Bleacher Report - Articles by Russell Ivanac

Could Larry Foote Be The Start Of Something Good for the Detroit Lions?

Russell Ivanac — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:45:28 -0400

Prior to the MLB's 2004 regular season all-star catcher Ivan Rodriguez left the Florida Marlins, only months after helping the Marlins win a World Series. He came to the Detroit Tigers who had just finished a 43-119 season, merely one loss away from tying the record for most losses in a MLB season, previously held by the New York Mets in their inaugural season.

The Tigers then went on to a 72-90 record in 2004 with help in large part to Rodriguez. Coming off of the franchise's worst season, Rodriguez came to Detroit and instantly gave them some semblance of credibility, which played a role in bringing in other free agents that off season and the off seasons that would follow.

Now inside linebacker Larry Foote has come to the Detroit Lions, fresh off of a Super Bowl victory with the Pittsburgh Steelers. It's no secret that the Lions are coming off of their franchise's worst season by matching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' winless inaugural season. Sounds familiar huh?

Now am I saying that Larry Foote will be what Rodriguez was for the Tigers? No, but he could be one of the first steps in getting the ball rolling.

Foote brings experience and leadership to his hometown team and solidifies a drastically improved Detroit linebacker corps. There are a few questions surrounding his ability to switch from a 3-4 inside linebacker to a 4-3 middle linebacker, but I doubt with his physicality and experience playing in the middle in college that it will be much of a problem.

The addition of pro-bowl outside linebacker Julian Peterson via trade could also have a similar effect, and hopefully between the two of them they can help start a turn-around similar to their MLB counterpart.

Hey, us Lions fans have to find some hope to cling to.

Detroit Lions New Logo and Uniform "Revealed"

Russell Ivanac — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 11:10:05 -0400

The Detroit Lion's organization can only watch in what I would think is complete disbelief at what is occurring.

For most of the offseason, the organization has kept the new uniform and logo designs very close to their chest. Sure there has been more than enough subtle hints that the changes were coming, but the details were still as big a mystery as why Matt Millen kept his job as long as he did.

Then this happened.

The slip-up was originally reported by Philip Zaroo on Mlive.com, and the product has already been removed from NFLshop.com

I for one cannot believe how the suspense was ended so unceremoniously, and I doubt that the Lions organization can either. I would expect a press conference in the next couple days, if the league doesn't try to sweep this under the carpet fairly quickly.

All that aside, I'm not a big fan of the new logo, but I am willing to wait until a larger and confirmed image is made available.

Update: prideofdetroit.com unearthed a possible confirmation on the logo, and what the new uniforms will look like. No official confirmation at this point, but it looks like it is pretty legitimate.

Fantasy Football Focus: Minnesota Vikings

Russell Ivanac — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:56:56 -0400

The Minnesota Vikings are on the verge of becoming a playoff contender. They are a strong defensive team, have arguably the best running attack in the league, and play in a weak NFC North division.

So what is holding them back?

Their passing game.

That could change this year if quarterback Tarvaris Jackson can improve on his less-than-60-percent completion percentage and 1,911 passing yards. It won't be easy, but the Vikings will need him to step up if they are going to make an impact in the postseason.

Even if he can't take his play to the next level, the Vikings have plenty of other talented players that you will want to look at before your fantasy draft.

Tarvaris Jackson

There is no denying that Jackson is a tremendous athlete, and as a result, will definitely pick up a decent amount of yards using his legs. Too bad the Vikings need him to be gaining yards with his arm and giving teams a reason to not put nine or 10 players in the box on almost every play.

Some of that responsibility will fall to the receivers, but Jackson will still need to improve.

If Jackson wants to get better, he needs to improve on his throwing mechanics and on-field decision making. The decision making should come with experience, but improving his mechanics will come from hours upon hours of work. That said, he could surprise some fantasy owners this year for one simple fact: Opposing defenses will be focusing heavily on stopping the run.

He is a fantasy backup at this point, and if he is going to change that, it probably won't be for another few years.

Adrian Peterson/Chester Taylor

Peterson is one of the most talented running backs in the league and will only get better; so why shouldn't he be the No.1 overall pick?

The first concern is his durability. I'm sure you have heard it before, and it isn't my biggest concern, so I won't really go into it. My biggest concern is his inconsistent fantasy production last year. It could be blamed on the fact that it was his rookie year, but the majority of the blame should go to Chester Taylor.

I'm not saying that Taylor has done anything wrong. In fact, he played effectively enough to continue to split time with Peterson while Peterson earned his spot among the top backs in the league.

Taylor could be a starter on quite a few teams in the league, but both Peterson and Taylor's fantasy value will be hindered as long as they are together.

Peterson is the No. 1 guy and should be taken no later than No. 3 overall (I would take him at No. 2). Taylor, on the other hand, is a No. 3 or No. 4 fantasy running back.

WR/TE

Bernard Berrian/Sidney Rice/Visanthe Shiancoe

Berrian should be the No.1 receiver in Minnesota and will be asked to make himself enough of a threat to draw attention away from the run. Can he do it? Only time will tell.

He will need to develop a good relationship with Jackson during the preseason. He has never gone over 1,000-yards receiving, nor has he ever caught more than six touchdowns in an NFL season.

There is little indication that he will change that this year, which gives him the value of a No. 4 fantasy receiver. Could this be his best year yet? Yes, but I have my doubts.

Rice is a tall receiver with "burner"-caliber speed, who should develop into Minnesota's biggest deep threat. He will need to stretch the field with his speed and make enough big plays to make safeties think twice about cheating up to help against the run.

He should improve on last year's performance, but he has little more than No. 5-fantasy-receiver value now.

Shiancoe has far more value in real life than he does in fantasy. He is a good blocker and should prove to be valuable in run support once again this year. The best thing that can be said about his fantasy potential is that some "mobile" quarterbacks tend to rely on their tight end. Even if that does happen, he shouldn't be more than a bye-week pickup, which is more than he is right now.

Ryan Longwell

There is little to say about Longwell's fantasy value. He hasn't made 25 field goals since 2002, which doesn't give him much value at all. If the passing game gets better, then he could see his value rise, but right now, he is a wait-and-see kind of fantasy kicker. He has little value, but could become a decent bye-week pickup in certain matchups.

DEF/ST

The Vikings recently lost their new, starting, strong safety Madieu Williams to an injury that will reportedly keep him out for about six weeks. He is an upgrade in coverage over former strong safety Dwight Smith, who is now with the Lions.

Once he returns, he, and free safety Darren Sharper, will give the Vikings plenty of talent at the safety positions.

Their starting cornerbacks, Cedric Griffin and Antoine Winfield, struggled in defending against the deep ball at times last year, but Sharper and Williams should help that. Winfield is a very physical cornerback and adds to an already great run defense.

The strength of the Vikings' defense is their defensive line. Defensive tackles Pat and Kevin Williams are two of the league's best and are a big part of why the Vikings are so good at stopping the run.

The addition of Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen should take some pressure off of the defensive backs and increase the defense's sack total.

Aundrae Allison averaged 28.7-yards per kickoff last year, which helped Minnesota rank fourth in the league in average yards gained per kickoff (24.8 yards per kickoff). Minnesota was average in punt returns last year, and that probably won't change this year, especially considering the departure of running back/return man Mewelde Moore.

They should be considered one of the top-five defensive units in the league.

Top Five Minnesota Vikings Fantasy Players

1. Adrian Peterson

2. Chester Taylor

3. Bernard Berrian

4. Vikings D/ST

5. Sidney Rice

Bye Week: 8

Fantasy Football Focus: Miami Dolphins

Russell Ivanac — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 21:20:02 -0400

It's the dawn of a new era in Miami—The Parcells Era. With a new era comes change, and we have already seen plenty of it. Some of the biggest changes have come by way of departures, including head coach Cam Cameron (and most of his staff), linebacker Zach Thomas, and defensive end Jason Taylor.

That isn't to say that there haven't been key additions. The quarterback position saw a large upgrade with the additions of Chad Pennington and Chad Henne. No. 1 pick Jake Long and linebacker Akin Ayodele are two more additions that should impact the team this year.

So how does the shakeup affect the fantasy values of Miami's players? Let's just say that this "rebuilding" year will more than likely be just that.

Chad Pennington

Up until Brett Favre was dealt to the Jets, the quarterback position was an open competition in Miami. Then Pennington found a new home and effectively ended the collective chances of Josh McCown, Chad Henne, or John Beck winning the starting job. Is it still possible that one of the three could win the starting job? Yes, but I would personally be shocked.

Pennington isn't known for his arm strength, but as this article points out, it hasn't stopped him from being more effective than a certain famous quarterback. He is a crafty quarterback and loves high-percentage short routes that let him dump the ball off and watch his receivers go. Sounds similar to last year's Jeff Garcia, and he put together a decent enough year.

I'm not saying Pennington will lead them to a playoff berth, but he will be a decent No. 2 fantasy quarterback that could be drafted in deeper leagues.

Ronnie Brown/Ricky Williams

The Dolphins have a surprisingly good offensive line, led by rookie offensive tackle Jake Long and center Samson Satele. That is great news for the player that will be the focus of their offense: Ronnie Brown. Too bad he will be the only runner taking advantage of that, considering they have no solid backup to speak of.

Brown doesn't have great top-end speed, but he is a tough runner and catches the ball out of the backfield as well as anyone in the league. His true value will depend on how quickly he can return to 100 percent. The quicker he can prove that his knee is fully healed, the quicker he will get more carries and receptions.

I'm sure some people may disagree with me, but I think Brown is nothing more than a No. 2 fantasy running back. Also, he probably will be the only Dolphin drafted in most leagues.

Williams hasn't been an effective runner since 2005, and next year, that statement will more than likely be true as well. He has smoked his glory days away, and is a change-of-pace back at best. He has no fantasy value now, and if Brown gets hurt, that won't change.

WR/TE

Ted Ginn/Ernest Wilford/Anthony Fasano

The Dolphins have a talented running back and a capable quarterback, but an actual No. 1 receiver is something they do not have. As a result, their receiving corps is the weak point of their offense.

Ginn has tremendous speed, but is faster than quick. He is also a great deep threat, seeing as few defensive backs can contend with his speed, so if Pennington can get him the ball deep, both of their fantasy values will rise. The offense needs him to be a go-to guy, but many believe he doesn't have it in him.

I think the jury is still out, and now that he has a competent quarterback, we just might see what he can actually do. He could be an interesting sleeper pick, but has little more than No. 5 receiver value right now.

There isn't much to say about Wilford. He isn't considered fast and has the skill set of a complementary receiver at best, not a No. 2 guy. The only good thing I can say is that his size could make him a red-zone target, and he would have to pull in some of those passes right?

He doesn't have any noticeable fantasy value now, and that shouldn't be changing anytime soon.

Fasano was brought to the Dolphins (by trade) because Parcells likes him. In fact, Parcells liked him enough to draft him in 2006 while Parcells was with the Dallas Cowboys. That is enough proof for me to believe that Fasano will get the starting tight end job.

It also helps his case that he already knows the system, has good hands, and plays good over the middle. He holds enough fantasy value to possibly be considered in a bye-week, but nothing more.

Jay Feely

Feely only missed two field goals last year and has shown plenty of accuracy inside of 40 yards. However he is 25 of 34 from beyond 40 yards over the last three years. So, as long as the team puts him in a position to kick short field-goals, he will be money, but how often will that happen? Not often enough to earn Feely much fantasy value.

DEF/ST

The loss of both Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor leaves the defense with far less skill and leadership. ILB Channing Crowder will be looking to assume more of a leadership role, and rookie DE Phillip Merling will be looking to eventually compensate for what the pass rush lost with Taylor's departure.

