Fantasy Football

We didn’t get around to previewing the Redskins today. My apologies for that. The schedule for this site is so minute that you’d think we’d be able to keep up with it on a regular basis. We have a legitimate excuse this time, however. We woke up with a blistering headache, searing back pain and extremely mild nausea. Other than that, we let you, the loyal reader down without an alibi.

Obviously there’s been some news to make the rounds in the past day or two that we’ve forgone commenting on, mainly because this isn’t really a news site (we don’t care enough to keep it regularly updated, obviously). But first and foremost, the death of Jim Johnson could end up having a profound effect on the landscape of the NFC East. We’ve already sang the praises of Johnson a couple days ago, but allow me to reiterate a little more clearly: most valuable coordinator in the league during his tinier (he makes Jason Garrett poser ass look like Rich Kotite). He personified the bullshit phrase, more with less. He was never adequately staffed and he did more with the minimal amount of talent at his disposal than any other coordinator in the league. RIP, Mr. Johnson, quite arguably the best who ever did it.

We’ve been avoiding the Brett Favre drama for the majority of the off-season, mainly because it was all such conjecture and speculation. But even with the news that he’s not signing with Minnesota before camp, it still feels premature to comment on his season long absence. Anyhow, we don’t really have anything original to say about it, other than we stll think Rosenfels is a significant improvement over Tavaris Jackson. If fact if they can reign in his penchant for untimely turnovers, the roster is so loaded that they can be a contender in the NFC East. Why not? They made the playoffs last year and damn near knocked off the Eagles in the first round (I’m sure the Giants would have appreciated it, though).

Point being, don’t count out the Vikings just because they didn’t land the ol’ gunslinger. I mean, I don’t like them to improve much from 2008, but they’re in the same position they were in then as they are now; it’s just the conference and division is infinitely improved.

In semi-related news, Mike Vick is back on the open market pending a five game suspension. Reportedly already half the teams have preemptively rescended an invite to camp, Washington included. And you know, I can think of one team that’s been lacking a suitable starting quarterback for the past five years, have had the best running back and a top five defense in the league for two and just got done failing to court a 40 year-old quarterback out of retirement. It seems like they could use him. It really seems like even if he isn’t better than Rosenfels, you could at least bring him into camp and find out for yourselves.

I have to be honest with you, as despicable and wretched and borderline evil as what I think he did was, I’d love to have him with the Eagles now that he’s paid the piper to both the state and league. McNabb, Vick and Westbrook exploding out of the backfield seems almost unstoppable, espcially with their crop of receivers. As good of a fit as he may be for the Vikings to potentially give a chance back under center, the Eagles could use some added explosiveness. Much like every team in the league. But this is all moot, because he’s going to end up in New England and haunt us all in our sleep with what he brings to the table for a title contender.

Back tomorrow with Redskins preview.

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.

Unlike The Browns, Joe Banner knows how to run a professional sports franchise.

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.

My apologies for taking the day off yesterday, but we have a viable excuse that we can actually prove, we were writing a running diary for last night’s NBA draft. Go here if this is something that might interest you or if you were planning on seeking revenge for our failing to post something disappointingly dry and poorly written. If the latter is the case, I wouldn’t be too surprised by any day off from now until August.

In case you haven’t noticed, golf and the NBA are dominating sports headlines right now (especially the NBA), and any news coming out of the NFL is fairly superfluous as it pertains to fantasy football. There is good news, however, that we found out Hard Knocks with the Cincinnati Bengals is scheduled to premiere on August 12th.

I feel like we’re becoming too preoccupied with HBO sports on this site, but we watched Hard Knocks in its entirety when they were filming at the Chiefs mini-camp in 2007. We couldn’t stomach more than a couple episodes with the Cowboys, and we get a sneaking suspicion that as much as we’re anticipating the insider look with the Bengals, it could be just as dull. Plus the show always felt hollow to me, I never really understand what the point is, and it makes the intense presentation of it so befuddling. Maybe last season it was just lacking in likable personalities, but it doesn’t really matter either way, because there is no way we don’t end up watching at least the first two episodes.

