help a player’s fantasy value. Don’t forget about the “Touchdown Maker” in the late rounds if you need a TE.

Marcedes Lewis. At #296, he’s being drafted in fewer than 2% of fantasy leagues. I expect the Jags to seek other options in the red zone if they want to keep MJD upright. For this among other reasons, Lewis is a prime candidate for a breakout season. If you’re looking for a TE flyer in a deep league, you can do much worse.

DSB

iTunes - We cracked the top 5!
The News - A few old QBs return
The Mail - Remember the name “Earl Bennett”

WIDE-EYED AND AMPED “SLEEPERS”

QB - Matt Schaub. He’s a great value proposition, but only if he’s taken in the right spot. Many people are now taking him in the same rounds as guys like Romo and McNabb. At that point, he no longer represents value.

RB - Pierre Thomas. Yes, he’s got lots of upside, but that doesn’t make him worthy of a 2nd (or even an early 3rd) round pick…especially in PPR leagues. I’ve seen Thomas go right after (or even before) the likes of Clinton Portis and Brandon Jacobs, which is a mistake. There is better value on the board at that point. I’d prefer to draft Pierre in a different tier with the likes of Ronnie Brown, Ryan Grant, and Kevin Smith.

WR - Donnie Avery. At one point, he was being taken right alongside more proven players like Lee Evans, Santana Moss and Laverneus Coles by owners desperate to grab a WR during a position run. Then again, now that he’s hurting, you can expect his stock to fall off enough to the point where he once again represents value. Even so, I’m not sure I’d buy.

TE - Greg Olsen. I’ve seen him go before Tony Gonzalez, which shocks me beyond words. I like Olsen, but I’m not going to draft him early for the simple fact that he’s a TE. IF you have 3 solid RBs…AND a good QB…and at least 2 very good WRs…THEN it’s time to start thinking TE. However, Olsen probably won’t be there…which is good for you because it means you got value at other, more important positions.

In my next update, I’ll give you five TRUE sleepers for 2009…at each position. Except kickers. Who cares about them, anyway?

DSB

The News - Vick close to signing?

The Mail - More Over/Unders

The Leagues - We pick, either way, you lose!

Overvalued:
Let someone else draft these guys.

Larry Fitzgerald WR, ARI (ADP-1.07): Anquan Boldin being in camp could spell lesser numbers for Fitz. When the two played during the regular season last year, Boldin caught 13 more passes and scored nearly twice as many TDs. Couple this with the fact that the Cardinals will likely pass less often this season (they threw the ball more last year than any other team, their receivers caught more passes than any team since 1995, and they drafted a bruising RB with their #1 pick), and it’s hard to see him putting up the dominating numbers of late 2008. Still, I’m not pushing Fitz’s value down too much, but drafting him #1 at WR seems too steep considering similar value might be found a round later.

Michael Turner RB, ATL (ADP-1.04): Turner is no doubt one of the best backs in the league, but there are a few factors suggesting he is overvalued in most leagues. He carried the ball a league high 376 times last year. Even coach Mike Smith said “We know he can’t sustain 370 carries over a number of years, we have to reduce the load we put on him last year”. He’s also not much of a pass catcher. Turner had only 6 catches for 41 yards last season. Sounds to me like Jerious Norwood could see more playing time as relief and play 90% of passing downs.

Tony Romo QB, DAL (ADP-5.05): Only Jon Kitna has turned the ball over more in the last 2 years and he just lost one of his best weapons. I don’t see Romo being anywhere near the top 10 for QBs this season.

Lee Evans WR, BUF (ADP-6.09): This might seem obvious given the addition of Terrell Owens, and Evans’ lack luster performance the past few years. But, I think even the late 6th round is too much to pay for Mr. Evans. Only one time in the last eight years has a WR playing on the other side of Owens totaled more than 800 yards, none have scored more than 7 TDs.

Undervalued:
These unsung heroes could be the key to your draft.

