Fantasy Football

I really have no idea what to make of this team. My initial instinct is to assume they’re going to be terrible, and history has proven that this in all likelihood this is a safe assumption. But then you hear people like John Clayton claiming that they should be a playoff contender this season, and then you remember that even though Carson Palmer is a shell of what he used to be, he’s also a tangible improvement over Ryan Fitzpatrick. So which way do we lean?

Obviously this is all contingent on the team staying free, but I have a difficult time believing it. For starters, lets look at what they did in the off-season. They drafted a talented yet head case offensive lineman out of Alabama in Andre Smith, whom apparently has a difficult time with states initials. Smith has potential but certainly isn’t a sure thing, mostly because he’s emblematic of all the off-the-field issues the Bengals have dealt with and often overlooked. Needless to say, it isn’t exactly a winning formula. The second round they took Ray Malaluga out of USC, and that is arguably the best value pick in the draft.

As far as players we can count on making an impact, I’d give them a solid B- (not exactly setting the world on fire but there’s a lot of hope wrapped up in these two). In free agency they kind of took it on the chin losing TJ Houshmenzadeh, who decided playing under the overcast skies in a weaker division back home was better than playing under the overcast skies in Ohio. Jury’s still out

The Bengals, on top of being shortsighted and poorly managed, have caught a number of bad breaks. There was the neck injury to first round pick David Pollack that ended his career, Rudi Johnson falling into irrelevancy and most importantly, Carson Palmer busting his knee to shit and sitting out two full seasons in the past four years. It’s hard to blame the Bengals for any of this, but at the same time they’ve wasted a number of picks and made numerous front office moves in the interest of making a buck as opposed to actually winning (note: these things aren’t always mutually exclusive).

It’s tough to say what their game plan will be as the offensive line is depleted. I imagine since they haven’t made much of an effort to acquire any new running backs (Benson, Perry, Watson is the current pecking order according to ESPN), the passing game is going to be the primary weapon. But obviously the offensive line is still integral for that to work, and you just traded your best receiver (Housh) and replaced him with my dead grandfather’s brother (Laveranues Coles). I, for one, would brace myself for another disappointing season if I’m a Bengals fan, and thankfully I’m not.

Can’t Miss (or for what one can reasonably expect): As skeptical as I am that Coles can in any way hold a candle to Houshmenzadeh, the Bengals are going to air it out this season because they lack any other options. And since he is there second receiver, you can probably get good value out of him, most likely in the early teens. Carson Palmer is probably a suitable starter, but if you can get him as a backup in the 8th or 9th and use him as trade bait if he produces, that would be the ideal play. And last but not least, if he can afford another strike on his record, I think Henry is the most viable weapon they have right now. Again, he should be around later than he has any business being.

Tread Lightly: Do not, under any rationale, draft this defense. Same goes for the running backs, the tight end and whoever else isn’t a receiver or Carson Palmer. We’d be pretty bearish on Chad Johnson as well, since he’s going to be rated higher than anyone else at wide out on this team and I don’t see him producing much more than Henry or Coles.

Dark Horses: There really aren’t any. I can’t recommend any running backs because it’s a complete fucking toss-up who they’re going to play and why. Maybe they want to prove Perry was worth that first round pick, maybe they think Benson can improve the streak he was on at the end of 2008, maybe they want to keep miles off both of them and play Kenny Watson. Basically, all your dark horses are in the “can’t miss” section of this post, and that’s never a good sign.

At least you’re not the Browns, Cincy fans; you’ve actually been to a couple Super Bowls. Just don’t expect to revisit one anytime soon. On the bright side you still have a couple viable fantasy players to over-draft so you can pretend to still give a shit about this team, on the downside, you’re not going to be a playoff contender until well after those players are gone, as your team’s issues seem to be systemic, and seem to extend beyond whatever personnel that system is working with.

Tomorrow: The one and only Cleveland Browns. Ugh, we might wait until Monday so as we’re not driving to Chicago in tears.

They stole the Super Bowl.

Haha, good one, Browns fans. Because they’re called the Steelers, I get it. You guys are priceless. If it wasn’t for the insecurity of Browns fans, I don’t think I’d ever recognize what a superbly ran organization the Pittsburgh Steelers are while living in Ohio. So I guess I owe you one, Cleveland.

Really, I shouldn’t pile on. People talk about how lopsided the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry (used) to be (it still is, just in the opposite direction now). But the Yankees, for all their bravado, have some stints of futility in their past and before 2004 I believe the Red Sox at least went to a few World Series’ since their last win in 1918 or whenever it was (my apologies, I don’t really give a shit).

But with the Browns and Steelers, the disparity could only be greater if Cleveland swapped places with the Lions. Pittsburgh has won more Super Bowls than any other franchise (6) and are prime to continue dominating the division, the Browns were a no show coming off their first promising season since the 80’s (2007) and are staring down the barrel of another season of hopelessness and defeat.

I could go on and on about the glaring success ratio between these two franchises in the Super Bowl era, but really it’s because the Steelers are that good, more so than the Browns are that bad. However, that’s coming from a real world perspective, the Browns arguably have a better crop of fantasy players, and it’s for a couple reasons: 1) Pittsburgh rarely has two dominant seasons in a row but they rarely have a losing one, but they usually follow up a playoff season with something just north or south of .500. Let’s look at their record for the last seven years:

2002: 10-5-1, win wild card game and lose in divisional round.
2003: 6-10, miss playoffs
2004: 15-1, lose in conference title game to veteran savvy Patriots.
2005: 11-5, won the Super Bowl as a wild card by winning a couple of the flukier playoff games in NFL history by beating an over-confident Colts team in the divisional round and a to this day pissed off about the officiating Seahawks team in the Super Bowl.
2006: 8-8, miss playoffs
2007: 10-6, lose in the first round to Jacksonville
2008: 12-4, win Super Bowl against a 9-7 Cardinals team that caught fire at the right time.

And 2) They’ve won more Super Bowls than any other franchise, but the two I’ve seen them win they’ve been beneficiaries of circumstance. Mostly the other team choked or their were a plethora of injuries that weakened their primary opponents for those titles. If you look at the aforementioned list, 2008 saw Indianapolis teeter along until they finally had to play a legit team in a late blooming Chargers squad, a New England team that lost the best player in the league in week 1 and a Chargers team that lost the best defensive player in the league and never really came together.