In other non-related news, Gloria Estefan now owns a hefty share of the Miami Dolphins. NFL fans/players are probably, by and large, the most concerned with being emasculated. Between the pretty pastel colors they sports, the smiling adorable Dolphin that is their logo, and a famous salsa dancing pop singer from then 80’s now owning a percentage of the team, I think this might be the last straw that leads to their base abandoning the team. They might as well have Kim Gandy come in and coach the team. I’m kidding of course, but is it going to surprise me if there’s some dust up in Jacksonville between a Jags fan that was heckling a Dolphins fan over his team’s new minority ownership? Probably not.

Their only hope is that most Dolphins fans don’t know who Gloria Estefan is (which seem highly improbable living in Miami) or they don’t read headlines in the off-season. Either way will suffice. But this could be the source of constant ridicule from opposing fans and players. At least in the article it says that the stadium will be named after Jimmy Buffet’s Land Shark Lager, that should help balance out the feelings of inadequacy. If nothing else they can get loaded on it. Things are going to seem really dire when they go 7-9 this season.

Probably it for the week unless something notable comes across the wire. Enjoy the weekend.

Not much going on other than the rumor that Green Bay is likely to reach a new deal with longtime under-appreciated wide out Greg Jennings. For essentially the past three seasons he’s been the best receiver on a pass happy offense and has managed to fly under the radar. Granted, he wasn’t a high draft pick, nor has he ever been top five in any receiving statistical category, but he’s been one of the more reliable receivers, right under the level of tier-1 players (which consists of Steve Smith, Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerald).

If you were wondering what Greg Jennings looked like, now you know.

Green Bay, being the smallest market by far in all of professional sports, is always reluctant to renew or extend contracts for their players, and even more so with their receivers (anyone else remember the Javon Walker saga?). But this is probably long overdue. Whether they’ll admit it or not, the organization still has some reservations about Aaron Rodgers. And they’re desperate to prove that letting Brett Favre leave after he retired for the second time was the right decision.

Personally, I don’t think that’s something they have to concern themselves with, as Favre has already crashed and burned with the Jets, and Rodgers has shown a lot of potential in his first season. People think Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco are viable QB options next season? Looked at their stats compared to Rodgers and then get back to me on that. Don’t get me wrong,  you don’t want to put too much faith/responsibility on the shoulders of any one person (like the Eagles have done for virtually McNabb’s entire career), and if I’m a Green Bay fan I have to be pleased with the news that renegotiations are so far amicable. But Rodgers has the capacity to quarterback a competitive playoff team.

The fact Green Bay is going out of their way to accommodate its players should also be a positive sign for their fantasy prospects. I’ve stated so before and this only solidifies my position: Green Bay is poised for a big season, both for fantasy and substantive purposes.

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.

Expect to see more of this come October.

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.

God, it’s getting to the point that I can’t tell if I’m writing a fantasy football blog or a police beat, they’ve been relatively interchangeable this week. The most noteworthy moment to happen this past week was Artie Lange raking Joe Buck over the coals on Buck’s own show. Obviously, it goes without saying, that this has nothing to do with football, much less fantasy football. Joe Buck calls games as drabbly as is humanly possible, and Artie Lange cracks dirty jokes on satellite radio for a living. In short, there isn’t much happening (hence yet another unannounced sabbatical yesterday).

So anyway, lets go to a quick rundown of completely inconsequential news, at least for the topic at hand. There’s a good chance we take the first half of July off, just to cleanse the palate and wait for something substantive to write about, unlike this depressing shit.

Dante Stallworth, as I’m sure you’ve heard, plea bargained his way out of extended prison time and was eligible to play this season, until Roger Goodell said he wasn’t. From a fantasy perspective nothing’s changed from what we all thought the outcome of this would be, so we’ve veered away from it. However, the meatheads that comprise local Columbus radio have tempted me to get on my soapbox, but I have and will continue to refrain from doing a moral critique on this.