Pierre Thomas RB, NO (ADP-3.11): Maybe not in a PPR, but in a standard scoring league, Thomas should be selected before Reggie Bush (ADP-2.09). Thomas is bigger, more physical back, who will likely steal most of the goal-line carries. Add this to the fact that Bush’s knee isn’t 100% and has been a bit injury prone, and it’s an easy call to move Thomas ahead of him on my board.

Jamaal Charles RB, KC (ADP-12.09): While Larry Johnson has the starting gig locked down, he has had some injury and off the field problems lately. Charles is younger, much faster, and a far better receiver. It’s likely he will see significant playing time, even if Johnson is healthy. A late round flier on him could pay dividends if LJ continues his slide.

Domenik Hixon WR, NYG (ADP-11.11): Steve Smith is more of a slot receiver and 1st round selection Hakeem Nicks will need time to develop. That makes Hixon the #1 guy in New York by default. While I don’t expect to see Plaxico-type numbers from him. He did average 4 catches for 55 yards with 2 TDs when Plax was out last year.

Demetrius Williams WR, BAL (ADP-13.01): Sure he’s a #3 and he had an Achilles surgery that sidelined him for most of last season, but he’s behind Mark Clayton and the ageless Derrick Mason and he’s bigger and faster than both of those guys. He’s also added 5 pounds of muscle and seems serious about making a run at a starting gig.

Sleepers:
These guys are going mostly undrafted. They may be worth a late flier.

Jeff Garcia QB, OAK (ADP-N/A): Oakland may be committed to playing JaMarcus Russell for the rest of his life based on his salary, but if he does end up working his way to the bench, Garcia could be a more than serviceable option at QB. Oakland has one of the youngest offenses in the league and they may have the fastest pair of WRs in the NFL (Darrius Heyward Bay and Johnnie Lee Higgins).

Daunte Culpepper QB, DET (ADP-N/A): I know, 2004 called and they want their QB back (insert “Prices Right” fail here). Consider the fact that they have one of the best WRs in the NFL. Also consider that the Lions have added some upgraded receiving options with Maurice Morris, Brandon Pettigrew, Bryant Johnson, and Dennis Northcutt. Plus, Culpepper is in much better shape coming into camp and Matthew Stafford probably won’t see any action until late in the year. As far as fliers go, I don’t know if they get any better than this.

Chris Brown RB, HOU (ADP-N/A): Ryan Moats, rookies Arian Foster and Jeremiah Johnson, and Chris Brown are all competing to back up Steve Slaton. Brown has cracked 1,000 yards in a single season and was a staple of the Tennessee backfield until multiple injuries landed him on the IR. He’s clearly ahead of the pack for this position and there is a good chance he’ll see a lot of time around the goal-line. Slaton scored on only 4 of 21 carries inside the 5-yard line last year, worst amongst RBs.

Brent Celek TE, PHI (ADP-N/A): Celek showed flashes of brilliance last season, and has now locked up the starting gig in Philadelphia’s pass happy offense. That alone is enough to justify a late round selection.

Dark Horse Sleepers:
You may have never heard of these guys. Watch the waiver wire or spend a very late pick on one of these guys to stick at the end of your bench.

Earl Bennett WR, CHI: Someone has to catch the ball in Chicago. Devon Hester and Greg Olson should account for most of the production, but don’t rule out Bennett who caught more than 75 passes three years in a row at Vanderbilt, one of those seasons with Jay Cutler as his QB.

James Davis RB, CLE: Jamal Lewis will be 30 before opening day, he’s had multiple surgeries on his knees, and he averaged just 3.6 a carry last year. Davis, their 6th round selection, looks to be the #2 who might see increased playing time if Lewis continues to struggle.

Travis Beckum TE, NYG: He was college football’s most productive TE until he missed all of last season with injuries. The Giants liked him enough to spend an early 3rd round pick on him, and the lack of pass catchers will certainly open up opportunities on this team.

Rashad Jennings RB, JAX: Maurice Jones-Drew isn’t built to carry the ball 350+ times in a season. The Jaguars are going to need to spell him at some point. This 230 pound bruiser they selected in the 7th round is a likely candidate for short-yardage and goal line situations.