That was their chief competition last year. Oh, and a Titans team that lost Albert Haynesworth for the playoffs and had Kerry Collins at quarterback. In 2005 they were a six seed, played an always overrated but more so than usual because everyone was telling them how great they were Colts team, and the second best offense in the Bengals, whose pro-bowl quarterback went down with a career-altering knee injury on the first offensive snap of the game.

All I’m saying is this team is by no means a sure thing for fantasy or league purposes. They’re erratic offensively and tend to rely on the defense a little too much. I’d put more confidence in the Patriots offense, and their catalyst is coming off of season ending leg surgery.

Can’t Miss (for what one could reasonably expect): All that said, they’ve only played under Mike Tomlin for the past two seasons and they are considerably more prone to the passing game under him than they were under Cowher. Ben Roethlisberger, Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward, probably still Willie Parker and (it goes without saying) the defense are suitable fantasy starters from the Steelers. Just consult your local draft board to know where to take them at.

Tread Lightly: I’ve always liked Heath Miller. In fact I still do. In terms of raw talent I think he’s second only to Kellen Winslow, and even then he lacks the component that makes one a fucking headache in the locker room. But Tomlin simply does not like to regularly incorporate his tight end in the passing game. If there are other positions that you feel take priority then fine, put Miller in as your starter and call it a day. But if you can at all help it, do not be fooled by his flash.

Dark Horses: Rashard Mendenhall. He had some problems holding onto the football, but with tiny and quickly aging (like all NFL running backs) Willie Parker, I still have confidence in Mendenhall’s pro-prospects. Limas Sweed is another could be fantasy steal that I like, but to a significantly lesser extent. In fact, if he’s productive on a consistent basis, it probably won’t be until at least the  middle of the season. You should definitely hold off on drafting him, but either Sweed or Dallas Baker are going to be regular contributors on this offense.

So there you have it. The Steelers instill confidence and trepidation all at the same time. This is partly due to their playing style and partly to their players. None of them other than Parker have ever shown any regular fantasy prowess. They have a lot of budding stars, but no top 30 picks. In a parity driven league that makes for a Super Bowl contender, but like everything else involving the NFL, it’s nothing more than a crapshoot.

Back tomorrow with an overview of perennial fantasy wasteland: The Baltimore Ravens.

Rounding out the AFC East is the Buffalo Bills, the lone small market team in the NFL’s two eastern divisions, and there lack of appeal to free agents and coach’s is demonstrated in their record. On top of being the only small market in the eastern divisions, they double as the only of the eight to endure a losing record in 2008. 7-9, it’s not like they were a laughing stock, but they are definitely out-matched amongst their peers. That said, the Bills are hopeful heading into 2009. I happen to disagree, but we’ll get to that later.

Obviously one precursor to this new found hope is the arrival of Terrell Owens. This is an odd free agency pickup for a couple reasons. For starters, Owens isn’t exactly a rust belt kind of guy, and that’s what the Bills thrive on. There is almost no question that he’ll resent playing there. Secondly, Buffalo doesn’t really need a receiver, particularly not one as problematic as Owens can be. But simultaneously it makes sense, both parties are in a state of desperation. Buffalo needs to make money and show their fans they’re serious about contending, after a promising 5-1 start, Buffalo finished the last eleven weeks 2-8. And TO needs Buffalo since, honestly, no one else wants him.

Buffalo should have really reconsidered as well. Right now the only news that having Owens on their team is garnering pertains to The Superstars, and some would argue quite reasonably that this is just the beginning of the sideshow. We’ve all seen the spectacle that is the Eagles, the Niners and — to a much lesser extent — the Cowboys, why the Bills think they’re immune or foolish enough to hope that he’s grown out of it, is unknown to me.

Can’t Miss (for what one could reasonably expect): Marshawn Lynch has all the makings of a fantasy stud (high draft, pick, reasonable offensive line, improving passing game & one of the last few backs who isn’t giving up a significant percentage of carries to a teammate), but he’s been unreliable for a solid two seasons now. Some would attribute that to a lackluster passing game and bringing Owens should open up some running lanes. Third round or lower, there are better prospects on better teams for at least 25 picks. Also a primary beneficiary of Owens’ arrival: Lee Evans. He’s been moved to second option but with his expectations diminished he’ll probably finally live up to them. Congrats, Lee.

Tread Lightly: Trent Edwards. He just hasn’t showed any promise, and I don’t know why they weren’t in the Cutler sweepstakes more than they were. Lee Evans and Josh Reed are serviceable, and a damn site better than what Cutler had in Denver. If I’m not mistaken they took themselves out of the bidding because of all the rumors circulating that he was a headcase, but yet they brought in Terrell Owens. I have no idea either. He has some weapons around him, but then again he’s always had weapons at his disposal. With two brand new offensive lineman, I could see it being a slow start, if not an entirely disappointing season.

Dark Horses: The defense should be strong and a potential starter on your fantasy team and a perfectly reasonable backup. I know I have a tendency to worry about how a defense can be hampered by a bad offense, but Buffalo seems to know there limitations (as evidenced and countered by the Owens signing). Fred Jackson, who’s a solid backup that the team seemed to grow in confidence with as the season went along, brings a lot to the table. Since he’s a second string running back, it could very well be worth your while to use a late, late round pick on him.

Anyways, as for Terrell himself, who is noticeably absent because he doesn’t fit any of these three molds, his personality combined with his age and seemingly diminishing star all make TO something of a leper in today’s NFL. Most aren’t as eccentric, old or talented, and our categorizing isn’t all that comprehensive so we didn’t really think to prepare for him. But we will say that if Owens is on your radar, be aware that in addition to all of the aforementioned reasons, they also lost their best offensive lineman (Jason Peters) to Philly in a trade and that Edwards is by far and away the worst quarterback he has ever played with professionally. Something to keep in mind is all.

Tomorrow we start our preview of the AFC North and the returning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

This division probably had the most story-laden season in 2008, and the Jets are no exception. After a strong 8-3 start, they collapsed much in the same fashion that the Dolphins regathered, losing four of the next five and completely missing the playoffs by a mile (with today’s NFL standards). Somehow the Jets managed to pin this all on Eric Mangini, who seems to have an unusual coaching style, but knows how to coach a winning franchise.