Crowder and OLB Joey Porter will be leading the linebacking corps, which may be the strength of the defense. Crowder is a solid run stopper, but isn't as solid when he has to drop into coverage. Porter will more than likely be the defense's biggest sack threat, as he will be getting plenty of chances in the Miami's 3-4 scheme that often leaves an OLB with one hand in the dirt.

Will Allen is the best cornerback that Miami has to offer, and he has proven himself to be good in run support and on corner blitzes. Injuries hurt their safeties last year, but SS Yeremiah Bell is looking to come back and prove that his strong start before getting hurt last year wasn't a fluke. He is able to step up in run support well and has big play ability.

The return game is where most of the Dolphin's defensive unit's fantasy value should come from. Ginn has a lot of potential with his blazing speed, but needs to work on his ball security to take it to the next level. This unit doesn't hold much value, and probably won't until the offense can hold onto the ball longer or a few big-time playmakers emerge. I wouldn't advise looking their way this season.

Top-Five Miami Dolphins Fantasy Football Player

1. Ronnie Brown

2. Chad Pennington

3. Ted Ginn

4. Ricky Williams

5. Anthony Fasano

Bye Week: 4

Fantasy Football Focus: Jacksonville Jaguars

Russell Ivanac — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:53:00 -0400

Head Coach Jack Del Rio shook the team up last year by cutting their starting quarterback at the time, Byron Leftwich. Back-up David Garrard then led the team to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth. It turns out that Del Rio knew what he was talking about.

Now he has made the questionable decision to draft two defensive ends with his team's first two draft picks in the 2008 draft. Will this gamble work out as well as his last? Only time will tell.

That aside, the Jaguars have given birth to some interesting fantasy football options at various positions. Let's take a closer look at what those are.

David Garrard

Garrard is far from an exciting or high profile quarterback. He consistently threw for roughly 200 yards and one or two touchdowns in each game that he started. Exciting he isn't, but consistent he is, and if you read my article on the Colts you know how valuable I think consistency is.

He is a mobile quarterback that fits the Jaguars' low-risk offensive scheme that is very accurate and rarely throws an interception (three interceptions in 12 games last year). Now that he has an actual deep threat in receiver Jerry Porter, he will be able to throw the ball deeper and improve on his performance from last year. He isn't the "cool" pick, but he is a safe pick and definitely ranks amongst the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks.

Fred Taylor/Maurice Jones-Drew

These two are probably most effective one-two running attack in the NFL. They are a perfect example of running back by committee approach, creating a deadly running attack. The Jaguars are a run first team and that helps make sure that both of their running backs will be held in high regard this fantasy season.

Taylor is still the lead back and will get the majority of the carries unless his age finally catches up to him. But with Jones-Drew taking most of the short yardage carries, Taylor can stay fresher and fool father time that much longer. He has run for over 1,000 yards in each of the last two years and should continue that streak this year.

His lack of goal line looks (and therefore touchdowns) limits his fantasy value however. He is still a solid No.3 fantasy running back, and should have at least one more good year in him.

Jones-Drew on the other hand probably won't reach 1,000 yards rushing, but he will beat his veteran counterpart in touchdowns yet again this year. He is one of the NFL's best short yardage runners and gets plenty of chances to prove it. He sees the majority of his carries in the red-zone or as a third down back.

Don't let his size discourage you. He plays like a runner twice his size, often carrying would-be tacklers an extra couple of yards at least. He will more than likely start seeing his role in the running game increasing and that only adds to his fantasy value. He is a solid No.2 fantasy running back and could become a top-ten fantasy running back if Taylor goes down or has his role reduced.

WR/TE

Jerry Porter/Reggie Williams/Marcedes Lewis

Porter could represent the first true every down receiving option that Jacksonville has had since Jimmy Smith retired in 2005. Yes, Williams did catch 10 touchdowns last year, but he only caught 38 passes, and was used mainly in the red-zone only. Both Porter and Williams are similar players and may take red-zone looks away from each other, but they will also make defenses focus on more than one receiver.

Porter is also Garrard's much needed deep threat, but he doesn't always create separation and can get lazy in his route running. Another issue is his hamstring injury that required surgery and will hold him out of the entire pre-season. These concerns are what hold him back from becoming more than a No.4 or No.5 fantasy receiver this season.

Williams will not be repeating his 10 touchdown performance this year, but he will still be the No.2 passing option in Jacksonville and could be the No.1 option if Porter takes some extra time to return to the field from his injury.

That isn't to say that Williams doesn't have issues of his own. He needs arthroscopic surgery to repair his knee, which will keep him out for the next two to three weeks. He still holds fantasy value very similar to Porter's, but should probably be ranked a little higher.

Lewis is a huge target for Garrard (6'6") and has some of the softest hands on the team. He is yet another red-zone target, but his real value comes from the fact that the middle of the field should be wide open with Williams and Porter getting attention on the outside.

In a low-risk offense like Jacksonville's that is just the kind of check down option that quarterbacks love. He shouldn't be drafted, but he could prove to be a solid waiver wire pick-up in weeks 4 or 13 (vs. Houston), or in week 8 against Cleveland.

Josh Scobee

Don't let his quad injury from last year scare you away, he by all appearances has recovered fully and is ready to take his place a possible No.1 fantasy kicker. Let's look at something here. He kicks for a team with a low-risk offense, which means they will take the safe route more often, which means (you guessed it) more field goals. The offense is also on the rise, which only pushes his rising fantasy value even higher.

DEF/ST

Jacksonville's excellent coverage defensive backs allow them to blitz often and effectively, which will lead to plenty of sacks. Amongst those defensive backs are former pro-bowl cornerback Rashean Mathis who is excellent in man-to-man, cornerback Brian Williams, and safety Reggie Nelson. All three are great in coverage and the pass rush will only make their jobs easier.

With the arrival of rookie defensive ends Harvey and Groves, Paul Spicer will have capable pass rushing partners to create a deadly defensive end rotation. The Achilles heel of the defensive line is their inability to shut down the run. The departure of DT Marcus Stroud only makes that more true.

Their linebackers are average outside of MLB Mike Peterson, and his age and past injuries may be finally setting in. He is still a capable linebacker, but won't perform as well as he once did. The outside linebackers are nothing special, but should be sent on enough blitzes to keep opposing quarterbacks worrying.

Their return game consists of basically one player: Maurice Jones-Drew. He is an explosive returner, but may see a more reduced role in the return game as his role in the running game increases. His likely replacement would be Dennis Northcutt, who is decent but nothing special.

The Jaguars could be a No.1 fantasy unit in deeper leagues, but will most likely just miss the cut in a 10 team league.

Top Five Jacksonville Jaguars Fantasy Players

1. Maurice Jones-Drew

2. Fred Taylor

3. David Garrard

4. Reggie Williams

5. Jerry Porter

Bye Week: 7

Fantasy Football Focus: Indianapolis Colts

Russell Ivanac — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:45:27 -0400

The Colts have sat atop of the AFC South for quite a few years now, and some of their players have reaped the fantasy benefits. Quarterback Peyton Manning has been considered one of the best quarterbacks (if not the best) over the last decade.

Running backs Edgerrin James (now with Arizona) and Joseph Addai have enjoyed stellar years. Wide receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne have been solid fantasy producers for years now as well.

By now, you should get the point: The Colts' offense produces fantasy studs.

So it should come as no surprise that many Colts will be flying off of the board in this year's fantasy drafts. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Peyton Manning

Consistency is something that is very valuable in fantasy football, and Manning has it. Only once in the last nine years has he passed for less than 4,000 yards. He has also never thrown less than 26 touchdowns in a season. So you know what you are getting with Manning, a top-tier quarterback.

Despite having one of the league's best offensive lines, a very solid receiving corps, and the ability to pick apart any defense thrown at him, I still have a concern about him.

In July, he had knee surgery to remove an infected bursa sac. It shouldn't be serious, but until he is seen practicing, I can't say that I am sure he will be 100 percent. However, I can say that even if he only gets to 90 percent, it will be still be better than most quarterbacks' 100 percent.

I am probably overreacting to his injury, but the way the Colts are treating Jim Sorgi like a starter and not revealing anything about Manning makes me think there might be more to it than them just being careful. Regardless, he is still a top-three fantasy quarterback.

Joseph Addai/Mike Hart

With defenses focusing on the passing game, Addai has been able to run towards the top of the fantasy world. He has a nose for the end zone and scored in 10 out of the 14 games that he saw significant playing time in.

What was I saying about consistency? Oh yeah, it's valuable, and so is Addai. He is a top-five fantasy running back and will only get better from here.

The only thing that limits Addai's potential is the fact that Indianapolis loves to use their running backs in a platoon fashion. So who will be riding shotgun to Addai this year? My guess is rookie Mike Hart. He is a hard worker with great blocking ability. Is he fast? No, and he has never been accused of such. His horrible 40-yard dash at the NFL combine was a testament to that.

However, he is a shifty runner with good hands, who will probably end up seeing time as a third-down back. He may never become a top-notch running back, but he will be a decent backup. He doesn't hold much fantasy value at the time though, but if he does emerge as Addai's lead backup, that might change.

WR/TE

Reggie Wayne/Marvin Harrison/Anthony Gonzalez/Dallas Clark

Yes, I did just list four receivers (well, three and a tight end), and each of them deserves to be on a fantasy roster this season. With Peyton Manning as their quarterback, any player that can catch the ball becomes a instant scoring threat.

Now, if the one catching the ball has a good amount of skill, he becomes deadly. This is what happened with Harrison, is happening with Wayne, and could happen with Gonzalez.

Wayne is undoubtedly one of the top-three fantasy receivers. He led the league in receiving yards last year with 1,510 yards, and should be around that number this year as well. He won't reach that number again, but he should come close to it, especially if Harrison can't return to form.

Harrison scares me. His offseason legal issues and knee injury from last year aren't the things that make for a productive season. In Harrison's defense, this is really his first issue with injuries or the law.

On the other hand, he is turning 36-years old and it won't be easy to come back from arthroscopic surgery this late in his career.

Head coach Tony Dungy is confident he will be fine, but I have my doubts. The Colts' medical staff is below average and had the worst injury record last year. If you are a gambler, he could be a No. 3 fantasy receiver.

Gonzalez would get a huge fantasy-value boost if Harrison can't return to form, but he will at least be a solid slot receiver. He proved last year that he could be productive, starting opposite Wayne when Harrison got injured.

He is a young and fast receiver with plenty of upside, making him a No. 3 or No. 4 fantasy receiver now.

Clark emerged as Peyton's main red-zone target last season and that should continue this year. In the Colts' offensive game plan, Clark is treated like another talented receiver. He lines up as a slot receiver often and can catch the ball anywhere on the field.

With Utecht gone, Clark may get even more attention. If Manning gets into trouble, he loves to dump the ball off to Clark, giving this top-five fantasy tight end even more value.

Adam Vinatieri

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Vinatieri was once known for nailing clutch game-winning field goals in the playoffs. His most recent achievement? Missing his only three field-goal attempts beyond 39 yards. The only thing keeping his fantasy value above water is the fact that he plays for the Colts. He is a No. 2 fantasy kicker in my eyes and could be nearing the end of his career.

DEF/ST

The Colts' defense is built to keep a lead. They have defensive backs with good range, which fits their Cover-Two system, and a defensive line that puts consistent pressure on the quarterback.

They only have two, big-name playmakers, but they have plenty of role players that know how to do their job.

SS Bob Sanders makes this defense work, and it is no secret that without him, the defense doesn't do nearly as well. He is a vicious hitter that is great in run support and has the anticipation and range to compensate for some of his less-talented counterparts. He is one of the best safeties in the league.

DE Dwight Freeney leads a defensive line that pass-rushes well, but is average at best against the run. He is returning from a foot injury and should be back to his dominant self. Luckily, the defensive line won't have to go against the run too often, as the opposing offense will most likely be playing catch-up most of the game.