More Ohio related NFL legal trouble: Donte Whitner had his court date pushed back on charges stemming from a night club incident earlier this off-season. Donte Whitner, a highly effective defensive back, will probably always be best known for this, and for the Bills over-drafting him when they could have traded down to the mid-20’s and still have gotten “their guy”. Anyhow, whatever bearing this might have on your fantasy team is minimal at best, if you were stuck drafting the Bills defense you probably have bigger problems.

And finally, in retiree news: Bernie Kosar is filing for Chapter 11 and Ryan Leaf has turned himself in and posted bail, I have no idea for what, though it doesn’t really matter… But, but, they’re not receivers, they’re quarterbacks. How could this be? I thought only receivers fucked up their personal and professional lives, that’s why we call them divas, because they’re completely unmanageable and have no reliable skill-set outside of catching a football. These two have a chance to get back on track though, unlike that filthy thug Chad Johnson, who is clearly a criminal because he likes to do creative end zone dances that fans and teammates find wildly entertaining. Isn’t that right, Joe Buck?

Ahem, got a little off-track there.

Anyways, yes, the world is a fucked up place and the NFL isn’t immune to it. It’s almost like these are real people that occasionally have to deal with real world issues. Wow, how eye-opening.

Back next Monday with something new on the docket.

You know, I write this blog and I feel like I am fairly apt in the trials and tribulations of the NFL and fantasy football. But truth be told, much like everyone else that writes about football either professionally or for recreation, I am very much a layman. Outside of a couple of summer workouts when I contemplated going out for receiver in high school, I’ve never played the game on a competitive level, never coached it, and when I post I usually prefer to keep this in mind: There’s a strong chance you’re embarrassingly wrong.

That said, when first your pro-bowl caliber quarterback, whose never had a problem with anyone in the organization, never complained about anyone in college despite him being heads and shoulders better than everyone else on his team, suddenly decides he wants to skip town because of a new coaching regime, I’m a little skeptical when the team claims he’s being too demanding.

But again, I’m not there. I have no idea what the circumstances are or how NFL front office politics work.

I'm not convinced he isn't a rogue cell for the Raiders.

However, if a few months later your pro-bowl receiver who led the league in receptions last season decides he wants traded as well, then I think it’s safe to say you made a poor coaching hire. I know Brandon Marshall hasn’t exactly been a model citizen, but just like with Cutler, I don’t remember any of his teammates or Mike Shannahan having any complaints about him. I guess what I’m wondering (and the only thing that can save Josh McDaniels’ reputation before he even coach’s a single game) is if his two best players are/were disgruntled because they have personal/professional issues with McDaniels himself, or if they’re displeased with the firing of Shannahan in the first place.

The latter might make him a viable candidate down the road when he goes looking for another job (because he’s getting fired from this job in two years tops, and my prediction is by the end of the 2009 season) after this team goes 2-14 (if they’re lucky). Honestly, if you’re looking at the type of season the Broncos are staring at, you do not, under any circumstances, spend your first round pick on a running back. That was his first mistake, after isolating his two best weapons on the offensive end.

At least there is one constant in Denver.

And you know what? Those two wins might be generous. Cutler and Marshall made that team respectable (they didn’t really blow that lead in the AFC West so much as they realized their talent level), and the team was offensively explosive with one of the ten worst running games in the league.  They had the second worst defense, and in just about any other year it would have been top dog, they just happened to exist simultaneously with the first ever 0-16 team in the history of the league. What are they going to look like with Kyle Orton as their starting QB and Eddie Royale as their biggest offensive threat? Shudder.

I suppose the good news for Broncos fans — other than the cheerleaders, of course — is that the turnover rate for playoff teams in the NFL is high. And so long as you can keep from becoming a permanent fixture in the cellar (Raiders, Lions, etc), you’re never that far removed from being in the playoffs. Problem is, I’m not so sure they aren’t closer to finding themselves amongst those teams than they are to making a wild card.

Back later with whatever may come across the ticker.