The News - Vick in Green Bay?

The Mail - ChinerRob is back

The Leagues - Look for your chance to play with the “experts”

The News - Vick, Favre, Brady, we’re done.

The Mail - this or that

The Calls - They work!

The News - Vick, Favre, Big Ben, QB roundup

The Calls - Hometown hat?

The Mail - Over/Unders

• The Picks - Al Davis is obviously insane.
• The Grades - Eagles are tops, Raiders… not so much.
• The Questions - You top 5 7th round picks.

• The Picks - Lyle and Brian share a special kinship
• The Ballshow - yes, Brian saw them
• The Rotoville - Sign up (http://rotoville.com)

DeAngelo Williams. Could he go first overall next season? Then there’s Derrick Ward. Will he be next season’s Michael Turner when he leaves the Giants?

The Eagles played the Redskins, other than that there wasn’t much to see here.

I think that getting benched has really helped motivate Tarvaris Jackson … the guy actually looks like an NFL QB now. Plus he matched Adrian Peterson yard for yard in the running game!

Brett Favre, you really need to hang ‘em up old friend.

Marshawn Lynch left the game after aggravating his shoulder, and Fred Jackson went on to have a great day. Remember when Emmitt Smith jacked up his shoulder years ago and still finished the game? Maybe you could learn something from that Mr. Lynch, and this is coming from a guy that thinks Smith isn’t even in the top 10 all time RBs.

Houston @ Oakland, there are a lot of people from this game that I’m hating today. Schaub, Andre Johnson, and Steve Slaton, you are all dead to me today. I’m sure I’ll recover in time for the draft next season, but you all cut me deep. Real deep.

Raise your hand if you started LaMont Jordan this weekend. Yea, I didn’t think so. Now raise your hand if you benched Matt Cassell because of the Blizzard (raises hand, sheds a tear).

Gosder Cherilus, I have an extra special hatred for you. Calvin Johnson had a TD taken away because you are so incompetent that you can’t even line up where you are supposed to. I’ll be pulling for two things to happen next week. Drew Brees to break Marino’s record, and the Lions to lose their last game.

Chad Pennington, you’d better go off against the Jets next week. All season long you’ve been proving that they made a mistake in signing Favre and releasing you, it’s your time to shine. Raise your hand if you benched Thigpen because they were reporting that the wind chill was going to be like -20 (raises hand, sheds another tear).

Did you ever think that you’d see the Chargers throw up 41 points and Tomlinson wouldn’t have at least ONE score? Yea, me neither. Ok, I’ll say it, Antonio Bryant looks like he’s for real, but it will be really hard for me to draft him next season. Vincent Jackson on the other hand will be easy for me to draft. Raise your hand if you benched Phillip Rivers because he was facing the “staunch” Bucs defense (raises hand, gets a tissue).

Anyone think that the Rams will be able to turn things around next season? Me either. It’s going to be hard for me to use a keeper pick on Steven Jackson next season. He’s always hurt, and I have a lot of great options.

In other news of things that didn’t go my way this weekend, my Steelers got thumped by the Titans. That’s all I’ve got to say about that.

Cedric Benson ran for 171 yards? Really? I didn’t think that he was capable of doing that in three games let alone one. Other than Benson there really wasn’t much to see here.

Ok, this week it wasn’t so much what I learned as who I learned to hate. That list includes Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson, Marshawn Lynch, Anquan Boldin, Gosder Cherilus, the Jets defense, Steven Jackson for a year of frustration, and most of all … myself for benching so many players that went off this weekend. I hope all of you fared better than I did. Good luck to those of you foolish enough to be playing for a championship next weekend.

I know that the Broncos defense has been better of late, but how the hell did they limit the duo of Williams/Stewart to less than 100 yards apiece?

The Pats proved just how feeble the Raiders are by having 5 (five) different players score TDs on offense. They even threw in a kick return TD just to make sure they left no doubt.