This, of course, was the fault of Brett Favre, whose managed to turn into the Steve Francis of the NFL. For the uninitiated, that means he’s a coach killer. So Mangini gets fired, Favre retires to make a spectacle out of trying to garner the interest of the Vikings and the team trades up to draft a top five QB and we get someone named Rex Ryan as a head coach. In short, it’s a total fucking mystery what their offense is going to look like. I would suggest you look at their offensive productivity for 2007, the year before they had Favre, give the offensive line two more years of improvement, take away Laverneus Coles and replace Kellen Clemens with Marc Sanchez, a rookie quarterback out of USC who couldn’t beat out John David Booty for the starting position, and he’s a third string backup for the worst QB team in the league.

Can’t Miss (for what one could reasonably expect): Well, there aren’t many of these that the Jets roster is sporting. It’s going to revolve around a unqualified or rookie quarterback, a pedestrian receiving corps, a serviceable running game and a loaded offensive line. Thomas Jones is probably the closest you’re going to get to a sure thing on this team, and even he is going to share a number of carries with Leon Washington and rookie third round draft pick Shonn Greene, who we’ve praised before and we feel is likely to get at least a small share of carries throughout the season.

Tread Lightly: Every receiver that plays a down for this team. You can probably get Jerricho Cotchery at good value, but with the options he has throwing to him, do you really want to take that chance before the season starts? Same goes for Chansi Stuckey, who was hot and cold for every single game last season, and more often than not he reflected the latter.

Dark Horses: Dustin Keller is probably the most popular fit for this category, but I like Shonn Grenne, as I have my doubts about Jones’ body holding up for two full straight seasons and Leon Washington’s capacity as an every down back. Keller is certainly a definitive prospect, but I’d make sure I draft another tight end before I put too much stock into him coming off a season wherein he was playing with a Favre, a quarterback known for his penchant for throwing to tight ends (Mark Chumura, Bubba Franks, Donald Lee, etc.).

Even this defense, which is pretty star-studded can’t be relied on. How many turnovers are they going to have to suffer from the offense? What style of offense can we expect Ryan to run? I’m sure it will emphasize moving the ball on the ground, but will the passing game be sufficient enough to keep opposing defenses honest?

In short, there are just too many question marks on this team that all stem from their quarterback situation. Mark Sanchez might be the next John Elway, but I imagine even the most optimistic and loyal Trojan and Jets fans have their reservations. My advice — for this entire roster, really –
is to under-shoot everyone by about two rounds, and if any of them are still available try to get them at value. But if they’re taken earlier than they should be, just regard it as a more valuable asset staying on the board for one more pick.

The New England Patriots are unique in that no matter how many years they go without winning a Super Bowl, they’re always the favorite going into the season. And deservedly so. The best player (Brady) combined with the best coach (Belichick, despite what South Park may see) and the best front office (assuming Pioli wasn’t responsible for everything), tends to make a successful franchise, and with the exception of the San Antonio Spurs, no one has been more successful the past decade than the Pats in all of professional sports (spare me, Red Wings fans).

With this caliber of succcess tends to come a plethora of fantasy options, even though their offense hasn’t been all that blistering in their three Super Bowls, but that all changed with the acquisition of Randy Moss, who attracts a double team on every play and still produces as much as any receiver in the league. People have been expressing their doubts about the Patriots in 2009, given the age and recent injury issues they’ve endured, but should they remain healthy, there’s no reason they won’t produce just like they did in 2007.

Can’t Miss (for what one would reasonably expect): Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker. All three of these guys, in no particular order, are almost invaluable. You could draft all three of them and be competitive. Brady should get his touchdowns with two pro-bowl receivers and both receivers are still the primary targets for the best quarterback in the league. We have no idea what the recovery process will be like for Brady, but it seems more likely that there isn’t one than if he never comes back to full-form. Obviously this entire operation hinges on his well-being, if he isn’t in good health than everyone else is rendered mediocre. But we’re confident the wheels aren’t coming loose just yet.

Tread Lightly: Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Fred Taylor. The first is injury prone, the second is aging and the third is over the hill. If Maroney stays healthy then he should prove to be a valuable prospect, and Faulk has some absolutely monster games in his absence last season, but we get the impression that carries are going to be pretty evenly spread, and none of them are going to be consistent fantasy performers. It would seem that the Patriots have taken to the Shannahan mode of running back play, and that’s not good for any of us. I’d also be weary of Joey Galloway, who’s going to be in the Dante Stallworth 2007 role, and while it looks and sounds promising, it’s good for one breakout play every three games.

Dark Horses: Benjamin Watson. If they’re as pass happy as they were two years ago, then Watson is always a viable option. If not, then he turns into another utility player, and they have at least four or five of those at skill positions.

All told, the real breakout performer for fantasy football from this team might be the defense. If they’re able to stifle opposing offenses like they were during the Super Bowl years, Belichick may not feel compelled to force the issue on offense, which means a lot of running out the clock and a lot of sitting with a comfortable but not record-breaking lead. You know they still want redemption for the 2008 Super Bowl against the Giants, that is the optimum goal here. And whenever a team this talented is going to be this hungry, I like them as a mainstay fantasy destination in my draft.

For tomorrow: The New York Jets

Instead of doing this randomly, we decided to list these according to the final standings in our local newspaper. The AFC East is at the top, and Miami squeaked out the division with a Big East like schedule, so we’re starting with the overly celebrated Dolphins, who now call Land Shark Lager stadium home.

The 2008 Dolphins, as you are probably well aware if you’re reading this site, are responsible for the biggest single season turn around in NFL history, going from 1-15 in 2007 to 11-5 and AFC divisional champs in 2008. Say what you will about their schedule (like I just did) or their luck (Brady going out in week 1, the Jets unforeseen collapse), a ten game turnaround in a sixteen game season is remarkable. The problem is, however, that they did this without any central focus on the offensive end. With the exception of Ronnie Brown, every player was interchangeable from a statistical output.

Whether it was Greg Camarillo or Ted Ginn or Ricky Williams or anyone else, the Dolphins opted for schematics in lieu of star power (a common and intelligent trend right now in the NFL). The bad news is their fantasy options are limited, even Ronnie Brown went for a biscuit over 900 and ten touchdowns, far from a top twenty pick. The good news is they provide a lot of options for a ten person league in bye-weeks. If you can manage it, drafting all your players with differing off-weeks from the Dolphins (or at least enough so that Miami’s players can spell you) and pick up a couple of these henchmen they’ve accumulated, it’s as good as you can plan on doing.