Sorry about the hiatus, folks. We were under the weather to the point we were skipping work, and even more so than usual. Not to mention there isn’t/wasn’t much going on in the way of fantasy football, with my 101 temperature I was feeling even less compelled to post. Again, my apologies. Next time I’ll try to be more perseverant when I can’t lift my head.

This whole thing could have been avoided if he found something a little more manageable.

But that brings us to the week with a couple dour notes. Well, you be the judge. Plaxico Burress’ court date has been pushed back to September, meaning he won’t go to trial until at least Summer of 2010 (there are entirely too many people in New York). This could be construed as good news…I guess. It entirely depends on where he ends up for anyone who cares either way. But I think when you’re relying on delayed trials to actually get on the field, your career has taken a turn for the worst.

Also, before you get all anxious looking to steal Burress early should he end up in Philly or New Orleans or some place equally attractive for receivers, remember that he will still be suspended by the NFL. I think this is a first strike (so to speak) with Burress, so expect him to miss around four to five games. You know, the same penalty they have for steroid abuse.

Also, Vince Young gave one of the more bizarre interviews with Michael Smith on Sportscenter that was replayed to death yesterday. In it, he claims that “suicide wasn’t an option”. Well, that’s good. But again, when you’re refuting accusations of attempted suicide, things have not gone according to plan. I think right now the last thing Young should be concerned with is his status on the Titans, because they seem content to let him backup Kerry Collins for the time being, and it’s been alleged that he might have some other…issues to work out. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, do not over-draft anyone from Tennessee this season. I mean, it’s wise not to over-draft anybody, but if all things are equal, take the guy who isn’t on the Titans.

And finally (this has no preset notions of tawdriness too it, at least not from a legality/mortality standpoint), we have trouble in 8-8 paradise: Owen Daniels did not show up for mini-camp. Oh no, now who’s going to be your fall back tight-end available on the waiver wire when the Steelers are on their bye week?

I guess from the team’s perspective this is kind of a big deal, Owen Daniels might be the best blocker they have on their line. But from a fantasy perspective? You’re better off drafting Brandon Pettigrew, since Detroit has a rookie quarterback and he’s a monstrous target that should be downfield, in between the tackles. Point being, I think as the season progresses, you can find better tight ends, despite what every fantasy publication may tell you. If his physical projections as a newborn were anywhere nearly as inflated as his yearly fantasy projections, I’m pretty sure he’s about two feet shorter than he was supposed to be.

Back with more tomorrow.

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.

Slower than usual today, looks like everyone involved with the NFL other than mindless op-ed writers decided to take another long weekend (it’s hard to go back after Memorial Day). So, other than Brian Westbrook having “bone spurs” removed, which sounds like something I’d hear said in an Eli Roth movie and is too horrifying to even contemplate, we’re just going to move on from that little anecdote.

On a less graphic-for-the-easily-disgusted note, The Bills’ two starting cornerbacks are going to miss the rest of spring camps, which is either go to

Yeah, he's going to fit right in in Buffalo.

help or hurt their defense tremendously. I would’t know, I never really played football (sheds tear). On one hand, it gets the reserves plenty of reps and prepares them better for the season, not to mention that rest for veterans in these situations can be as vital as preparation. On the other, every team in the league holds these practices for a reason, I’m assuming it isn’t totally unnecessary to practice with your team in June, but I could be mistaken.

Either way, does anyone really give a shit? It’s the Bills, if they have an NBA equivalent they’re the Bobcats. Who? Exactly. If anything, this is just going to make them a worse 8-8 team. You’ll just look worse doing it with TO instead of a healthy secondary.

Also, and this seems light enough to close the weekend on: Joey Porter claims his Dolphins are still the team to beat in the AFC East….Excuse me for a second.

(Keels over laughing, wipes drool and tears from laughing)

I don’t want to upset Miami fans, but I don’t think you were ever considered “the team to beat” in anything for the past ten years or so. Oh, I’m sure there may have been a two week stretch or so, when New York started to collapse and New England was just getting going with Cassel, that you were considered the best team in your division. But that’s hardly a sterling reputation. Shit, you were even a home dog in your first playoff game.