I knew that I should have started Hines Ward. Every year I’ve had him on my team I’ve won the championship, and I had a feeling that he was going to have a good game, but I didn’t have the guts to start him. The Steelers need to get their running game going or they are going to have a hard time in the playoffs.

The Vikings “staunch” pass defense shut down the Cardinals, while Uber stud QB Tavaris Jackson dropped 4 TDs on the Cards defense. What did I just say?

Remember when a Sand Diego/Kansas City game meant watching two elite RBs duke it out? LT really doesn’t look like LT. I don’t know what it is, but he may never be a top 5 RB again. I can understand his running ability dropping off, but I can’t understand why they aren’t using him on short passes anymore. Vincent Jackson on the other hand could be a top 15 WR next season, and with the emergence of Malcom Floyd, Chris Chambers could be expendable. Phillip Rivers put up numbers just to spite me for benching him.

Marshawn Lynch is another player that went off just because I benched him. He’ll probably drop into the 2nd round in drafts next season, where he could be a steal if the coaching staff ever decides to use him consistently. This just in, J.P. Losman still sucks.

Seattle trumped the Rams in the Toilet Bowl. Coach Haslet claims that Steven Jackson was dizzy late in the game. I can’t wait to hear what S-Jax has to say about that.

I don’t know what to say about the Miami/San Francisco game, so I won’t say anything.

We all better hope that Fred Taylor is out of the picture next season. MJD had a good game today, but over the course of a season he could do great things for fantasy teams if he’s getting all the touches. Dennis Northcutt blew up today. Really?

I’m REALLY glad that I took Andre Johnson as my WR1 this season, and that I’ll be able to keep him for the next 5 years. He single handedly made up for some of the bad choices I made (Robert Mathis and Ryan Grant) this weekend.

I’ve said it before, but the Lions really need to get a franchise QB to throw to Calvin Johnson. Orlovsky was good today, but I don’t think that he has anyone thinking that he is the QB of the future. Wait a minute, this is the Lions. They may actually think that he IS the QB of the future and then they will use the first pick in the draft on a kicker.

In other news that doesn’t make sense, the Bengals somehow managed to beat Washington. This is another game that I don’t have much to comment on (sorry folks, they can’t all the winners).

Mike Turner in the top 5 next season? I think so people.

Pierre Thomas will be a great value in the middle rounds next season. He’s a great receiver as well as a runner, so Reggie Bush’s value could take a major hit next season.

That’s all I’ve got this week, congratulations to all of us that made it to the championship. To the rest of you I say, sucks to be you! Good luck to everyone next weekend, except my opponents in both my leagues.

Arizona clinches the NFC West!!! That falls into the category of things I never thought that I’d hear. Remember Donnie Avery? What happened to him? Steven Jackson, I’m glad that I didn’t start you, and that I have enough talent on my team to leave you planted on the bench.

Anyone want to bet on what Brett Favre does this off season? Yeah, me neither. But he really isn’t helping the Jets all that much. David Harris finally showed up on the stat sheet for IDP leaguers, too bad nobody still has him on a roster.

Larry Johnson is NOT in fact able to put up 200 yards at will against the Broncos. Brandon Marshall finally stole the spotlight back from Eddie Royal.

Seneca Wallace had almost 260 total yards and 3 TDs? Against the Pats? Really? Cheatin’ Bill Bellichick should have his defense running wind sprints until Tuesday. It looks like Wes Welker is still paying Matt Cassell $100 per catch.

This just in, J.P Losman still sucks. As long as he’s starting Lynch will be looking at 8 man fronts. Remember last week when I said to keep an eye on Devone Bess? Well hopefully some of you picked him up.

I don’t know how high Roddy White will be drafted next year, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in the top 5. Even ahead of players like T.O. and Steve Smith. Reggie who? Just give Pierre Thomas the ball! I’m done talking up Matt Ryan. If you don’t know how good this kid is by now you don’t deserve to know.

CLEARLY Brian Westbrook is back and feeling great. Maybe the Giants DO need Burress. I saw Hixon drop one pass that was inexcusable.