Special teams are the Colts' weak point. Their best return man is T.J. Rushing, who is an average punt returner at best and had little success returning kickoffs.

Their special-teams defense is even worse and should lead to opposing teams enjoying good field position and an extra six points. That doesn't stop this unit from being a No. 1 fantasy option, however.

Top Five Indianapolis Colts Fantasy Players

1. Joseph Addai

2. Reggie Wayne

3. Peyton Manning

4. Marvin Harrison

5. Anthony Gonzalez

Bye Week: 4

Fantasy Football Focus: Houston Texans

Russell Ivanac — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:58:55 -0400

Houston seems to have adopted the idea that this year is "playoffs or bust." That won't be a goal easily attained. The Texans will have to beat the Colts and Jaguars in their division, and to do that they will need their below-average defense to improve quite a bit.

An improved running game could also help them reach that goal. Reuniting head coach Gary Kubiak with offensive line guru Alex Gibbs was a great first step. The additions of running backs Chris Brown and rookie Steve Slaton will also help, and could be what ultimately makes their running attack worth mentioning.

Let's look at what other changes they made and how it will affect their fantasy value.

QUARTERBACK

Matt Schaub/Sage Rosenfels

Houston has invested in Schaub and he will be the clear-cut starter this year, but that doesn't mean that he won't be kept on a short leash. Rosenfels filled in for an injured Schaub well last year by throwing for 15 touchdowns and producing very similarly to how Schaub did before he was injured. All that means for this year is that coach Kubiak should feel safe with his quarterback situation and Schaub shouldn't get too comfortable.

Schaub was on pace to have a great year before an injury to his non-throwing shoulder sidelined him. Other than that, he has shown little proof that he can be a top-20 quarterback.

The coaching staff has faith in the inexperienced signal-caller, and some of that trust may come from his great chemistry with top receiver Andre Johnson and his ability to avoid sacks. He's an interesting option, but nothing more than a No. 2 fantasy quarterback at this point.

Rosenfels, on the other hand, has proven to be a professional, better-than-average backup with a killer deep ball. He will be ready to go if Schaub goes down or struggles significantly. He's a solid quarterback, but even if he takes over the starter's role he won't be a solid fantasy option.

RUNNING BACK

Chris Brown/Ahman Green/Steve Slaton

The top-two running backs in Houston can be described in two words: injury prone. Brown and Green just can't seem to stay healthy, and, as a result, will be used in a running back by committee-type of system with fellow backs Steve Slaton and Darius Walker.

Brown is my pick to be the opening-day starter, as he has the most experience outside of Green and fits Houston's zone-blocking, one-cut running scheme. Brown is a power runner who runs inside well and will have his hot streaks, but will more than likely end up with a cast or two on the sidelines by the end of the year.

He makes for an interesting option late in the draft because, if he stays healthy, he can be effective, but that's a big if. He is a No. 5 fantasy back, mostly because of injury concerns.

Green looks to be at the end of his career and Houston will be trying to get one last go out of the banged up veteran. He is coming off of a knee injury last season and most likely won't even be as fast as he was last year. He hold little fantasy value and may end up losing his primary backup job to Slaton.

Slaton is the best back on the team that hasn't been voted "most likely to be on injured reserve." Injuries could put him into the starter's role later in the season. He fits the running scheme at least as well as Brown does and has excellent cutback ability.

On the other hand, he isn't known for breaking tackles and may need to bulk up to fit the starter's role. He could be a good waiver-wire pickup late in the season, but not much else.

WIDE RECEIVER/TIGHT END

Andre Johnson/Kevin Walter/Owen Daniels

Johnson is a legitimate No. 1 fantasy wide receiver if he can stay healthy. A knee injury cut his season short last year, but in the games he did play, he flashed the ability to fit in with the NFL's elite receivers. I imagine the chemistry he developed with Schaub hasn't gone away, which means his production over an entire season could be scary. His injury history is what holds him back from being a household name.

Walter will be catching the passes Schaub doesn't throw to Johnson or Daniels. Too bad for him there won't be too many of those. In contrast to Johnson, he isn't an injury risk, which helps his value to the team.

The 6'3" receiver is the starter opposite of Johnson now, but he will have to compete with Andre' Davis and Jacoby Jones to keep the spot. He probably shouldn't be drafted, but if Johnson goes down he could be a nice pickup.

Daniels has reliable hands and earned the trust of both quarterbacks last season. He's the No. 2 option in the passing game, but won't get as many red-zone looks as Johnson will. The only thing that could hold him back is his below-average blocking ability and above-average amount of false starts. He is probably the best No. 2 fantasy tight end and could make the jump to No. 1 fantasy tight end this year.

KICKERS

Kris Brown

Last year Brown become a long-distance phenom, and will be trying to prove last year wasn't a fluke. His perfect 5-of-5 from beyond 50 yards was his career-best, as was his 57-yard field goal completion. He's an above-average kicker, but isn't more than a No. 2 kicker at the moment.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

Mario Williams established his self as a top-flight defensive end toward the end of last year, and, if this defense is going to be effective, he needs to be. Their secondary is their week point and a good pass rush could help to hide that. Defensive tackle Amobi Okoye also has to do his part against the pass. The rest of their line consists of role players and adequate gap-fillers.

Young middle line backer Demeco Ryans will also play a pivotal role on the defense. He has the ability to be a solid MLB, but the outside linebackers are a different story. The additions of Kevin Bentley and Chaun Thompson could fix that, as could their decision to draft Xavier Adibi. He has a good motor and was very productive in college, but is undersized.

Fred Bennett stepped up when Dunta Robinson got hurt and played like a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback. If he can repeat that performance, he will greatly improve a bad Texans secondary. Their safeties are below average, and C.C. Brown often gets lost in coverage and needs to improve his tackling ability.

Andre' Davis was the second most effective kickoff returner last year and should continue his success this year. Their return coverage unit has also been upgraded and that could lead to even longer returns on kicks and punts.

The unit holds little fantasy value now, but, if certain things fall into place, they could enjoy a hefty fantasy value gain. Don't jump the gun and draft them, but they may be a unit to watch.

Top-Five Houston Texans Fantasy Players

1. Andre Johnson

2. Matt Schaub

3. Chris Brown

4. Owen Daniels

5. Ahman Green

Bye Week: 8

Fantasy Football Focus: Green Bay Packers

Russell Ivanac — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:11:46 -0400

He is retired. He isn't retired. He is being traded. He isn't being traded.

And so the soap opera continues. You-know-who is back in Green Bay for now, and it should be obvious that he has made an impact on the team's fantasy value at almost every position.

The Green Bay Packers are a solid team with or without the media's biggest meal ticket to date. Whether or not he starts for the Packers will not affect their team's success too much, but it will affect their fantasy value.

Aaron Rodgers/Brett Favre

Will Favre really be coming into camp as the backup? Does anyone else find it hard to believe that he could possibly be the backup? If he does stay with Green Bay, he will start, but I think he will be kept on a short leash and any struggles could result in Rodgers going under center.

Either way, Favre coming back to the Packers hurts Rodgers' fantasy value, and Rodgers being around could hurt Favre's fantasy value. Unless he does get traded.

Let's assume that Rodgers wins the starting job for a second. It would mean shorter passes and more bootlegs, which would mean less fantasy production from the receivers. Rodgers showed plenty of ability behind center, but he also showed an inability to stay healthy.

He was injured in two of the three games that he saw significant playing time. He is still a decent No.2 fantasy quarterback in this scenario, but if Favre sticks around, Rodgers' fantasy value doesn't.

If Favre sticks with the Packers, the receivers will be the biggest beneficiaries. He throws the ball down field more than Rodgers and takes more risks. Don't forget that he will be entering his 18th year in the league and more than likely won't be able to reproduce his surprisingly high number of touchdowns and yards last year. He is a solid No. 2 fantasy quarterback, as long as he is starting, even if it isn't in Green Bay.

Ryan Grant/Brandon Jackson

Teams will more than likely be focusing more on stopping the run now that Grant has proven he can be effective. That will be especially true if Rodgers is the starter. Regardless, it will be interesting to see what Grant can do with a full season of carries as the starter behind a very solid offensive line.

Grant briefly held out in order to get a new contract, and with his new contract in hand, he should be ready to have a solid season. He has great acceleration and makes good decisions while running, which usually results in him getting into the open field, where he can really showcase his abilities.

Green Bay will be leaning on Grant this season, and you can depend on him being a fringe No. 1 fantasy back.

Jackson had a disappointing rookie campaign last year and is looking to bounce back and cement himself as Grant's backup. Grant's holdout could have helped him do that because Jackson has looked impressive in camp, filling in Grant's role.

If he can improve his blocking skills, then he could fight off sharing carries with fellow backups Vernand Morency and DeShawn Wynn. No real fantasy value here, unless Grant struggles a lot.

WR/TE

Greg Jennings/Donald Driver/Donald Lee

Both Jennings and Driver will see an increase in their fantasy values if Favre does take back the starter's job. Both are also tremendous route runners and will be a big part of the offense.

Jennings looks to be the better fantasy option, as he has more big-play potential and is more athletic than the aging Driver. At 5'11" inches, Jennings shouldn't be such a tremendous deep threat.

The quickster is though, and had the best yards-after-catch average out of the top-30 receivers in the league last year as a result. He also has the ability to juke defenders out of their jock straps, making him a solid No. 2 fantasy WR.

Driver's best days are behind him, but he still has enough left in the tank to be a solid slot receiver and possibly break 1,000-yards receiving once again. He isn't that tall (6'0") and isn't as fast as he used to be, but he won't have the same pressure on him that he used to. He is a decent No. 3 fantasy receiver and would love to see Favre behind center.

Tight end Donald Lee may be the only receiver that will put up better stats if Rodgers is the starter. Lee could develop into a nice security outlet for Rogers, which would obviously increase his value. Regardless, he should keep getting the same four to five catches that he did all last year.

He is a good downfield threat as well, boasting a 6.0 yards-per-catch average last year. He is a No. 2 fantasy tight-end now, but if Rogers starts, he could end up being a fringe No. 1 guy.

Mason Crosby

Crosby led all kickers in fantasy scoring last year, but don't expect him to repeat that feat this year. The cold weather in Green Bay will work against him. He did make three of his five field goals of 50 or more yards last year, so he has proven he can make the long ones. He won't be the best this year, but he will be a No. 1 fantasy option.

DEF/ST

The strength of Green Bay's defense is their front seven. Their defensive line is led by DE Aaron Kampman, who led the league in quarterback hurries and ranked second in quarterback hits. The line does a good job of disrupting runs, but their strength is their depth, which keeps them fresh through the entire game.

MLB Nick Barnett is a great overall linebacker and arguably one of the best against the run. OLB A.J. Hawk is a great open-field tackler and has improved his coverage ability, which was one of his weak points. Their linebackers are their strongest unit and could be one of the better linebacking corps in the NFL.

Two aging ball-hawks (Al Harris and Charles Woodson) anchor the Packer’s defensive backfield. They will get their fair share of interceptions this year, and more than their fair share of penalties.

The Packer's defense led the league in defensive pass interference penalties (13) and all of them were against their defensive backs. SS Atari Bigby is a hard-hitting run stopper, but is average at best in coverage, along with the rest of Green Bay's safeties.

Their return game will improve with the arrival of rookie receiver Jordy Nelson. He will most likely take over as the punt returner, considering his college success at the position (five punt-return touchdowns).

He may see some time on kickoffs as well, but so may Wynn and Jackson. The return game isn't spectacular, but it should be well above average, leading me to believe that this unit will be a No. 1 fantasy defense.