Can’t Miss (for what one can realistically expect): Ronnie Brown. Injuries have taken him out of his prime earlier than he should have been, but between Ricky Williams and the wildcat formation, Brown has as much mid-round potential as anyone, and the likelihood he is re-injured is slim. I also like Ted Ginn, though I’d recommend taking him after you’ve already filled all your starter spots. Unless Pennington gets a Popeye arm when he eats spinach, it’s still not strong enough to keep up with Ginn. Also, the defense. Bill Parcells will always assemble a competent defense, and their projected status of 12-15 overall in the league is more than appropriate.

Tread Lightly: Like we said, expectations are fairly low for pretty much everyone on this team. But I’d recommend staying away from Pennington, Williams & Bess. Pennington, for all his second in MVP voting hype, is really nothing more than a backup QB on a fantasy team, and even then you can find better. Williams, sorry to say, is something of a has been, and his productivity is only going to fall from last year to 2009. He’ll have a couple good games that might entice you to acquire him off free agency should he be available, but don’t rush him into a starter spot, if Brown is healthy he’s bound to disappoint. If you actually know who Davone Bess is and want to know why you shouldn’t draft him, let me know and I’ll offer an explanation.

Dark Horses: Anthony Fasano and Greg Camarillo. Fasano is a perfectly suitable tight end and could have a surprising, Owen Daniels-like season if he can garner some attention from the powers that be. Camarillo was showing flashes of brilliance last night until he went out for the season in week twelve and missed five games. In 10.5 games he had 55 catches and two touchdowns, almost tailor-made for backup status.

That pretty much covers everyone except for the rookies, and the best you’re getting from this draft class is Patrick Turner, a wide receiver out of USC who I would guess won’t be any better than Camarillo or Ginn, and probably on par with Bess if he gets the playing time. The highest you can take Brown is probably the fourth round, anything after that is fine. Everyone else on this team, because the construct of the team, has warning flags pouring out of their ass.

Tomorrow: the New England Patriots

Alright, this is getting incredibly tedious looking for headlines to offer big picture perspectives on here. So I think starting tomorrow we’re going to start breaking down every team from a fantasy perspective: who to draft where, who to avoid when, dark horses and busts, the whole nine. We’re going to try and write this from the perspective of the coach, and what strategies give the team the best chance of winning, because that’s going to dictate who accumulates the most statistical productivity. It seems like someone could actually benefit from such work, as opposed to me just looking for filler so this site doesn’t go on indefinite hiatus.

But anyhow, there are a couple news items that kinda sorta warrant mentioning, but I wouldn’t get too excited. This isn’t a fantasy football equivalent of Michael Jackson dying, it’s more like the lead singer of Good Charlotte springing his pinkie finger. Ugh, I’ve already spent too much time talking about this.

It’s a couple days old now, but Joe Jurevicius is suing the Cleveland Browns for the unsanitary conditions in their locker room that led to his and others staph infections (most notably Kellen Winslow). This really does raise some eyebrows, and the sanitation in the Browns locker room is a great metaphor for the general disarray of the franchise. But damn, Joe, it isn’t like this team doesn’t already have enough problems without you slapping them in the face with (at least on the surface of it) perfectly legitimate lawsuits.

Anyhow, if you’re looking for a fantasy angle from this story, how’s this: don’t draft any Cleveland Browns. Or if you have too, limit yourself to drafting them about three rounds later than the median of all the fantasy rankings you happen to read. There is always going to be someone more reliable at that point in the draft than who Cleveland has to offer.

LeSean McCoy and the Philadelphia Eagles have reached an agreement, which is good news for Philly fans who’ve needed a respectable backup running back ever since Deuce fucking Staley left town. With him safely in the number two slot, I’d be cautious about Brian Westbrook, who’s perennially listed on the probable/questionable board and can be seen limping during warm-ups on a weekly basis. With someone like McCoy to pick up the slack, they’re going to be a lot more conservative with Westbrook and a lot more liberal with McCoy.

That’s not to say Westbrook is in Cleveland Browns territory, not by a mile. But if all things are equal between him and, say, Michael Turner or Marshawn Lynch, I might opt for the alternatives. His fantasy reign has been tremendous, but I think this is when the Eagles start their transition, you might want to do the same.

Between the NBA draft, people actually caring about golf and tennis over the weekend and baseball garnering its usual headlines, the NFL is probably experiencing its quietest stint of the calendar year. Meaning, there isn’t much to write about. Not that there would be otherwise. The Patriots minicamp could be infiltrated with swine flu and it would be inconsequential to this site since it’s June.

But there’s a little news circulating, and it can pretty much all be found in this post on ESPN, and I’m just going to echo part of it and offer a little hack’s knowledge. Most notably from that little rundown, there are rumors that Beanie Wells is slow to come around in Arizona, and you shouldn’t over-draft him as right now he stands behind Tim Hightower and New York Mets pitcher Jason Wright*. I don’t have the same access as Tristan H. Cockcroft (which has to be an alias), but it seems a tad early in the preseason to be drawing such conclusions.

Apparently this is all happening not because he’s performed poorly, but because he wasn’t allowed to due to some odd rule that prevents rookies from working out with the teams that drafted them while their universities are in session. Since OSU is on quarters they run until early-mid June (most schools are on semesters, and end in early May), and Arizona starts there pre-season camps at some point before then.

So basically, what this news brief is saying, is that since Chris Wells wasn’t able to make practice in June due to some mitigating set of circumstances, as a first round draft pick he’ll be riding the bench playing third string and will only see PT when/if the Cardinals manage to blow anyone out. He’ll basically be filling Edgerrin James’ shoes except for being under-the-hill, he’ll be deemed unworthy of approaching it. Not to blow this out of proportion, but I wouldn’t buy this for a second. In fact, I don’t even know why I’m posting about it, because no one is ever going to remember Ken Wizzenhunt saying this when Wells is rushing for three touchdowns in week five against the Texans.

Assuming he stays healthy, I can’t think of a single, solitary reason Wells wouldn’t be starting by week three (and if they start slow, he’ll usurp Tim Hightower long before that). He’s runs a 4.5 at about 230 pounds, sees the opening in the line as well as anyone I’ve seen come through Ohio State, and has been playing to get in the NFL for the past two seasons (meaning he’s been indifferent to the games he’s been playing in lately). If you watched him play in college, your expectations should be pretty high. We’ve been carrying the Wells torch since January, but I don’t think this is clouding our judgment.