Right now I’m giving you a 2nd place in that division, putting you about six games back of the Patriots and maybe winning a tiebreaker against the Bills. But right now I’m not drafting a single one of your fantasy players before the third round (and after Ronnie Brown, we’re looking at the ninth at the earliest for Ginn, Camarillo or Williams). And as far as we’re concerned, your QB can stay in free agency all season. If that doesn’t tell you something about your prospects, or at least as far as this site evaluates those prospects, I don’t know what will.

That’s it for this ungodly slow week. Hopefully something a little more substantive will cross the wire this time next Monday, but I doubt it.

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.

A couple headlines today, we should probably lead off that Vince Young is backing off his demand to be started or traded. Or rather, his agent is backing off for him, because his agent knows the market is a tad cold for an overpriced, unproven salary drain under a hard cap, something Vince Young might not have been aware of at the time he pining for a deal too…anywhere? I’m not really sure where he thought he’d be valued.

Much like the cheerleaders, there's very little room for improvement on Dallas' offense, with or without TO.

Set aside the Vince Young saga that doesn’t look like it will end well for anybody, there isn’t much going on. So let me link to two guys debating the state of the Cowboys and Tony Romo post-Terrell Owens. Without reading the exchange because it’s about 1,500 words too many, I’m willing to guess that one side argues what he brings to the field outweighs any distractions he brings to the locker room, and the other side counters with the inverse of that (that his locker room antics are tolerable so long as he produces). I’m going to probably side with the former here, because any one receiver that makes a significant impact on a team’s offense is borderline priceless, but Owens doesn’t fit that mold anymore. He is thirty-six years old, seems prone to dropping passes and seems more interested in making headlines on E! than making the starting roster on your fantasy squad.

Besides, there is plenty of talent to supplement whatever Owens brought to the field. Between Williams, Witten and the two running backs in Choice and Barber, offensive firepower hasn’t been what this team is lacking. If there was anything that Tony Romo needed, it was to be able to operate out of the pocket without his teammate privately and publicly second guessing every decision. The Cowboys, along with all of the fantasy options they currently employ, will be improved by his departure.

All that said, I’d love to see Vince Young throwing passes to Terrell Owens in the apocalyptic cold weather that is Buffalo, NY in November and December.

Back with something equally illuminating tomorrow.

Alright, we took yesterday off because we thought billing was going to be done at work. But expecting anything at my work to go according to plan is like expecting a clean urine test from a Bengal. In other words, billing was pushed back to today and we were fully prepared to use it as an excuse to not post for 40% of the week. But there is actual news that seems relevant, and I think you know what that is: Vince Young is demanding playing time and in lieu of that, he is demanding a trade. Gee, I bet the Texans are really regretting not drafting him now.

What a long, strange trip its been.

I always wonder why players bother doing this, especially when they seem to be completely devoid of leverage. It seems that someone failed to mention to Mr. Young, that in order to force a trade, one of the core principals in being able to successfully do so, is that someone has to be willing to trade for you. As of now, Vince Young has the reputation of being an inaccurate head case that mentally broke down as the pressure started to mount. Yes, he did make the playoffs in 2007, but he was replaced with Kerry Collins three weeks into 2008 and they went 13-3 (though Chris Johnson and Albert Haynesworth had a lot to do with that).

He might be able to find a job just because there are a number of teams that are desperate at quarterback, he’s a mobile big guy with a bigger arm. Once you get in the league with those credentials, there always seems to be an open roster spot for you. But Vince Young as a starter in 2009? I can think of maybe three places he might have a chance to line up under center on week one: San Fransisco, Minnesota & Washington (Jason Campbell is to the Redskins what John McCain is to the Republican party); and the Dolphins, Bills and Broncos should all strongly consider it but they won’t. And even then, he’s going to have to compete for the position if he’s lucky enough to get traded. Is anyone ready to confidently state that Vince Young is a better option at quarterback than Tim Rattay, who started several games for the Niners last year and knows the offense? I’m certainly not.