Top Five Green Bay Packers Fantasy Players

1. Ryan Grant

2. Greg Jennings

3. Donald Driver

4. Brett Favre

5. Donald Lee

Bye Week: 8

Fantasy Football Focus: Dallas Cowboys

Russell Ivanac — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:34:47 -0400

"America's team" only lost three games in the regular season last year, and they have only gotten better. Their quarterback is continuing to prove that he wasn't just a flash in the pan, their defense got two upgrades with linebacker Zach Thomas and cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, and they keep finding new ways to keep injuries from hurting them.

So how do you improve on a 13-3 season? By going to the Super Bowl.

Dallas has four players that rank amongst the top-five fantasy players at their position, and each one's success will only help the others. With that, let's take a look at them.

Tony Romo

The risk-taking gunslinger is gearing up for another year at the helm of Dallas' high-flying offense. Romo likes to throw the deep ball and the more comfortable he gets behind center, the more he does it. You can expect that in his third year of significant playing time, he will be throwing the deep ball even more than last year.

What is most surprising about Romo is his ability to avoid the rush. He isn't afraid to scramble to make a play, and he doesn't go down easy. That may mean a few more fumbles, but it also means more passing yards and a few more touchdowns throws.

Even though he really only has two receiving threats outside of the running backs, he will be a top-five fantasy quarterback. Where to take him in the draft will most likely be based on where Peyton Manning gets picked.

Marion Barber/Felix Jones

With the departure of Julius Jones and the arrival of rookie Felix Jones, it appears that the Cowboys finally have that "Thunder and Lightning" combo they have wanted for some time now. Neither will get full-time carries, but both will enjoy staying healthy and fresh.

Barber fills the role of "Thunder", with his hard-hitting style and relentless ability to break tackles and pick up those few extra yards. He hasn't reached 1,000-yards rushing yet, but with him taking the lead role, I would put money on the fact that he will this season.

He is viscous near the goal line, too, so you can count on plenty of touchdowns as well. He is a solid No.1 fantasy running back, even with Jones taking some of his carries.

Jones fits the "Lightning" role well, as he has good speed and agility, with plenty of big-play potential. He excelled while playing in a similar time-share philosophy with Darren McFadden last year, which should make his transition to the NFL that much easier.

Even though he is rumored to have gained Emmitt Smith as a tutor, he won't get too many touchdowns, and that limits his fantasy potential. He is a good No.4 fantasy back, with plenty of upside, especially in keeper leagues.

WR/TE

Terrell Owens/Patrick Crayton/Jason Witten

Owens can be a drama queen and a distraction. He also can be a very talented receiver. As long as that last one is true, he will have a spot amongst fantasy football's top receivers.

He does lead the league in drops over the past two years, but Romo loves to throw to him and he is killer in the red zone.

He is a No.1 fantasy receiver on any team and probably the second-best fantasy receiver in the league.

Crayton is a No.3 receiver stuck in a No.2 receiver's role. That isn't to say that he won't put up decent numbers. He will most likely fare as well as he did last year, making him a No. 4 receiver at least.

He is a complementary receiver at best and will get the majority of his looks when Owens and Witten are both heavily covered.

Witten could be the best all-around tight end in the league. Unfortunately, that doesn't always translate into being the best fantasy tight end. He is the second option on almost all pass plays in Dallas, which means he will get plenty of looks. He and Romo showed a lot of chemistry last year, and as a result, Witten reeled in 96 receptions.

He is a No.1 fantasy tight end, and should be considered one of the top two or three fantasy tight ends in the league.

Nick Folk

You couldn't ask for better conditions for a kicker. Artificial turf, a dome, and an explosive offense. Toss in the fact that Folk is a young, talented kicker, and you have a deadly combination. Yes, he only made two of his five kicks of 50 or more yards, but that pales in comparison to the amount of field goals and extra points he will kick this year.

He is a No.1 fantasy kicker and is the preseason favorite to lead all kickers in points.

DEF/ST

The 'Boys will be putting up plenty of points this year, which will put their opponents in plenty of "must-pass" situations. Luckily, Dallas has one the better defensive backfields in the league. Terrence Newman, new addition Adam Jones, and rookie Mike Jenkins will ensure that each of the top-three receivers on the opposing team will have a long day.

SS Roy Williams seems to be their week spot in the passing game, even though he is a former Pro-Bowler.

Their 3-4 defensive scheme yielded a lot of sacks last year (46) and should do more of the same this year. Linebacker DeMarcus Ware is a great pass rusher and will get his fair share of tackles and sacks. Their lack of a true anchor at nose tackle is their weak point against the run, but Williams' support against the run will help to hide it.

The only chance that their return game has at making a serious impact is if Adam Jones or Felix Jones emerge as a solid option. Both are agile return men, but may not be used for risk of injury.

Felix saw time as a return man in college and did well. If he can translate his college success into NFL success, the unit may rise in value from their current top-10 fantasy defense standing.

You will most likely be able to wait a bit and pick them up later in the draft and get the same, if not similar, production as the top defenses.

Top-Five Dallas Cowboys Fantasy Players

1. Marion Barber

2. Terrell Owens

3. Tony Romo

4. Jason Witten

5. Patrick Crayton

Bye Week: 10

Fantasy Football Focus: Cleveland Browns

Russell Ivanac — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:50:10 -0400

Cleveland came from the depths of the standings and became a playoff contender in just one short year, but how will it translate this season?

Their offense has gone mostly unchanged and the defense has supposedly gotten better, so I would assume most of that success will translate well into 2008 —and bring plenty of fantasy success.

Just to be sure, let's take a closer look.

Derek Anderson/Brady Quinn

There is little doubt that Anderson will retain his starting job this season after his tremendous 2007 break-out campaign. However, there is a bit of doubt that he will reproduce his success this season. He has the weapons to do well, but if he struggles it could be Quinn using them instead.

Anderson has always had accuracy problems and was a streaky performer in his only season of considerable playing time. Yes, he did have three games where he completed more than 68 percent of his passes, but he also had three games where he completed less than 50 percent of them.

Anderson's biggest struggle will be to produce more consistently. If he can do that, he will hold off Quinn for this year at least.

Quinn has been given plenty of time to learn the system and should have very few excuses if he steals the reigns during the season. He has a strong arm with good velocity that seems to fit perfectly with the team's receivers Edwards and Stallworth. In his short NFL playing time, he showed a tendency to throw a lot of mid-range passes, which would be good news for Winslow if he does take over.

Jamal Lewis/Jason Wright

If they learned anything from last year, they will be running to the left a lot this season. Defenses could counter by putting more defenders on the left side, but the Brown's passing game should keep defenses honest with the risk of getting burned with a deep pass.

Lewis is the uncontested starting running back and will be taking up his usual workhorse role this season as well. Don't expect him to reproduce his numbers from last year, but a few less yards and one or two less touchdowns is far from out of the question.

If he stays healthy he will put up another year of over 1000 yards and a yards per carry average of over four. I'd call him a No.2 fantasy running back and a solid one at that.

Wright will only become relevant to the fantasy world if Lewis gets hurt and misses a significant amount of time. He didn't show much as a rusher last year but looked impressive catching the ball out of the backfield. Cleveland will more than likely use him as an extra receiving option—his lack of ability as a blocker might limit his playing time.

WR/TE

Braylon Edwards/Donte' Stallworth/Kellen Winslow

The Browns have one of the better receiving corps in the league now, but up until signing Stallworth they had no real No.2 receiver. And, veteran Joe Jurevicius will more than likely start the season on the physically unable to perform list.

Luckily the Browns didn't focus too much on receivers not named Edwards or Winslow last year, and that probably won't change much this year.

Edwards is coming off a great season and has established a great reputation with Anderson. Should you be concerned with his high number of drops last year? Don't put too much stock into it, he is being targeted a lot and will catch way more than he drops.

He is capable of making the highlight reel on "SportsCenter" every time the ball comes his way and has the size and speed to contend with any defensive back in the league. He is a top-five fantasy receiver this year and for a long time to come.

Stallworth is coming off a unexpectedly poor season in New England, but in his defense Brady hasn't been known for helping receivers to fantasy stardom (excluding Randy Moss last year). He has always shown a good ability to gain yards after the catch and will improve on his numbers from last year. Look for him to be a No.3 or No.4 fantasy receiver.

Winslow is one of the most athletic tight ends in the league when he is healthy. With Edwards and Stallworth stretching the field, Winslow will have the middle of the field all to himself and will rack up enough yards to be a top fantasy tight end. Add in the fact that he will most likely emerge as Cleveland's best red-zone option and you have a top-three fantasy tight end on your hands.

Phil Dawson

Almost nobody benefits from Cleveland's offensive surge than Dawson. He will be kicking plenty of extra points this year—unfortunately they only count for one point. He is 7 of 9 from beyond 50 yards in his career and proved last year that he can make kicks in bad weather. He will be a fantasy starter this year, you can count on that.

DEF/ST

Cleveland's 3-4 defensive scheme means that their pass rush depends heavily on their linebackers. Luckily they have Kamerion Wimbley—a relentless rusher that started to learn how to shed double teams after being double and even triple teamed at times all last year. He showed an ability to reach the passer through that last year even though he recorded six less sacks than the previous year.

Their secondary is a bit of a sore spot, and the loss of their starting corner Leigh Bodden didn't help that. With their offense scoring plenty of points, team will be passing against them a lot and scoring often. However, if Eric Wright emerges as a legit starting corner that could change.

Their run defense will be dependent on their new nose tackle, Shaun Rogers. If he stays healthy or isn't on the sideline with an oxygen tank, he could plug up enough holes to anchor their defensive line.

He can be dominant when he wants to be, but his drive and endurance have been in question for some time now. If he proves the doubters wrong, Cleveland will get a monster of a run-stopper. If.

Josh Cribbs is the best return man outside of Chicago's Devin Hester. Opposing teams started to take notice of this towards the end of last year and started treating him like Hester. The result? More squib kicks and punts out of bounds. That also means better field position for the offense.

He will make an impact on special teams, and could take this unit to the next level. They are a No.2 defensive unit right now, but they have a good amount of upside with Cribbs in the fold.

Top Five Cleveland Browns Fantasy Players

1. Braylon Edwards

2. Jamal Lewis

3. Derek Anderson

4. Kellen Winslow

5. Donte' Stallworth

Bye Week: 5

Fantasy Football Focus: Cincinnati Bengals

Russell Ivanac — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:04:17 -0400

Winning only seven games isn't something that should be expected from a team with as much talent as the Bengals. The problem is that all of their talent is on the offensive side of the ball.

That's bad news for Bengals fans, but it is good news for fantasy football fans. They have an explosive offense with arguably the best receiving tandem in the NFL when "ocho-cinco" isn't being "ocho-stinko".

They have revamped their defensive front seven and are looking to turn around a declining franchise before it falls too far. So how does that affect their fantasy value?

Carson Palmer

Palmer has done a great job of staying healthy over the past three years, and has put up solid fantasy numbers each of those years. There is a trend to his success though, in each of the last three years he has thrown for more yards than the previous year, but fewer touchdowns. That trend will more than likely continue this season.

Palmer completes a high percentage of his passes and is a smart passer despite leading the league in interceptions (20) last season. Don't put too much stock in that though since it was the only time he has thrown over 15 interceptions since his rookie season

The defense is notorious for their bad pass coverage, which will lead to high scoring games where Palmer rakes in the fantasy points (i.e. September 16, 2007 @ Cleveland)

Rudi Johnson/Kenny Watson

Odds are that the Bengals' running game will be overlooked by opposing defenses in favor of defending against the pass. It could also be overlooked because neither backs performed up to starting running back standards last year. Injuries held back Johnson, and Watson doesn't have enough speed. As a tandem however, they can be solid.

If Johnson can bounce back to his 2005 or 2006 self, he will be a steal in the draft. It is more probable however that he will split time with Watson and be a solid No.3 fantasy back. He is better in short yardage situations than Watson is, which will most likely lead to more goal line carries and touchdowns.