I’m not suggesting that Wells is infallible and that he’s an absolute surefire bet, because no one is. But the notion that Wells’ fantasy season is in jeopardy or his fantasy projection should be altered because he missed a couple practices in June seems a tad brash. If you’re looking for a reason to avoid Wells, then his constant stream of health issues (which I think he was overly cautious about to protect his NFL prospects), or his lack of breakaway speed or his tendency to get caught from behind (in college, no less). All of these are more valid concerns than his no show at a practice due to a league rule he has no control over, and one that will have no bearing on his game performance anyways.

*Not actually the pitcher for the Mets, but someone I’ve never heard of before.

We’ll see what the world brings us tomorrow.

We often lament how difficult and pointless it is to keep a fantasy football website updated from the months of February to…July, we’ll say. But perhaps we shouldn’t complain so much, since Matthew Berry took the time to compile a top 200 fantasy list for ESPN. Of course, I probably wouldn’t complain if I was making more than a 1,000th of what Berry does, but that’s besides the point. I suppose there is a market for some of this so we might as well jump on the bandwagon, we’re going to give you five reasons Matthew Barry’s list is misguided. And none of these reasons will be, “he was too lazy to number his top 200″.

1) Knowshon Moreno is his top rated rookie.

He actually makes a big deal out of this, as it’s the headline atop the window in Firefox, but it’s just patently false and wreaks of standard NFL short-sightedness and blatant ignorance of college football (it’s so peddling to the meat head conglomerate that makes up a decent majority of the NFL fan base). Just in terms of running backs, Chris Wells and (if Joesph Addai doesn’t return from surgery in time) Donald Brown will be infinitely more valuable than Moreno, who’s going to slip into virtual anonymity playing in Denver, the leading contender right now to replicate the 2008 Lions.

Actually, you might hear about Moreno, but it won’t be in a positive light. It will be something like, “Knowshon Moreno, rookie running back for the Denver Broncos, tore every ligament in his body playing in San Diego today. Yes, once the Chargers realized that the Broncos run blocking is a shell of its former self and that they don’t have a passing game to keep defenses honest, Shawne Merriman tackled the once promising Georgia alum seven yards deep in the backfield”. I’m not even going to bother getting into the receivers that could be better fantasy options.

2) Michael Turner is his highest rated player.

He also makes a point of patting himself on the back for rating Adrian Peterson #2, which you can definitely make an argument for, but not in favor of Turner. For starters, Turner is sacrificing carries to Norwood still, they’re inevitably going to have a more difficult schedule (which means tougher defenses than last season), Turner is small, vulnerable to injury and has only carried a backfield for one season. That’s usually enough to label you enough of a risk to drop you a bit in rankings. He should have a great season, but there are better surefire bets out there (Matt Forte, Jones-Drew come to mind).

3) Thomas Jones cracked his top 15.

Say what you will about Brett Favre, his presence alone made the running game respectable in New York. Don’t believe me because it’s in vogue to discredit Brett Favre (which I’ve made a hobby of doing since 2001)? Look at Thomas Jones’ numbers from 2007 to 2008, most notably the touchdown totals (from two to fifteen). I wouldn’t expect a drop-off of such an absurd degree, if for no other reason than the offensive line is just so much improved since the 2007 campaign. But if you think Mark Sanchez or Kellen Clemens is demanding the same attention from defenses as Favre, then you’re probably a Jets fan. Oh, and they used their second pick in the draft on a running back (Shonn Greene out of Iowa).

4) LaDanian Tomlinson cracks the top ten.

Why does this seem like it’s done out of nostalgia? How many more disappointing seasons will Tomlinson need to have before he’s assessed properly? I hate to sound cynical, but at some point we’re going to be forced into realizing that in today’s NFL, a running back’s usefulness to his franchise has a five year shelf-life, anything more than that and you’re playing with house money. I’m giving it a 65% chance that Sproles accumulates more yards than Tomlinson.

5) Running backs solely occupy the top thirteen.

We harped on this yesterday, but more to the point: these guys are durable but injury prone. Meaning, they could miss half a season and come back almost to where he was when he left, but he still misses those eight games. It’s not an slight against the plethora of people occupying the position, but rather just the nature of it. I know it sounds crazy, but six foot, 200 pound men repeatedly colliding into 6′3, 270 pound men, can be kind of hazardous for the former.

With that in mind, and given the inherent unpredictability of the NFL, are we that certain that Stephen Jackson or Clinton Portis or Steve Slaton are going to have better fantasy seasons than Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson? I wouldn’t complain because sure, you can make that argument. But it doesn’t seem like the counter-argument is ever taken into consideration.

Anyhow, I could go on dissecting this thing. Nitpicking every single perceived liberty Matthew Berry took with his rankings, but that would be too monotonous for an already monotony-laden post. We’ll stop here and leave you to make your own interpretations.

I come to you this week bearing good news regarding the state of fantasy football in June: ESPN is now offering round-the-clock mock drafts. Regrettably I admit that this made me way happier than it had any business doing. You mean I can inconsequentially pick NFL players based on projected statistical output with complete strangers from all over the country? Sign me up!

If you’re a tad OCD about this and don’t have much of a social life, this is the perfect way to waste your time while pretending you’re doing something constructive by “prepping” for your fantasy football draft. This is a total fallacy, obviously, but it makes the act itself seem more dignified. Besides, I think there is a small amount of truth that participating in a couple of these will put you in a better situation when it comes time for your real fantasy draft (this is generally the one you actually invest money in).

I mean, the sample size has to be enormous for it to actually mean anything, plus you probably know the majority of people you’re drafting with well enough that you don’t need a fucking gallop poll to determine which way they’re going to sway. But look: I ended up with my first four picks (8th overall) being Andre Johnson (second best receiver bar none going into this season), Brandon Jacobs (no more Derrick Ward eating up carries), Wes Welker (absolutely primed for a 2007 like resurgence) and Aaron Rodgers (kind of an over-draft, but his numbers last year were gaudy and he’s only going to improve on them).

Beyond that I can’t remember who I took other than Jason Witten in the sixth, Felix Jones, Jay Cutler as my backup QB, Kenny Watson in the fifteenth round, Minnesota’s defense after I had drafted all my other starters, Muhsin Muhammad, Shonn Greene and LeSean McCoy. It’s all pretty meaningless since there were only three people not auto-picking by the fifth round.