To say that Ken Dorsey was awful would be an insult to all the awful QBs out there. Speaking of the draft next year, do you think that Braylon Edwards will be drafted as a top 20 WR? If this year proves to be a fluke the guy could be a major bargain. Chris Johnson. You and Steve Slaton are the ones making it so that I can bench Steven Jackson. Thank you.

I wonder where T.J. Houshmanzadeh will end up next year. Maybe Baltimore will take a shot at him. All it takes for Peyton Manning to have a good game is for him to play one of the worst teams in the league. I’d be concerned about Joseph Addai if I had him in a keeper league, very concerned.

Daunte Culpepper managed to complete all his passes to the right team today!!! Sorry Lions fans, just trying to give you something positive to take with you from the game. Thank God Calvin Johnson gets those deep passes. I don’t know how many times those bombs have saved me when I had him in my starting lineup.

I hate you Kevin Walter. You are always stealing yards and TDs from Andre Johnson when I need them most!!! But you aren’t reliable enough to start with confidence. Steve Slaton is another guy that I’m done talking up. The RB pool will be pretty deep at the draft next year thanks to him and the other rookie RBs that are tearing up the league.

That’s all I’ve got time for. The kids are crying, the wife is adding to my honey-do list as I type. Good luck to all of us who are still in the playoff hunt!

P.S. Did I mention that the Steelers beat the Cowboys?

Larry Johnson is hitting his stride just in time for the fantasy playoffs. Thigpen only had 162 yards passing and Tony Gonzalez had 110 of those yards. Maybe the Raiders should have put somebody on him?

Eddie Royal continues to be a more valuable WR in fantasy than Brandon Marshall, especially if you get return yardage. Teams are covering Marshall with 6 guys and leaving Royal alone.

Is it just me or did Michael Turner look extra motivated against his former team? Matt Ryan might be a top 5 fantasy QB next season, but you should be able to get him cheaper than that. Speaking of Ryan, he has to be glad that the Lions didn’t end up at the top of the draft board this year. I don’t know what is wrong with Tomlinson, but there has to be SOMETHING going on with him. Not only is he not producing, but they aren’t even using him.

It looks like Eli Manning can no longer be considered a bad play late in the season. Even last year he wasn’t worth starting in fantasy, but this season he’s putting up good numbers. Congratulations if you managed to pick up Dominik Hixon. The kid could really help you out as long as he doesn’t shoot himself in the leg. I hereby nominate Plaxico Burress for the jackass of the year award. He did nothing but whine about wanting a raise, then he got one and put up mediocre numbers and then shoots himself in the leg.

Guess what? Drew Brees is in fact human. And good luck deciding which of his WRs is going to go off each week. Jeremy Shockey is lucky Burress shot himself or the award would be heading his way.

The Colts offense was slowed by the STAUNCH Browns defense this week. Someone want to tell me how that happened? What a crappy game this must have been to watch, I’m glad it wasn’t on while I was at home! On a side note, maybe Ken Dorsey IS the answer in Cleveland. Yea, I don’t really think so either. The most interesting story coming out of Ohio will be waiting to see if Bill Cowher takes the job.

Hopefully Steven Jackson didn’t tweak his stupid thigh this weekend, he was looking good for a while. I could really use him during the playoffs. Not much else to say about this game. Keep an eye on Devone Bess. He had a good game and may be worth adding.

DeAngelo Williams … my God, what happened today? Beware, next week it will be Jonathon Stewart going off for 4 TDs. Ryan Grant, you are officially dead to me. I didn’t even start him, but I’ll be glad when the season is over and I no longer have to look at him on my roster.

I’m surprised that the Ravens didn’t let Ray Rice and Todd Heap throw touchdown passes against the Bengals. This was truly a men against boys game. How happy do you think Flacco is that the Lions passed on him for Gosder Cherilus?

Marshawn Lynch is also busting out just in time for the fantasy playoffs, and he has a good schedule. Plug him in and forget about him. Don’t forget to back him up with Fred Jackson if you haven’t already. If something were to happen to Lynch (knock on wood) Jackson could be pretty valuable.