Watson fits the role of a third down back relatively well due to his reliable hands. On the other hand, he struggled with third down running situations last season. If he improves on that, or Rudi gets hurt, his fantasy value will increase. As it stands, he can be considered a No. 4 or No. 5 fantasy back.

WR/TE

Chad Johnson/T.J. Houshmandzadeh/Ben Utecht

Johnson and Housh are a tremendous "1-2 punch". Johnson is the deep threat while T.J. is a great possession receiver. That isn't to say that each one couldn't do the other, but it is what they are best at.

Johnson typically gains more yards than Housh, but brings in less touchdowns. As a result Chad has less fantasy value. His lingering ankle injury could reduce his value further, but probably not much if at all. I would consider him one of the best No.2 receivers in fantasy football, but if he won't put up top ten fantasy receiver points.

Housh on the other hand, will put up top ten fantasy receiver points. He seems to have developed a good reputation with Palmer and has very reliable hands. He is also in a contract year, and will be playing for a big time deal.

With defenses focusing on those two, who do you think will get the looks when they are double covered? Utecht is tall (6'6") and proved he can be an effective receiver with the Colts. He is a No. 2 fantasy tight end right now, but he has a ton of upside. If you have room on your roster in the last few rounds, he might end up being a steal.

Shayne Graham

You will be hard pressed to find a kicker who has preformed so consistently at such a high level of play. He isn't know for having a strong leg, but he is accurate and will get plenty of opportunities this season like he always does. He is definitely one of the top three kickers and should be drafted as such.

DEF/ST

The Bengals defense was one of the worst in the league last year, which prompted the team to improve their front seven. Their biggest additions were defensive ends Antwan Odom and Robert Geathers who were each tied for third in the league with 19 quarterback hurries last year.

Too bad that Odom was injured in the team's first practice. The details of the injury haven't been revealed yet.

Their secondary has been very weak in coverage, but young starting corners Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph are looking to improve on their horrible 2007 season. The best thing you can say about the secondary is that SS Dexter Jackson still blitzes well, just don't expect him to defend the pass.

Rookie linebacker Keith Rivers could make an impact once he is signed. He is a great pass rusher and will help create pressure on the quarterback, which will help their below average secondary.

Their return game could surprise some people. Glenn Holt emerged as their main return man last year and took a kick return 100 yards for six points, his only of the year. He also gained more return yards (1432) than Devin Hester (934) on kick-offs, and had a higher yards per kick-off return average (24.27 compared to Hester's 21.72).

Even if he repeats that performance, it won't be enough to put the Bengals defense on the fantasy map.

Top Five Cincinnati Bengals Fantasy Players

1. T.J. Houshmandzadeh

2. Chad Johnson

3. Carson Palmer

4. Rudi Johnson

5. Shayne Graham

Bye Week: 5

Fantasy Football Focus: Chicago Bears

Russell Ivanac — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 11:32:04 -0400

It is no secret that the NFC North is a weak division.

That makes it mean even more when I say that the Chicago Bears will most likely come in last in their division. They have one of the worst offenses in the league, and injuries tore apart their defense last year.

Devin Hester is one of the most electrifying players in the NFL, but heed these words, Hester will not do as well this year. With that warning, Let's look at the rest of the team.

Rex Grossman/Kyle Orton

Neither is a very good option as a starting quarterback and neither will be getting very good protection from their offensive line this season. I'll tell you up front that you shouldn't be looking for anything fantasy-wise from the passing game in Chicago.

Grossman looks like the favorite to win the starting job right now over Orton. He has a stronger arm than Orton and usually passes the ball better. If Hester gets more involved in the passing game, look for Grossman to throw a few long-balls his way.

Orton is considered the better decision maker of the two, but doesn't have a very good completion rate. He is confident, but confidence only gets you so far. In his case it will get him as far as holding a clipboard.

Matt Forte/Kevin Jones

The focus of their offense will be the running backs. They will be looking to run a lot and when they have to pass, they like to throw to their backs coming out of the backfield. Their running backs may not be up to they challenge however.

Forte is a rookie with plenty of upside, but no NFL experience and a bit of an injury history. He is a power back and fits their power running scheme, but don't look for him to break off many long runs. He does get added value for having great hands out of the backfield. He could be a number three back on most fantasy teams.

Jones, on the other hand, has more experience and more of an injury history. He can be an elite running back when healthy, but that is something he has struggled to do since he came into the league.

He needs time to heal and get to 100 percent before taking on too much of a role in the offense. If he isn't rushed back, he could be a decent pick-up late in the season.

WR/TE

Devin Hester/Marty Booker/Desmond Clark/Greg Olsen

Clark and Olsen are probably the best two receivers on the team, which leads me to believe they will be using plenty of two tight end sets this year. Having both tight ends on the field helps the running game and pass protection as well.

Olsen looks to be the better receiving and red-zone threat, as he is more athletic and has a ton of upside. Clark is currently the starter, but might get pushed into more of a blocking role despite his down field ability.

Hester shows the most fantasy promise out of their receiving corps. So why do I think he will have a down year?

Let's look at what has happened so far. He held out for a brief period, came to camp, got hurt, then got a four-year deal. Smells like a let down in the making to me. Coach Lovie Smith has said he wants to get Hester more involved in the offense though, which could mean more individual fantasy value for him than in past year.

Booker will more than likely emerge as the No.1 receiver on the depth chart, but that gives him about as much value as most other third receivers. If you are looking to fill a roster spot with him, you must be desperate. He has a little speed left, but not much else.

Robbie Gould

Let's start out with two quick facts. He has never made a kick over 50 yards and he has never missed a kick under 30 yards in his NFL career. Don't look at his stats from 2006 and expect him to put up similar numbers. This offense is declining and taking Gould's fantasy value with it. Don't overestimate him.

DEF/ST

Let's get this out of the way first. Chicago has a very talented defense. That said, I would advise against treating them like a top-five fantasy unit. Why? They have a fast paced offense that will have plenty of "three and outs," which means the defense will be on the field a lot.

Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs lead what could be the best linebacking group in the league. Their safeties on the other hand are a point of weakness outside of SS Mike Brown. Injuries plagued the defense last year, and if that happens again the Bears won't be winning very often.

Hester will still be the premier return man of the NFL, but he won't put up the same numbers he did last year. The also Bears lost some of their special team players that helped give Hester clear lanes to run through, including Brendon Ayanbadejo, who made the pro-bowl the last two years as a blocking a coverage specialist.

Top Five Chicago Bears Fantasy Players

1. Bears D/ST

2. Robbie Gould

3. Matt Forte

4. Greg Olsen

5. Devin Hester

Bye Week: 8

Fantasy Football Focus: Buffalo Bills

Russell Ivanac — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:50:21 -0400

The young Bills squad was one game away from .500 last season, and have only gotten better. Their biggest weakness last year was defense, and that is one of the things they improved during the offseason by bringing in DT Marcus Stroud and LB Kawika Mitchell.

So what impact does it have on their players' fantasy value? You may be surprised.

Trent Edwards/J.P. Losman

Edwards is the starter here, and in their system, that means two things. Three-step drops and plenty of short routes. Hardly the ingredients to fantasy success. The fact that they run a lot doesn't help things either.

On the bright side, opposing defenses will be focusing more on stopping their running game than their passing game. Probably because that is where the talent really is. It will take some pressure off of him, and could result in the occasional big play or two. Nothing consistent enough to warrant a draft pick though.

Losman will steal some snaps from Edwards this year, but not enough to get any fantasy value this year. He is less than happy to be in Buffalo, and unless he sheds his attitude, he won't be making enough progress to take the starting role. He does have a stronger arm though, which would make Lee Evans' owners smile.

Marshawn Lynch/Fred Jackson

This guy has got talent. Unfortunately it isn't the only thing he has. Lynch is staring down a potential penalty from the league, resulting from his hit-and-run incident during the offseason, which he pled guilty to.

If he doesn't miss any games, he will be worth a late first-round pick this year. Buffalo is not one of the teams that have jumped on the "running back by committee" bandwagon, and that only helps Lynch's value. They also love to run the ball, and Lynch's powerful running style and good open-field moves will make them love it that much more.

If Lynch does miss games, look for Jackson to step up in a big way. In the two games that he carried the ball 15 or more times, he ran for 82 and 115 yards, respectively. He also showed great hands out of the backfield. He would be a prime example of what you would call a "super sleeper".

WR/TE

Lee Evans/James Hardy/Robert Royal

There is no doubt that Evans is the No. 1 guy in Buffalo, but it is hard to ignore Hardy's height. He is seven inches taller than Evans and most of Buffalo's other receivers. Hardy is a rookie, but he looks like just the thing the Bills needed to solve their red-zone troubles.

His legal troubles could ruin him though; pointing a gun at your father (allegedly) can do that.

Evans is a solid deep threat, but hardly a solid producer of fantasy points. Many people say that last year was a down year for him after a great 2006 season. On the contrary, 2006 was an exceptionally good year for him.

2006 was the first and only time that he broke 850 yards receiving. Look for more of the same next year, which still makes him a decent No. 2 receiver or a great No. 3 receiver.

If you are looking in Buffalo for a tight end, you must be desperate. Royal has been widely considered a "blocking" tight end for most of his career. There have been talks that it could change this year, with him becoming an every-down player, but there was a reason he gained that label. No fantasy value here.

Rian Lindell

Here's a newsflash: It's cold in Buffalo. That doesn't bode well for any kicker, but Lindell is making the best of it. Although he has only made over 24 field goals once in eight seasons, he is surprisingly accurate with kicks over 50 yards. He has seven of eight over the past three seasons.

He has little fantasy value, as there are many more kickers that get a lot more attempts and in better weather, too.

DEF/ST

You would think that the cold weather would help against the pass. Well, it might have if teams would have been forced to pass against them. Last year, their run defense was horrible, but the addition of Stroud and Mitchell should help change that.

Their defensive backs still aren't very good, and that won't be changing any time soon. Their 238.4 passing yards against per game average was the fourth worst in the league last year.

Their return game features Roscoe Parrish, who is a quick and agile, young, return man that lacks enough size to contribute too much on offense. That will let him focus on returning kicks, which could help him improve on his one return touchdown last year.

Call them a sleeper if you want, but unless the offense becomes a solid ball-control offense, and Parrish takes himself to the next level, there isn't too much value here outside of a bye-week filler.

Top Five Buffalo Bills Fantasy Players

1. Marshawn Lynch

2. Lee Evans

3. James Hardy

4. Trent Edwards

5. Fred Jackson

Bye Week: Six

Fantasy Football Focus: Atlanta Falcons

Russell Ivanac — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:57:12 -0400

The Atlanta Falcons have the potential to be the worst team in terms of fantasy production this season. They are a team that is currently rebuilding at almost every position, and they're coming off of a 4-12 season.

The offensive line is shaky at best, the defense is one of the worst in the league, and all of their hopes have been put in young unproven players like Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Roddy White. So what do they have to offer for fantasy owners?

Let's see.

Chris Redman/Matt Ryan

Redman will most likely be the starter at the beginning of the season. It is just as likely that he is only holding Ryan's place behind center. Neither of them has any real experience, but Redman will get the inside track because of his relative success at the end of last year.

No matter who starts, you won't want to come near them unless you are absolutely desperate for a backup quarterback in a 12-team league. Stay away this year.

Michael Turner/Jerious Norwood

If you are going to find fantasy value in Atlanta, it will be in the backfield. That said, don't overestimate Turner's talent. He has been a career backup and has only run behind a solid offensive line with low expectations. The expectations are way higher and the offensive line is way worse.

On the bright side, he most likely won't fumble the ball often. He has only fumbled twice on 228 carries.

Norwood was bumped to third-down duties with the arrival of Turner, which actually may be a better fit for him. He catches the ball out of the backfield very well (28 receptions for 277 yards). Little fantasy value though, as Turner is the more powerful back and will get most of the goal-line touches.