But more so than who was drafted where and how that might reflect the draft that I care about two months from now, it gave me a better feel for the 2009 landscape. Right now, virtually every team is running two (and in some cases three) viable running backs. Given the rate of injury and the considerably unpredictable nature of the position,  there is absolutely no reason to dedicate any of your higher picks to running back. In fact much like last year, I’d advocate filling your receiver slots earlier than most, since most would agree that Larry Fitzgerald is so much more of a sure thing than Maurice Jones-Drew (whom I actually like).

Anyways, that’s all I really have for you today. We should be returning tomorrow with some injury/surgery/optional mini-camp news.

About two hours before the NBA Finals tip-off we thought it pertinent to make a point to post beforehand, since we’re such ardent NBA fans and whatnot. Not to mention there are a couple headlines that have fantasy implications. But seriously, lets get this over with so we can pay attention to the important item of the day.

It appears John Henderson and Jack Del Rio have sorted out there differences. I’m not sure what those were, exactly. I get the impression that Del Rio (note: my friend’s sister’s fiance used to be a beat writer for the Jags, claims the guy is a pompous asshole) thought Henderson was exaggerating an injury so as to sit out practice. Fine, right? Completely inconsequential. I mean, it is June 4th, what does it matter if someone takes a few games off? Bygones, as most would claim. Well, not for Jack Del Rio. This behavior is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE in the NFL.

 I don’t think Peterson realized quite who he was dealing with, or maybe he did and that’s why he was feigning injury, or maybe he was (gasp!) legitimately injured. I know, crazy right? One would think a coach’s priority would be ensuring the health of his two-time pro-bowler for the regular season, but it seems that would pale in comparison too kicking it into high gear over memorial day weekend. Anyhow, I might have to reconsider my current position on Jacksonville. If everything remains this contentious through the off-season there’s no way they don’t implode. The NFL is too parity driven to be this unstable and still win, because every team surrounding you is only marginally better or worse (with a few exceptions).

Surprise! Brian Westbrook’s health is in question going into training camp. Now he’s going under the knife, and isn’t expected to return to the field until early August. I’m torn on this, on the one hand, this feels like it’s about three years overdue. On the other, he’s racked up a lot of miles and is somewhat ancient in NFL running back terms (29). It feels like this could be the beginning of the decline to a storied and unsurpassed fantasy career, especially with Philly drafting LeSean McCoy in the second round this year. I’d adjust my fantasy rankings accordingly.

Naturally, the city of brotherly love can catch a break, be thankful the Phillies won the fluke series against the Tampa Bay Rays last year, Philadelphia. Because if Westbrook can’t return healthy, another title is looking more and more daunting with the current state of the Sixers and aging of the Eagles. I don’t know about the Phillies or Flyers, though. The one might be prime to repeat but I haven’t heard any rumblings about them, and does a hockey title really going too quench your thirst for sports title induced riots? At least you have the big 5. Nothing satisfies the masses quite like Drexel basketball.

Alright, more tomorrow but still very little.

Just a real quick post done out of sheer obligation before we head out for the long weekend. We say out of sheer obligation because there is absolutely nothing of interest we can write about in these last twenty minutes at work, so we’ll just mail in the two lead stories from ESPN’s NFL home page.

Anyways, despite being from the region we don’t particularly like any of these four teams, so it’s kind of frustrating it seems to pan out that we’re always writing about them. But this warrants mentioning, if for not other reason than too throw a wrench in whatever premature fantasy draft plans you may have: Braylon Edwards says he’s eager to stay in Cleveland. What? Who has the photos and what do they entail? Because I don’t think Edwards has ever come out and asked for release/trade, he’s been plenty…opinionated about the team, the city and their fans. If anything I’d expect him to drift through mini-camp, sulk in private, maybe make an off-hand remark here and there until he was traded. Now he’s “eager” to suit up for the Browns? God damn it, Braylon. Could you at least develop a persona that I can set my watch too? Can you at least give me a good indicator as too how many passes you’re going to drop this season relative to how many you plan on catching?

Anyways, your guess is as good as mine for fantasy, but if you’re a Browns fan this is extremely good news. You have at least one skill position player that isn’t facing extensive prison time, been traded for ten cents on the dollar, demanding contract renewal or retiring. All the off-the-field bright spots should make the Cavs pending heartbreaking loss to the Magic all the easier to endure (I’m waffling on whether or not it will actually happen, but if the Cavs win it will be in 7. Though I picked the Magic to win the east back in November).

We might as well change this to an AFC North blog because it seems to be all we discuss. If all the crazy shit that happens in the AFC North happened in the NFC East, I’m pretty sure ESPN would devote an entire network too it. The biggest dilemma we face here at Talking Fantasy Football is half the division doesn’t have cheerleaders. By god, man. What are we to do for pictures?

James Harrison has been in the news recently for criticizing the white house because they had the gall to invite his team for winning the Super Bowl, when he knows full well they would never invite him….just because. It was later told that he has a fear of flying, and somehow this factors into his reluctance to accept that total fraud of an invitation. But if we’ve learned one thing over the past six years it is this: You do not question, besmirch, or even look Barack Obama in the eye. Harrison should have known better, and now his kid and pit bull have suffered the consequences of his ill-thought actions.

Yes, in case you haven’t heard, James Harrison’s dog attacked his son, and I’m not going to call this karma with any sort of seriousness, because that would be absurd (not to mention that it wouldn’t make any sort of literate sense). But I do question the logic of anyone owning a pit bull as a house pet, ever, much less when you have a two year-old child. I’m not exactly the dog whisperer, but to the best of my knowledge, pit bulls are known for their aggressiveness. Maybe it’s only when provoked, but does a two year-old understand when he may be provoking a dog? I would have, because I’ve always hada tremendous foresight, but your average two year-old? I think not.

Anyways, this story is too depressing and strange to drone on about, so we’re going to cut our losses and call it a week. Back Tuesday with news from the long weekend. I know, I can’t wait for it to be over either.

We’re going to keep our explanations a little shorter today. Mainly because we have so many more players in this portion of our draft preview than the first two (here and here), but also because we’re exceedingly lazy and want to enjoy the weekend. Not spend it sitting in front of our computer delving into superfluous opinions about unknown football players. It’s crazy, right?

It also warrants mentioning that we expanded our criteria for this section of our preview to include guys who could develop into formidable presence not just sometime this season, but also in seasons to come. If for nothing else than so this feels slightly comprehensive. Anyhow, for a myriad of reasons we have high hopes for the following dark horses.