It doesn’t matter who Forte is playing, he’ll find a way to get you points. Yet another start and forget option if you have him. Match-up proof, that’s what he is. I made the right move starting Berrian! I don’t care if all his points came from one play, I’ll take it.

It appears that it IS possible to keep the duo of Fitzgerald and Boldin under 100 yards. I didn’t think I’d see that this season, let alone both of them in the same game.

Yes, the Seahawks really are that bad. I wonder how they will look next year when Jim Mora Jr. takes over.

Yes the Lions really are that bad. Wait, I used that already. My God are they bad, maybe the worst team I’ve personally ever seen. They really may not win a game this year. Everyone said that about Miami last season, but at least Miami was in some close games. Jerry Jones should just step up and give Romo another raise, there’s no questioning what he means to that team.

Good luck on Monday everyone! I hope you all win your match-ups, or at least half of you anyway. I’ll be pulling for Andre Johnson to have a huge night so I can win the total points payday in my work league. Come on man! I need another one of your 120 yard, 2 TD nights!

If Anquan Boldin is still in Arizona next year I’ll be drafting him ahead of Larry Fitzgerald, it doesn’t matter who they play … Boldin is money.

So Clinton Portis is hurt huh? Yea, right. Sure he is. As far as the Seattle passing attack goes, move along, there is still nothing to see here.

Michael Turner is a BEAST, hopefully his career follows a different path than the last backup RB that left for a starting gig and put up a great year. Yes I’m talking about LaMont Jordan. Remember a few years ago when he was a top 5 back?

When the Raiders drop 31 points on you, you know that your defense SUCKS. What I don’t get is how the Broncos only manage 10 points. So much for Eddie Royal having a monster game. If anyone in your league rushes to plug Ashley Lelie into their starting lineup next week, point at them and laugh.

Culpepper and Stanton both sucked today, but somehow Calvin Johnson still had a good day. Just imagine how good he’ll be if/when they get a good QB there. I’m going to have a hard time not keeping him in my keeper league, but I’ll be using one of my first picks on him for sure.

MJD led the Jags in receiving this week, proving that he’ll get his one way or another. I wonder if Fred Taylor will retire or go where over the hill RBs go to finish out their careers (Arizona).

Counting the fake punt, FOUR different people attempted passes for the lowly Rams. Despite the fact that they have two wins, they really are the worst team in the league. Keeping Matt Forte in my keeper league will be the easiest decision I make, Steven Jackson on the other hand is going to be a tough choice.

I wonder if Tony Gonzalez is still mad that he wasn’t traded. The Chiefs passing attack is looking really good, and even though Larry Johnson isn’t getting many carries he’s having more success. They just need to get him involved in the passing game more. He’s proven to be a capable receiver in the past.

Congratulations to any of you that were desperate enough that you actually started Trent Edwards. Where the hell did this game come from?

Chris Johnson and LenDale White stunk it up for a 3rd straight week. Luckily they get to play the Lions this week, and Cleveland the following week.

Terrell Owens’ hatred of the 49ers was on full display this weekend. 7 catches for 213 yards? I guess the ‘9ers were selling out to stop Jason Witten.

Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson combined to put up horrific numbers. In PPR leagues Andre Johnson is really something else. I’m glad that I drafted him over Braylon Edwards this year.

The McNabb and Reid era looks to be over. McNabb was terrible today, and Reid doesn’t seem to have it anymore. Granted they were playing the Ravens, but even so this was a particularly bad game. Once again it was a different Ravens RB that led the way, stay away from this situation.

Matt Cassel could be an every week start the rest of the year, but you’ll feel a little sick every time you plug him in. Reports are that he wants a big contract next year, good luck with that Matt. After what happened to Derek Anderson this year the entire league will likely be gun-shy. Except the Raiders. If they’ll give Javon Walker the kind of money he got they might as well throw a suitcase of money at Cassel.

Something is wrong with the universe when the Steelers only manage ONE sack against the Bengals. Of course Fitzpatrick never took more than a 3 step drop. Good luck to those of you that own Willie Parker, at best you’re looking at a time share with Moore.