WR/TE

Roddy White/Laurent Robinson/Martrez Milner

White is an interesting option. He should be solid No. 2 or three receiver on any fantasy team because, let's face it, someone has to catch the passes right? White is a great deep threat, and teams that are down a lot like to throw the ball a lot.

Look for him to produce in the second half of games, while his team is playing catch-up. One more thing: He had a 14.5 YPC average last year (lowest in his career). Do you know who else had that average? Reggie Wayne. Just something to think about.

Robinson could emerge as the second receiver. If he does, look for him to use his 4.38 speed to get open a few times a game. He won't be consistent, but there may be games where he looks good. Wait and see, but don't draft.

Milner may have 4.65 speed and plenty of athleticism, but he has never been considered as an offensive target and has a reputation for dropping the ball. I don't see any of that changing this year. Little to no fantasy value here.

Jason Elam

Big name, small stats. Elam is years removed from his 63-yard field goals, but he is still automatic from inside of 40 yards (37/37 over the last two years). Too bad this offense probably won't be getting him in that range too much this year.

DEF/ST

I will say this once. Do not come anywhere near this defense. They were not good last year, and have since lost their best player to the Raiders (DeAngelo Hall). Michael Boley is the lone bright spot, but he can't do it all. Fellow linebacker Keith Brooking is past his prime and hasn't forced a turnover in two years now. Their return game isn't anything special, so don't look for some kind of silver lining there.

Top Five Atlanta Falcons Fantasy players

1. Michael Turner

2. Roddy White

3. Jerious Norwood

4. Matt Ryan

5. Laurent Robinson

Bye Week: 7

Daunte Culpepper and Takeo Spikes, Destined for Detroit?

Russell Ivanac — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 07:13:56 -0400

Mike O'Hara of the Detroit News is reporting that the Lions have recently been in contact with former pro-bowl quarterback Daunte Culpepper and former pro-bowl linebacker Takeo Spikes. However, the proposition of signing with the Lions came about differently for each player.

Culpepper contacted the Lions himself via a phone call. He is currently acting as his own agent and must have exhausted most of his resources already—the Lions are not a team in need of a veteran quarterback.

The Lions don't have a solid offensive line either, which isn't something an injury prone quarterback should be looking for in a new team.

It wouldn't hurt to bring Culpepper into camp however. Current starter Jon Kitna isn't getting any younger and back-ups Drew Stanton and Dan Orlovsky have no NFL experience to speak of. If Kitna gets injured this season, the Lions don't have a solid back-up plan. Signing Culpepper could help change that.

Spikes on the other hand was contacted by Detroit and recently visited the team. Spikes also has injury issues, but would be a useful addition to a primarily young linebacker corps.

Spikes could play outside linebacker opposite of Ernie Sims, which would let Paris Lenon and rookie Jordon Dizon split time playing middle linebacker. This would give the Lions plenty of speed on the outside and give Dizon more time to adjust before starting full time.

Spikes would be a great fit for Detroit, and is one of the best free agents currently available. Culpepper may not fit as well, but an extra arm during training camp can't be a bad thing.

My advice? Sign Spikes and soon. At worst he gives Detroit a better back-up. At best he becomes a solid defensive contributor, something the Lions definitely could use. As far as Culpepper goes, I'd say try him out and see if he doesn't have something left to give.

LaMont Jordan: Will This Raider Be the Newest Detroit Lion?

Russell Ivanac — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:02:40 -0400

ESPN.com's Bill Williamson has reported that current Oakland Raiders running back LaMont Jordan has met with the Detroit Lions in what appears to be a pre-trade visit.

LaMont Jordan is currently buried on the Raiders' depth chart behind Justin Fargas, recently drafted Darren McFadden and former college star Michael Bush, making him more than expendable. Once you add in the fact that he has a contract more befitting a starting running back, not a possible third-down back at best, it makes it even more clear that he is on his way out.

Jordan is a bit of an injury risk, though, and that will drop his trade value even more. So what would Detroit have to give up to get him? Practically nothing, in my view. What leverage do the Raiders have? They have a a banged-up, 29-year-old backup with a big contract. On the bright side, he does have a consistent 3.8 yards per carry for the last three years.

The trade would help Detroit's running game as it would add another pair of legs to take some pressure off of current starter Tatum Bell, who hasn't proven he can run the ball effectively outside of Denver, and rookie Kevin Smith, who was drafted in the third round this year. Jordan would more than likely be used as a change-of-pace or third-down back in Detroit if the trade happens.

The bottom line is that the Lions need help running the ball and the Raiders need to get rid of Jordan. It works out for both teams, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the deal go down before the week's end. I only hope that the Lions don't get swindled in this deal like they have in the past, like when they got their current starter, Tatum Bell.

NFL: Five Overlooked Free Agents

Russell Ivanac — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:58:26 -0400

Training camp is almost here and plenty of teams are looking to fill the last few holes in their depth charts. Some teams have bigger holes to fill than others, and those teams have to realize that at this point certain risks need to be taken.

So let's dig deep into the depths of what is left of the free agency pool and scrape together five players that could be just the extra push your team needs.

LeCharles Bentley Center/Offensive Guard 28 years old

It really amazes me that nobody has signed him yet. Yes, Bentley hasn't played in a game since 2005 and his previous staph infection that followed his patella tendon injury raises plenty of flags, but he has been given plenty off time to recover and used to be a premier lineman in the NFL just two years ago.

Here is my advice to any NFL team that isn't 100 percent set at Center and Guard—sign him, take him into camp, and see what he can do.

The worst thing that could happen is that you realize he isn't back to his old form and then you can cut him. The alternative is that he returns to a slightly worse version of his former pro-bowl caliber self.

By now, he has to realize a big contract isn't coming his way. I expect him to sign soon with a mainly incentive based contract or a one-year deal with little money guaranteed. I could see teams like Detroit, Kansas City, Carolina, and Chicago all benefiting from signing him.

Kevin Jones Running Back 25 years old

He is the top available running back on my list. Jones is still young and if he stays healthy he could have quite a few years left in the league as a platoon back. That's just the thing though—Jones can't stay healthy.

I blame it primarily on the fact that he has been in Detroit running with a bad line and no back-up to mention. Jones has drive and can push a pile when running in short yardage situations. He won't be leaving the NFL anytime soon. He is too determined to just fade away.

What team doesn't need another running back? He will be signed as a back-up and that is just what the doctor ordered for Mr. Jones. Being a back-up will take some of the wear and tear of everyday running away from him. Cleveland, Philadelphia, Arizona, and Buffalo could be great fits for Kevin as they each have a set starter, weak back-ups and a better line to run with than he is used to.

Takeo Spikes Linebacker 31 years old

Let's get the bad things about him out of the way first. He is past his prime. He is injury prone and one major injury away from retirement. He is four years removed from two straight pro-bowl seasons.

So why take more than one look at him? Experience, leadership, and he can still be a presence on blitzing plays and against runs to the outside. His experience could also help a young line backing corps develop.

An extra linebacker usually isn't a bad thing to have and Spikes still has a few years left in him to be a decent starter or very solid back-up. Detroit, New Orleans, San Francisco, and St. Louis could each use him to help fill their gaping linebacker holes.

Outside of Patrick Willis, the 49ers don't have much and the same goes for Detroit with Ernie Sims and New Orleans with injury prone Jonathan Vilma.

Shaun Alexander Running Back 30 years old

He is falling and falling fast. The 2005 MVP caught my attention earlier in the offseason and prompted me to write this article. Not much has changed since then.

The Bengals still have questionable backs in Rudi Johnson and Kenny Watson. If Rudi goes down again, they will have to rely on Watson to be the starter again and that didn't work out great for the Bengals last year.

If Chad Johnson continues to be Chad, then Cincinnati may end up running the ball more and a change of scenery may help reignite what little is left of his once great career.

Chicago is another option simply because they have become desperate for a good running back recently with the departure of Cedric Benson and lack of performance from the other Adrian Peterson.

Denver could be a home for him after losing Travis Henry. He could be a good back-up to Selvin Young and would benefit from Denver's strong running attack like most any other back that has passed through their system.

Kenoy Kennedy Strong Safety 30 years old

I'll admit that Kenoy probably shouldn't be a starter in the NFL because of his coverage skills and his occasional bouts with poor play recognition. That said, he can be a good back-up somewhere and still is as physical and hits as hard as he always has.

Special teams immediately comes to mind as a perfect role for him. He is one of the best if not the best defensive back still out there and depth on defense has never been a bad thing to have.

The best situation for him would be to land in Dallas. It's a long shot, but the declining play of their current strong safety, Roy Williams could cause them to go after another safety.

He could give Williams the occasional breather so that the former pro-bowler could possibly regain some of defensive magic. Other teams such as St. Louis and Chicago who need depth at safety could also benefit from giving him a look in training camp.

Open Mic: Mike Ilitch, The King of Detroit

Russell Ivanac — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:27:10 -0400

-The Detroit Red Wings (2007-2008 Stanley Cup Champions)

-The Detroit Tigers (2006 American League Champions)

-Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. (4th largest pizza chain in America)

So, what does each of these have in common besides being known nationwide?

They are all owned by Mike Ilitch.

But, who exactly is Mike Ilitch? The quick answer would be that he is a 78 year-old entrepreneur born in Detroit who is now one of Forbes Magazine's "400 richest Americans." However, this answer would be selling him short and missing the things that make him the heart of Detroit.

His sport's career started with the Detroit Tigers. After returning from a four-year service in U.S. Marine Corps, the Tigers offered him a $3,000 bonus to play for one of their minor league teams. His career ended a few years later, after he suffered a career-ending knee injury.

His next visit to professional sports proved far more successful. The Detroit Caesars of the American Professional Slow Pitch Softball League (APSPL) was the first team Ilitch owned. He owned the team from 1977 to 1979, and saw them win two world series in that time. The team was disbanded at the conclusion of the 1979 season.

The Detroit Drive was his sports business venture, and they were just as successful as his last. In 1988, the team entered the Arena Football League and appeared in the next six Arena Bowls, winning four of them. In 1993 Ilitch sold the team, and watched them move to Massachusetts.

His next two teams were the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers, bought in 1982 and 1992 respectively. Neither team was even considered close to a playoff contender at the time, but since then, both teams have enjoyed their fair share of success. The Tigers made the playoffs for the first time in 19 seasons in 2006, making it all the way to the World Series. The Red Wings have won four Stanley Cups in the last 11 seasons. The driving force behind each of these turnarounds? Mike Ilitch's check book.

Along with all of his sports success, Ilitch watched Little Caesar grow into one of the largest pizza chains in America, bought and renovated the Fox theater in downtown Detroit, and renovated many abandoned buildings in Detroit such as the Adams Theater and the Blenheim Building. He has also fathered seven children with his wife Marian, two of which (Christopher and Denise) have been groomed by their parents to take their place as successful business entrepreneurs.

In a time when Michigan's economy was falling, Mike Ilitch kept the city afloat and created countless of job opportunities not only in Detroit, but across Michigan and the United States. In Sports and in Economics, Mike Ilitch has been a huge player and will continue to be one for years to come.

Jaromir Jagr says Goodbye to the NHL

Russell Ivanac — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:17:45 -0400

I can't say I didn't see this coming, and neither can the New York Rangers. It seems Jaromir Jagr has stepped on the ice for the last time in the NHL.

Jagr has recently signed with Avangard Omsk, a Russian league team. The terms of the contract were not yet announced. This is the same team that Jagr played with during the 2004-2005 NHL lock-out.

The move seemed inevitable as Jagr's production was declining and the physical type of play in the NHL was starting to show its wear on him. By moving to the Russian league, Jagr will be playing more of a European style of hockey that suits his skills well and is less physical.