Josh Freeman
Everyone outside of the state of Kansas is down on his pro prospects, but I really don’t understand why. He played at Kansas State during the worst era since Bill Snyder took over with little to no talent around him and made them…I can’t really say competitive but they weren’t a laughing stock. Did you happen to see what Washington did this year after losing Jay Locker? That’s what K-State would be without Josh Freeman. Plus, if you’re Detroit or some other team not fully loaded at the O-line, this guy can avoid being flattened because he isn’t like Jaba The Hut in the pocket. For your money, I feel like this is the much safer option of the three first round prospects at the QB. He’s not going to make the pro-bowl in his rookie year or anything, but by season’s end or sometime in the 2010 season, I think you’re going to see Freeman surprise the seemingly endless stream of naysayers.

Knowshon Moreno
He was really supposed to go in our first post, but I can’t project him to be a bust. Much like Wells, he occasionally has durability problems, but remember that last year he was running behind a depleted offensive line in the best conference in football. If your team needs a running back, feel fortunate if they take Moreno because you just got a more talented Brian Westbrook.

Hakeem Nicks
Very unknown prospect out of North Carolina that’s a projected first round pick. In short, I like him more than any other option at receiver out there. I was tempted to put him in the first post we did commemorating the draft, but he’s kind of undersized at only 6-1 (though he is 215 pounds), so I imagine he will be a bit of a project. If you have no idea who I’m talking about, here’s a highlight reel for your enlightenment. Let me just say that as an Eagles fan, if they aren’t going to trade for Boldin or re-up at running back, I would be more than happy for them to take another diminutive receiver.

Shonn Greene
This kid is a fucking load. Anyone that likes to run two or three deep at running back would be wise to acquire the ex-Hawkeye. Just look at the stats he put up in a bruising conference with a shitty quarterback. This Doak Walker award winner is poised to be this year’s Laurence Maroney or Steve Slaton for NFL fans who become embittered at the notion of college football (read: ingrates in large markets like Boston, Chicago & New York, for example). Where, where’d this guy come from? Was he on the roster last week? We got him in the third round?! What a steal, man. Not for nothing, but he’s also two years older than most of the players coming into the league and will have a higher football IQ, if that counts for anything at running back, which we think it does.

CJ Gable
Lost in the sea of running backs, highlighted by Josh McKnight was CJ Gable, a playmaker with vast potential to improve his team, though his team didn’t need him. I’ll never understand why all these guys flock to USC to sit on the bench for the majority of their careers. Sure, you don’t want to be the go-to guy a la James Davis for four, but at the same time you want to reap a little glory on the field. If living in SoCal takes precedent, just go to UCLA. And if it is women you’re looking for (not only is UCLA better for that) you have the Southeastern Conference, ASU and Austin, TX for that (among others). I guess the best thing you can say about him is you never heard him complain about PT. Anyhow, we have no idea what he is capable of, other than he’s a world class athlete. And world class athletes tend to do well in the NFL.

Derrick Williams
Kind of questionable with this one, but we liked the potential he showed in his freshman season before his knee injury, and to be perfectly honest Penn State hasn’t had a legitimate passing threat at quarterback since Kerry Collins left town. He’ll probably ride the pine all season but keep an eye out for who drafts him and what happens with them throughout the season. It might not be the worst move to use a bench spot on him around week eleven or twelve, depending on where he lands.

Javon Ringer
Much like Shonn Greene, he produced huge numbers on a team lacking in respectable quarterback play (Note: if your team drafts Brian Hoyer, it is time to disown them). But unlike Shonn Greene, he did it for two years with both rushing and receiving. Although that counts for him as much as it does against him. For one, you know he’s not a fluke and he has more reps, but then again the more carries you have in college the less likely you are to hold up through an NFL season, much less a career (See: Benson, Cedric).

James Davis
I get the impression that had this kid been allowed to come out after his freshman season he would have been a lottery pick. Now, after three disappointing seasons later and a plummeted stock, we’re looking at early second day status for James. He can still be effective, but over 750 carries in four seasons is more than most running backs endure. This first season, should he get on the field will be a litmus test for how many years he’ll hold up. We’re going to say…two.

John Parker Wilson
Quarterbacks are primary the reason we had to change our standards for this list. Because we don’t think Wilson is going to light up the stat sheet in his rookie season, nor do we think he’s the second coming of John Elway. But above all else he showed poise, arm strength and leadership at Alabama. Occasionally, that translates into the makings of a solidified NFL quarterback. One thing that does concern us is he had Julio Jones to throw to and he only amassed nine touchdowns and some rather paltry numbers…lets just move on.

Willie Tuitama
On the other end of the coin is Willie Tuitama, who produced some gawdy numbers in Tuscon but did it against marginal talent. We’re not going to lie, we didn’t watch him play much, but U of A hasn’t been a force since the mid-90’s and he’s been integral in making them respectable, if still pitiable.

Patrick Turner
See: CJ Gable, and replace every noun, verb or adjective that alludes to rushing and replace it with one that references receiving.

Demetrius Byrd
His numbers leave something to be desired but it is imperative you remember he had a transfer from Harvard throwing to him for his senior season. Yeah, that Harvard. In the SEC. Let’s just say that he couldn’t veil his physical shortcomings with his brilliance. Anyways, I put Byrd on here because LSU receivers seem to be experiencing some success lately in the NFL. Plus he’s 6-3, 200 lbs. and has a badass name, which I’m pretty sure is a prerequisite to get on a field of play for LSU.

Alright, we just noticed that the draft isn’t starting until 4PM tomorrow due to all the complaining over it starting at noon. Oh, what’s that? No one was complaining about an earlier start time? Well then, I have no fucking idea why they adjusted it, but it gives us a chance to get back from the OSU spring game before Detroit makes their first selection. So under these very precarious conditions, we’re grateful. I guess.

Until then, play safe and I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.

So its been five days since I’ve posted here due to a violent and miserable illness. And despite still being under the weather I figure I should throw my two cents in about the Terrell Owens deal. If for no other reason than everyone else has.

In short, I can understand why both parties agreed to it. Despite not exactly fitting the Buffalo blue collar mentality, Buffalo needs a reason to bring people to the games, and whether we want to admit it or not, that is one thing that Owens is capable of. The team is looking to move to Toronto when the current owner passes away, and they are holding out for a glimmer of hope that if they can make enough money before he does, there is an outside shot that his progeny will be able to keep the team in upstate New York.