Mind you, this is all assuming Brett Favre isn’t looking to lace them up again. If you’re like everyone and just assume he is, then the field gets even smaller. Add that to the 1,000 other caveats that could come into play, including his price tag, his petulance and general reputation, and you’re more likely to see a Alex Smith make a pro bowl than you are someone trading for Vince Young. If I had to guess this is going to go one of two ways, he’ll either continue with the dissatisfied tone and force the Titans to cut him (which probably won’t happen since they’ll owe him at healthy portion of his salary, I assume) or he’ll actually perform like everyone thought he would and beat out his 70 year-old competition (like we thought might happen a couple months ago).

Either way, none of this will have an impact on your fantasy team. Wherever he lands, if anywhere, he still won’t throw on a consistent basis. And if the team he’s most likely to play for, Tennessee does indeed acquiesce and allow him to start and he does manage to throw efficiently, do you trust him with his best receiver being Justin Gage? If so then I’d like to invite you to join a fantasy league. My advice would be to save your pick for Sage Rosenfels if you’re looking for a long shot.

With the dwindling number of NFL headlines, it’s making it easier and easier for me too mail-in my responsibilities for this site. It’s kinda nice, actually, not having to do anything. I could get used to it in June. Basically the only news circulating of any relevance is the ongoing Anquan Boldin saga, and the will he or won’t he speculation pertaining to his tenure with the Cardinals. The news this time around? He intends to fire his agent (note: he has since officially left Rosenhaus).

There are a couple of things about this story that I love and hate. One, I loathe Drew Rosenhaus and his self-promoting bullshit as much as the next guy who has no financial stake in the outcome of these contracts; but I’m a tad befuddled by a player firing his agent because of his inability to trade him. Because, you know, why would an agent intentionally sabotage his client’s chances of being trade and in all likelihood seeing an increase in pay, thus increasing the agent’s take home? This seems like it might be a structural problem with how the NFL and its franchises operate.

We couldn't find a picture of him with a shirt on. Sorry.

Additionally, this is kind of tantamount to the shallowness and urgency of sports reporting, particularly in the NFL. We can’t even wait for Boldin to actually bring down the hammer for the story to be reported. Some word of mouth reached the wrong guy, he told his friend at ESPN and that friend made it a story so to get the scoop. In case you feel like you’re reading this incorrectly, breaking a story before there even is a story to break is the new (arguably necessary) foundation for sports journalism, an industry growing in irrelevance that has everyone so paranoid reports are being released along the lines of “Boldin plans to change agents”.

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m looking forward to the day when a Tom Brady dream is a lead story on Sportscenter. We can speculate about what it means for his future prospects, if it has any basis in this reality and if whether or not he’s going to put any stock in it. Of course, Boldin isn’t Tom Brady so he doesn’t get the same level of coverage. We have yet to analyze a state of his subconscious. He is hardly a litmus test.

All kidding aside (sort of), we can’t imagine why Boldin is so desperate to get out of Arizona. We’ve pondered this numerous times before, but it seems to suit what the majority of NFL players seek out in a franchise and what Boldin himself would look for: It’s a warm weather climate, they play in a dome, he has one quarterback who can reach him and another waiting in the wings whose showed promise, the team isn’t overly dependent on him despite being one of their biggest playmakers and he is amply compensated. What is he seeking exactly? Some misguided sense of respect after they benched him in a playoff game they won? He’s in for a world of hurt when he’s traded to New England, Tennessee or Pittsburgh or some other team accustom to winning on a regular basis and not just once every thirty or forty years.

Anyhow, if and when he’s traded we suspect his fantasy value will drop him at least five picks on average, if not more. Shit, Randy Moss’ value plummeted when he went from the Raiders to the Patriots, we can’t imagine Boldin’s fate will be any different.

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?

Given the context this seems completely appropriate.

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.