This isn't to say Jagr doesn't have the skills to keep playing competitively, even in the NHL.

Two years ago he was the runner-up for league MVP and had 123 points with 54 goals. Those are numbers of a very skilled player, but the 36-year-old former captain put up less impressive numbers more recently and has shown a greater interest of playing closer to home.

He originally indicated that he would like to some day play for his home town team Kladno in the Czech Republic.

Jagr has had a long career, dating back to 1988 when he started his career with the HC Klando club before getting drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1990. My guess is that he will go back to Kladno to end his career with his hometown team.

Joe Delaney, a Name to Remember

Russell Ivanac — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:58:11 -0400

On June 29, 1983 the Kansas City Cheifs' star running back had to call an audible on his career. He heard screams coming from a construction site and looked out to find three boys had fallen into a large water hole and were drowning.

Without hesitation or regard for his own safety, Delaney jumped in to save them. The catch? Delaney could not swim to save his own life.

Delaney died trying to save the boys. LeMarkits Holland was the only survivor, the only one Delaney was able to save.

That day Delaney left a family and a city in tears. On July 4 of the same year, 3,000 people attended his funeral, including his wife and three daughters.

Delaney was only 24 years old and was a year away from signing a contract that would have secured his family financially. His first year in the league he set four team records: most yards in a season (1,121), most yards in a game (193), most consecutive 100-yard games (three), and most 100-yard games in a season (five).

A player strike and an eye injury had limited his playing time in what would be his last season.

The Kansas City Chiefs retired his number 37 jersey and later elected him to their team Hall-of-Fame in 2004. He was also awarded the Presidential Citizen's medal by President Ronald Reagan, which was given to his family.

Delaney was a man of great skill and even greater heart. So on this, the 25th anniversary of his death, I ask that you take just a moment to remember his sacrifice and the lives that were so tragically cut short.

Warrick Dunn, a True Hero: the Story the Media Won't Touch

Russell Ivanac — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:43:25 -0400

Look at the headlines of most sports sites and you will see stories that fit the saying "the squeaky wheel gets the oil." So it's no surprise that Warrick Dunn's recent headline-worthy actions have received little attention.

Earlier this week (June 24) Dunn was inducted into the World Sport Humanitarian Hall of Fame. It would be one thing if this were his first award, but this is far from it.

He has also earned the Giant Steps Award for civic leadership (awarded to him by former President Bill Clinton) and the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award (for community service and on-field excellence).

Looking beyond the awards, Dunn has done more for others than most people realize, so let's recap.

It all started with his mother, Betty Smothers. She was a single mother who raised Dunn and his five siblings while working two jobs as a police officer and a security guard. She was tragically killed in the line of duty, leaving Dunn to raise his siblings just days after his 18th birthday.

As a tribute to her, Dunn has helped roughly 80 single parent families purchase homes by contributing the down payment and working with local companies to furnish the homes.

He also helped raise $5 million to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

He has done all this by establishing the Warrick Dunn Foundation and the Homes for the Holidays program. Additionally, he co-founded the Athletes for Hope Foundation with fellow athletes Lance Armstrong and Mario Lemieux, among others.

Warrick Dunn is an example to follow in sports today, and a great role model for young athletes.

With so many stories about big stars running their mouths or getting in trouble with the law, I find it refreshing to hear about a man who would literally give the shirt off his back to a complete stranger. If it weren't for ProFootballTalk.com I probably wouldn't have found out about Dunn's actions and that is the true shame of today's media.

Open Mic: Draft Day as the Lions' New GM

Russell Ivanac — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:15:24 -0400

This "Open Mic" was one I couldn't stay away from. Every offseason I watch the Lions and think, "They should have done that," or "Why don't they do this?" I know I'm not the only one guilty of this, so I thought, why not speak up and see if you guys agree or not?

The very first thing I would do is throw a parade to celebrate the departure of former General Manager Matt Millen. He has been a huge factor in the franchise's lack of growth since his arrival. No doubt that the turnout for parade would be phenomenal.

On a more serious note, I would sit down with Head Coach Rod Marinelli and have a long talk about the direction of the team and what he wants in a player at each position. The GM and Head Coach need to be on the same page, or they will continue to bump heads—and the team will pay the price.

You want an example? Look at Detroit's NFL-record 24 road games without a victory (2001-2003).

So now let's jump to draft day. The Lions have the 15th overall pick, and three names are at the top of my draft board—Rashard Mendenhall (RB), Branden Albert (OG), and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie (CB).

You will notice that none of those three are Gosder Cherilus (OG), who the Lions ended up picking after trading down to 17th overall with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The trade did end up helping Detroit get Kevin Smith (RB) in the third round, which is a selection I liked, but it was very possible to get Smith without this trade.

I would not have traded with the Chiefs, but would instead have selected Branden Albert and walked away with one of the best offensive linemen in the draft.

The next move I would make is one that wouldn't make too many Detroit fans happy—I would have traded Roy Williams.

My first target would have been Philadelphia. They were knocking down the door trying to get him, and Lito Sheppard would look good in a Lions' uniform.

I don't think it would have been impossible to package a pick or two with Williams to get Sheppard and the Eagles' first-round pick (which they traded to Carolina, so they were obviously listening to offers).

With that pick, Rashard Mendenhall could have been a Lion and the third-round pick aimed for Kevin Smith could be used to help on defense.

Assuming the trade with the Eagles didn't eliminate our chance to get Jordon Dizon, I would still select him, as he fits Marinelli's defense and is a smart hard-working player.

If not, I would look for another fit at linebacker with players like Dan Conner, Tavares Gooden, or later Xavier Adibi. This is where Marinelli's opinion would really matter as the player would need to fit his scheme.

I would continue the draft similarly to how it actually went, but with a few changes. Kenneth Moore (WR) would not be taken. The pick made no sense—the last thing they needed to draft was another subpar receiver when the roster already has enough of them.

Jerome Felton (FB) wouldn't be taken either. Owen Schmitt (FB) would have been a much better fit. He is a hard-nosed blocker that was probably the best blocking back coming out—not to mention that his face mask-breaking tendency is reminiscent of former Lion Cory Schlesinger, who helped the run game quite a bit during his tenure in Detroit.

So let's recap—better starting right guard, better starting tailback, Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback, lost number one receiver who probably would have left when his contract expired at the end of the season, possibly a worse backup linebacker, and a better starting fullback.

That doesn't seem too bad to me. Too bad it's only a dream...

Former League MVP May Be Headed for Cincinnati Bengals

Russell Ivanac — Fri, 02 May 2008 07:30:33 -0400

Well it didn't take Shaun Alexander long to generate some interest on the free agent market. Geoff Hobson of bengals.com reported that Alexander is scheduled to visit the Bengals on Monday.

Although running back isn't a strong point for the Bengals, it isn't their biggest need. Evidence of this is the fact that they did not use any of their draft picks on a running back during the recent draft. This could be due to the front office having a different plan though and that plan could be Shaun Alexander.

Both sides have shown interest, and if Shaun agreed to a less expensive deal than in past years he could find a new home. Alexander has racked up almost 10,000 yards rushing (9,429) with a career rushing average of 4.3 yards per carry. He also has 100 total rushing touchdowns since being drafted in 2000 with the 19th overall pick. He also made three pro bowls since then and was the league MVP in 2005. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, when he got a lucrative contract his production dropped like a rock.

He would join a running back corps consisting primarily of Rudi Johnson, Kenny Watson, and Chris Perry. None of these backs have the resume that Alexander does, but none of them saw their production drop quite like Alexander did. If he can regain his passion and accept a contract fitting his latest production and not his past production, then he would be a decent pick-up for the Bengals or any other team pursuing his services.

NHL Playoffs: Semifinal Matchups, Part One

Russell Ivanac — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:09:11 -0400

Western Conference

1. Detroit Red Wings vs. 6. Colorado Avalanche

2. San Jose Sharks vs. 5.Dallas Stars

Eastern Conference

1. Montreal Canadians vs. 6. Philadelphia Flyers

2. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 5. New York Rangers

Detroit Red Wings vs. Colorado Avalanche

At this point the Red Wings have to be longing for some new faces. First they start the playoffs with a divisional rival and now they face their age-old rival. Sure the rivalry isn’t as fierce as it used to be, but I’m sure both teams will be more than willing to dust of the old gloves and fight it out. This is a perfect match up of two veteran teams with plenty of playoff experience that will be a fun series to watch.

Jose Theodore has been solid as of late and would warrant me giving the Av’s the edge in net, but since replacing Hasek, Chris Osgood has been playing lights out. So who has the better situation? I have to give it to Detroit because Theodore could begin playing as he did in the regular season and that would spell the end of Colorado, whereas Osgood has been solid all season (and every year in the playoffs).

Peter Forsberg is one awkward hit away from falling out of this series and it is only a matter of time before that happens. Detroit has beaten Colorado in the playoffs in the past and I have no reason to believe it won’t happen again.

Bottom Line: Detroit in 6

Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Montreal was pushed to the edge by Boston and the Flyers upset the Capitals. Needless to say both clubs are going to have to prove that the first round wasn’t what it looked like.

The Canadians will be trying to prove that the close call with the Bruins was a fluke by playing like they did in game 7. Look for them to play with a lot of energy and their goalie Carey Price to play like he did late in the series. He looks like he finally is starting to settle down and that is nothing but good news for Montreal.

Philadelphia on the other hand, will be trying to prove that the first round was anything but a fluke. Daniel Briere has been playing red hot and if it continues he could lead his Flyers to pushing the Canadians as far as Boston did. However, I don’t think it will continue. The Flyers’ upset was a product of the right people getting hot at the right time and given time they will cool off. My guess is that they will run out of steam before they have a chance to finish off Montreal.

It’s about time Montreal played up to their number one seed.

Bottom Line: Montreal in 6

NHL Playoffs: Quarterfinal Matchups, Part 3

Russell Ivanac — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 09:32:18 -0400

Western Conference

1. Detroit Red Wings vs. 8. Nashville Predators (DET in 5)

2. San Jose Sharks vs. 7. Calgary Flames (SJ in 6)

3. Minnesota Wild vs. 6. Colorado Avalanche (MIN in 5)

4. Anaheim Ducks vs. 5.Dallas Stars (DAL in 6)

Eastern Conference

1. Montreal Canadians vs. 8. Boston Bruins

2. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 7. Ottawa Senators

3. Washington Capitals vs. 6. Philadelphia Flyers

4. New Jersey Devils vs. 5. New York Rangers

Montreal Canadians vs. Boston Bruins

Montreal has thrashed the Bruins all season by winning all eight of the teams' contests. To make matters worse, Boston lost by at least two goals in all but two of those games. So with eight games experience, can the Bruins find Montreal’s weakness and exploit it enough to pull of a gigantic upset? I would be shocked.

Montreal won’t be without a handicap, however. Their veteran captain Saku Koivu is most likely out for the entire series. This is not to say that injuries won’t be holding the Bruins back either. Marc Savard is skating in practice, but has yet to play a game since being injured and Patrice Bergeron is recovering from a concussion and could see playing time in the series.

Even without Koivu, Montreal has the top-ranked offense in the league (262 GF) and Boston has a measly 212 GF, which places them 25^th in the league. Montreal put a lot of faith in young Goalie Carey Price by trading away veteran Cristobal Huet at the trade deadline. He has been playing solid as of late and should continue to in this series. The breaking point in the series will be special teams. The Bruins Penalty Kill is very shaky (78.6%) and won’t do well against Montreal’s league best power play attack (24.2 %). Boston may have crawled their way into the playoffs, but they will soon enough be lying belly-up.