On top of that, Buffalo has been under the radar for about ten years now. Perennially 7-9 and in the second smallest market in the league will do that to you. This puts them back in the spotlight and actually gives them a celebrity, if not a top ten receiver that can attract some national attention. If things go like everyone assumes they will, they will at least be a sympathetic figure. But they are rightfully hoping for both, because they could use the offensive weapon. Something they haven’t had consistently over the years. Or maybe they have, but the quarterback has been a bust since the first couple seasons with Bledsoe. Either way, while everyone else was scoffing at the notion of signing the synergy blunder that is Terrell Owens, I can see why Buffalo pulled the trigger.

For TO, on the other hand, this was a desperation move. He’s played for three teams in San Fran, Philly and Dallas. All marquee franchises, all major markets, and he left all of them with a baker’s dozen of burned bridges in his wake. Between his ugly departures and his age (he’s 35, in case his demeanor would lead you to believe otherwise), his options were limited.

Take Minnesota for example. Even with the marginal quarterback play they could use a wide out. When Bernard Berrian is your number one target you would still consider signing Jerry Rice. So why wouldn’t Minnesota be interested? Because their head coach is Brad Childress, who was the offensive coordinator for Philadelphia when Owens was playing there. Would you want to reunite with a player who clearly regarded you as a parasite the last time you were supposedly on the same side? Me neither.

My best guess is he would rather be playing for literally any other team in the league other than Green Bay (Buffalo is at least a short commute to New York). And like he always does, he’s attempting to put on the facade of conviviality for the sake of his new employers, but the only people who can possibly be buying it are die hard Buffalo fans.

The fantasy implications are pretty mild, Trent Edwards isn’t a good enough quarterback to take advantage of what benefits this situation may provide, Owens is old and prone to dropping passes, and that’s only going to worsen in the cold weather. The one beneficiary here is Marshawn Lynch, because while Owens is semi-washed up, you still have to game plan for him which means dedicating more people to the pass instead of the run. So yeah, Lynch could see an increase ypr average. For your standard fantasy owner, that will be the impacting effect of this signing.

We’ll try to get to some other news items later tonight.

Can someone explain to me why Matt Cassel is always brought up in conversation with Jay Cutler and vice versa? Are the two now inextricably linked forever because both names are being thrown around during the same free agency period. Which one would you rather have? Who had the better season? Which are you better suited to win with? Does Jay Cutler’s talent make him better than Cassel in spite of his petulance?

Honestly, I couldn’t give a fuck less. In case you haven’t noticed, I really don’t like to talk about people talking. This isn’t a sewing circle. Even if its not much better than a sewing circle, it’s a fantasy football blog that relies on a degree of certitude for material. Speculating on whether or not…I don’t know…Antwane Randle-El is going to leave the Redskins, and if he does, what the means for the team he could end up playing for and his potential former team. It just has too many question marks to really concern myself with it, not to mention 90% of these players discussed are pretty inconsequential. Most of them could be replaced for a utility guy and the team wouldn’t notice the difference.

So lets talk about the one deal that has gone across the wire that has actually transpired, and that is TJ Houshmandzadeh going back home to the Pacific. Living in Ohio, the Bengals faithful (and there are still entirely too many of them) are outraged, and that outrage has morphed into outright mocking that he won’t succeed because he’s going to play for a team that’s clearly entering a downward trend. This is amazingly flawed logic for a number of reasons.

1) The team can’t improve it’s standing unless they improve the caliber of player they are currently sporting. TJ Houshmandzadeh isn’t getting a contract for $45 million for his fucking ponytail, he’s actually proven to be a top ten receiver in the NFL. By acquiring him, in theory, the Seahawks get better, thus the team improves.

2) Even if they don’t improve, TJ can rest assured that the front office is actually concerned with how they perform on the field. So if the team looks like shit in 2009 and Matt Hasselbeck doesn’t rebound from his injury plagued 2008 campaign, he can rest assured that the front office is going to at least attempt to improve the on-field play, which is more than you can say for anyone representing the Bengals.

3) Injuries precluded any potential success in 2008 for the ‘Hawks, a new coach and different make up in a weak conference can make for a playoff season. Now, I’m not a visionary by any means. But if there is anything that is certain about the 2009 NFL season, its that the Bengals will not make the playoffs nor will they try to the following year.

4) Seattle ponied up $45 million for five years, fourteen of which is guaranteed. That is more than enough reason to get out of the current armpit of the NFL.

Also, Carson Palmer may go ballistic on his coach and/or teammates, and he will eventually set Mike Brown on fire if he does. I don’t much care for Palmer, he seems like a great teammate when they’re winning and an awful one when they are losing. I also think he’s overrated (or at least he has been since his knee injury in 2006), so while he is something of an asset, they might as well go the full mile, trade him while he still has decent market value and start rebuilding the team prematurely. Because while Bengals fans may mock Housh’s new quarterback, theirs is only a smidgen better on anyone’s rankings.

The Carson Palmer era with the high powered offense is obviously over (if it wasn’t evident the last two seasons it should be with this trade). Why not seek out a slew of young players (even trade down for more picks if possible) and start fresh? Right now the only team with less hope than the Bengals is the Lions, and that’s just because the Lions are coming off an 0-16 season. If they played on a neutral field this Sunday I would probably pick Detroit to win. I know they’re getting Palmer back, but that doesn’t mean he’ll stay under center. Not to mention they just lost their best offensive weapon which kills his value. Last year Housh was the one acceptable Cincinnati Bengal to have in your starting roster in a non-bye week, this year I really don’t feel like they have any. What, are you going to draft Cedric Benson?

I will give Bengals fans this, Housh’s fantasy stock dropped by going to Seattle. That team is going to look to run the ball more, they should have a healthy Bobby Engram and Deon Branch, and there isn’t a Chad Johnson deep threat between those two like he had in Cincy. And I will concede that Hasselbeck is getting older, I wouldn’t want my first receiver drafted to be relying on him at QB.

In short, of the three parties involved, only the Seattle offense is going to improve from a fantasy perspective. Cincy and Housh himself should see a significant depreciation in productivity. Meaning this is signing with substantive and tangible fantasy implications! Yes, that is the first non-ironic exclamation point we’ve ever used here. And yes, we’re excited to see what impact it will have on both teams. Despite our seemingly confident assumptions of how this will all pan out, the NFL will always be under a roll of the dice under the hard cap.

Probably it for today, back with more this week.