That’s all I got this week. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Ronnie Brown owners have to be mad. He had a very good day, but didn’t manage to get either of the Dolphins rushing TDs. As far as the Raiders go, just move along, there really is nothing to see here.

What a lucky bunch the Bucs seem to be. Earnest Graham hurts his knee the week they get back Caddy. If Graham’s injury is serious … I don’t think they’ll have the luxury of sitting Caddy the next two weeks. Dunn looked good, but I don’t think he can carry the load for an extended period. Congrats to Gus Frerotte, he managed to complete all his passes to the right team this week.

Man, did the Giants ever make Ray Lewis eat his words this week. The Ravens didn’t fare any better against the Giants rushing than the previous teams. Baltimore also reinforced my belief that I want NOTHING to do with their running game.

Marques Colston may not quite be back to every week starter status just yet, and I should have listened to my gut and started Lance Moore. Larry Johnson looked good today, I think we can expect good things from him moving forward, provided he doesn’t beat any more women.

I thought Steve Slaton was “wearing down?” He didn’t look too worn out to me. I’m going to start praying for an early return for Schaub. Man, does their passing game ever need him back. The entire Colts offense got back on track today, everyone except Anthony Gonzalez that is. Sucks to be you dude.

I think Kevin and Lyle are the only people that didn’t catch passes from McNabb today, and I think they were targeted twice each. Westbrook clearly isn’t back yet, and I’m wondering if there isn’t something else wrong with him. How much do you think the Bengals will have to come up with to keep Housh there? Other than Franchising him, I don’t think he’ll stay there. By the way, how the hell did the Bengals keep the Eagles under 40 points? It doesn’t matter, I still think Lewis is a goner.

The Lions are bad, REAL bad. Really, really, bad. But even that doesn’t explain what Williams and Stewart did to them. Wow. And yet, somehow, the Panthers couldn’t get anything going on through the air. It’s a sad day when you’re outplayed by Daunte Culpepper, Mr. Delhomme. Kevin Smith ran well again today, and appears to be set to have a good career. Hopefully he doesn’t suffer the same fate that befell Kevin Jones.

You know a team’s running game is in dire straights when, A) they re-sign Tatum Bell, and B) they have SIX different people carry the ball in a game. The biggest surprise in this game was that somehow Matt Ryan didn’t throw a TD pass. Peyton Hillis could be worth a look if you’re desperate at RB. Two TDs and a 4.4 yards per carry aren’t too bad. At worst he’ll get the goal line carries.

As good as Brandon Jacobs is, I’m REALLY glad I traded him away for Anquan Boldin. The guy had his face destroyed and hasn’t missed a beat since returning. Maybe he can teach Steven Jackson some toughness. I said it before, the Cardinals were FOOLS for not signing him in the offseason. I don’t see how they will be able to afford him after the year he’s having. Anyone that has any Seahawks on their fantasy squads shouldn’t expect much the rest of the year. Sorry guys, they really look done.

Chris Johnson let a lot of us down this week, especially those of us who benched Slaton ( or MJD) for him. Teams need to learn that Kerry Collins can still thrown the ball, and they can’t just sell out to stop the Titans’ running game.

The Rams really, really need Steven Jackson back. Pittman had a good day, but he doesn’t command the defense’s respect like Jackson does. If there was any doubt, Donnie Avery IS the future of the Rams passing game, I wonder where Torry Holt will go next season.

Phillip Rivers let everyone down today, even his parents. I didn’t expect much from him against my Steelers, but I also didn’t expect him to do THIS poorly. I’m just happy that he didn’t stick me with negative points. Willie Parker looked great today, and his shoulder doesn’t appear to be an issue at all. Feel free plugging him in….until he gets hurt again.

It’s official, nobody runs harder than Marion Barber. Nobody. Tony Romo looked adequate in his return. His Pinkie looks like it’s still bothering him, so I wouldn’t expect gaudy numbers from him until it’s 100%.