Bottom Line: Canadians in 5

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators

Talk about a story line. Last year the Senators taught the young Penguins a thing or two about playoff hockey and now they are sitting as the underdogs in the match-up. Pittsburgh will definitely come into the series with a chip on their shoulder and erase any doubting thoughts. Althoughe they dropped three of four to the Senators in the regular season, two of them went to overtime and the Senators have lost a critical piece to their success since then.

One injury could rarely hold as much impact as this one does. Ottawa’s captain Daniel Alfredsson (knee/head) will be out for the series and without his leadership and on-ice impact it will be difficult for the Senators to repeat their thrashing of the Penguins from a year ago. The penguins have both Sidney Crosby (ankle) and Marian Hossa (upper body) coming back from injury and they both have been playing up to their potential since returning.

Both teams have strong offenses with the Senators holding a slight edge (261 GF compared to Pittsburgh’s 247), but defense will be the deciding factor in this series. Who ever can hold the opponent of the scoreboard longest will move on. Unfortunately this is not a great area for Ottawa as they rank 24^th in goals against (247) and do not have a solid goaltender to rely on, unless Ray Emery can reverse his fortunes and make everyone forget about his 3.13 goals against average. In the end, Crosby, Malkin and Hossa will prove too much to handle for the captain-less Senators.

Bottom Line: Penguins in 5

NHL Playoffs: Quarterfinal Matchups, Part 2

Russell Ivanac — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:22:44 -0400

Western Conference

1. Detroit Red Wings vs. 8. Nashville Predators (DET in 5)

2. San Jose Sharks vs. 7. Calgary Flames (SJ in 6)

3. Minnesota Wild vs. 6. Colorado Avalanche

4. Anaheim Ducks vs. 5.Dallas Stars

Eastern Conference

1. Montreal Canadians vs. 8. Boston Bruins

2. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 7. Ottawa Senators

3. Washington Capitals vs. 6. Philadelphia Flyers

4. New Jersey Devils vs. 5. New York Rangers

Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche

Of the 8 games that these teams played against each other, the home team won 7. The lone exception was Minnesota’s 3-2 victory in Colorado. If that doesn’t show the importance of home-ice in this match-up, I don’t know what will. This is a clear case of the up and coming team (Minnesota) against the old guard (Colorado).

Injuries aren’t really an issue for Minnesota, with their only concern really being defenseman Nick Schultz coming back from an appendectomy preformed on Monday. Colorado on the other hand has all of the bangs and bruises it can handle. They took a chance on bringing back damaged goods in Peter Forsberg and with Ryan Smyth’s concussion earlier in the year and a banged up defensive corps (John-Michael Liles (groin), Jordan Leopold (hip), and Adam Foote (hip)).

The Minnesota Wild are a team, they play hard gritty hockey and beat you with their depth instead of their star-power, not to say that Marian Gaborik can’t make the highlight reel. Colorado on the other hand is a mix of what worked in the past and what is kind of working now. Their core is aged veterans and injury prone players that will end up getting worn down by the younger Minnesota Wild.

Bottom Line: Wild in 5

Anaheim Ducks vs. Dallas Stars

The defensive minded Ducks have only won one game at Dallas this year and have only won 3 of their 8 games against them. So how can one of the best defensive units in the game beat a Dallas team that has found an additional spark from newly acquired forward Brad Richards? They will have to score some goals of their own, which has proven to be anything but easy for this year’s Ducks. The rank tied for 27^th in “goals for” with 205 on the season. Dallas on the other hand is tied for 8^th in the same department with 242 goals.

Injuries seem to be a non-factor in this series as neither team has any big injuries excluding The Star’s key defenseman Sergei Zubov who is out due to a foot injury and a nagging sports hernia. Other than that neither team should be missing anyone due to injury. The question then becomes will the teams be missing anyone for non-injury related issues? It’s always a possibility with Duck’s defenseman Chris Pronger who just finished serving a suspension this past week. The Duck’s are hoping he doesn’t get his feathers too ruffled and end up watching the game from afar.

While Anaheim has a tremendous defense, Dallas just has a few too many ways to score for them to stop them every game. Anaheim does have a good recent history in the playoffs, with a Stanley Cup victory not too far from memory, but will it be enough? I don’t think so. Look for a few 1-0 and 2-1 victories by Dallas as they advance.

Bottom Line: Dallas in 6

NHL Playoffs: Quarterfinal Match-Ups, Part 1

Russell Ivanac — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:54:09 -0400

Western Conference

1. Detroit Red Wings vs. 8. Nashville Predators

2. San Jose Sharks vs. 7. Calgary Flames

3. Minnesota Wild vs. 6. Colorado Avalanche

4. Anaheim Ducks vs. 5.Dallas Stars

Eastern Conference

1. Montreal Canadians vs. 8. Boston Bruins

2. Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 7. Ottawa Senators

3. Washington Capitals vs. 6. Philadelphia Flyers

4. New Jersey Devils vs. 5. New York Rangers

Detroit Red Wings vs. Nashville Predators

Neither team will be throwing any surprises at the other as they played each other 8 times during the regular season. Detroit won the majority of those games (5) and only lost one game at home. That is why Detroit having the home-ice advantage will play a huge factor in this series.

Injuries however will play a bigger role. Detroit’s roster has been injury ridden recently with 6 players currently on the injury report. Fortunately for Detroit all but one of the injuries are minor and at most will only hold the injured player out one or two games. An example would be hard-nosed forward Tomas Holmstrom (groin) and center Kris Draper (groin) should both be good to go in game one. Nashville on the other hand has had some impacting injuries, such as losing Steve Sullivan and David Legwand most likely for at least this round. In the end quality beats quantity here, as injuries will be more of a factor against Nashville.

Detroit has the #3 ranked offense (257 GF) in the league and #1 ranked defense (184 GA), making them a difficult team to beat and Nashville’s 15^th ranked offense (230) doesn’t exactly intimidate Detroit’s tandem of Goaltenders. Detroit will score plenty of goals in this series and if Nashville wants to win, they will need to score plenty of their own while trying to neutralize top-line forwards Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk who each have over 90 points this season. That is a hard task to handle and I personally don’t think that the Predators are up to the job.

Bottom Line: Wings in 5

San Jose Sharks vs. Calgary Flames

Calgary leads the seasonal series 3-1, and won both games they played in San Jose this year, so do the Sharks stand a chance against a team that has bested them all season? One thing is certain, this will be a close fought series.

Injuries won’t be a major concern for either team as most of their players are day-to day with their injuries. The most notable is Jonathon Cheechoo (head) who is day-to-day with the Sharks and former Los Angeles King Craig Conroy (torso) who is questionable for the start of the series. It’s a bit of a wash as far as injuries go for these two teams.

Neither team is known for their offense, but each has their own high-scoring superstar. The Shark’s Joe Thornton has two less points (96) than Calgary’s Jerome Iginla (98), but the majority of the goals will have to come from guys with out big names. So what will the series come down to? Goaltending. Evgeni Nabokov (San Jose) and Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary) are arguably two of the best goaltenders in the league, but San Jose’s 193 GA (#3 in the league) speaks for itself against Calgary’s 227 GA (15^th). This will be a defensive match-up to say the least and will come down to what goaltender is hot and what team wants it more. Seeing as Nabokov is playing red hot as of late and San Jose is coming in with a lot to prove, I’m going to have to give the series to the Sharks.

Bottom Line: Sharks in 6

NFL: Looking Ahead to Next Season

Russell Ivanac — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:01:09 -0400

It’s that time of year again. Teams are reloading and re-tooling their rosters for the upcoming season and already some of them have been given something to look forward to. Out of the four recently announced games, three will put divisional rivals head-to-head to start off the season and the other stacks up two recent super-bowl contenders.

The New York Giants get the honor of starting off the regular season with a home game against the Washington Redskins on Thursday, September 4^th. I’m giving the edge to the Giants, both teams only really started playing their best football at the end of last season, but the Giants took it further and I can see some of that confidence carrying over.

The Sunday night game will be a rematch of Super Bowl XLI. The Chicago bears will be trying to prevent history from repeating itself by ruining the Indianapolis Colt’s first game in their new Stadium. I’m giving the game to the Colts. Chicago has a very limited offense and the Colts are perennial playoff contenders with a highflying offense. This one won’t be as close as the Super Bowl was.

The first Monday Night game of the season features the Farve-less Green Bay Packers hosting the Minnesota Vikings. This game is a real toss-up. Will Aaron Rogers lead his team effectively against Adrian Peterson and a tough Minnesota Defense? My guess is that it will be close, but in the end Minnesota will pull out the victory because the game will come down to who runs the ball better and Minnesota stops the run well and has the Adrian Peterson/ Chester Taylor combo to rack up yards of their own.

The second game of the Monday night double-header is one that will get some blood boiling. The over-hauled Oakland Raiders will face off against the Denver Broncos in the heart of Raider nation. The Raiders have made some major moves this offseason and I have to believe the moves will pay off. Jay Cutler is still a work in progress at quarterback and won’t do well against Oakland’s upgraded defensive backfield. Look for DeAngelo Hall to have a big game in his black and silver debut.

Whether my predictions come true or not, week one is shaping up to be an interesting one, too bad we have to wait 4 more months for it to come. Stay tuned until then.

Thursday’s game (7 pm) as well as Sunday’s game (7 pm) will air on NBC.Both Monday night game can be seen on ESPN. (7pm and 10:15 pm respectively)

College Football Recruiting: Terelle Pryor Makes His Decision

Russell Ivanac — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:46:57 -0400

Roughly six weeks after the “National Signing Day,” No. 1 quarterback recruit Terrelle Pryor has made his decision.

He’s going to be a Buckeye.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Pryor announced his decision to attend Ohio State University. He called Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel shortly before he announced his decision.

Pryor’s decision was delayed for this long because he “didn’t want it to interfere with basketball.”

It is understandable that he would want to focus on his team’s playoff run, but you can’t tell me that part of it wasn’t getting as much hype and publicity as he can possible get for himself.

Pryor narrowed his decision down to four schools as most everyone knows (Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State), but it truly came down to deciding between bitter rivals Ohio State and Michigan.

The QB has yet to put on a Buckeye jersey and he has already helped fuel an already intense rivalry between the two schools even further. His time in college will forever be linked to this moment and his decision.

Only time will tell if it was the right one.

Team on the Rise: The Purdue Boilermakers

Russell Ivanac — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:30:25 -0400

Purdue was the second place team coming out of the Big Ten and earned the sixth seed in the West Region for the upcoming 2008 NCAA tournament. Success like this isn’t exactly anything to raise attention with, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t translate to success on the big stage. They have the right tools to come up big when they need to and they will show it come the tournament.

Let’s start with their defense. In big games possession is huge and turnovers can cost a team the game, luckily this is what puts the Boilermakers ahead of the crowd. They have five players who have over 30 steals, led by sophomore Chris Kramer with 67 steals.

Kramer also earned the Big Ten Defensive player of the year award for his work in making Purdue’s defense a force to be reckoned with (61.2 points against per game average). Scoring may win games, but defense keeps you from losing. If Purdue plays staunch defense like they have all season and creates turnovers, they will be a handful for any team.

This isn’t to say that the Boilermakers don’t have an offense. They have three of the league’s five best three-point shooters percentage wise. Their swingman Robbie Hummel stands at 6 foot 8 inches and shoots 45.8 percent from beyond the arc, Guard Keaton Grant has a 44.6 percent three point shooting percentage with a 10.7 points per game average, and Freshman E’Twaun Moore averages 12.7 points per game and hits 42.6 percent of his three point shots.

Robbie Hummel could take over a game if he gets hot. He is a great all around player that is very athletic. Evidence of this is his ability to play forward or guard. His only downside is his lack of experience as he is only a freshman.

Their first-round match-up against Baylor has some people talking upset, let me silence those voices right now. Baylor is an offensive team that lacks a good defense (74.4 points against per game) and how do you stop a team like that? Make them turn the ball-over and play defense. Purdue has all the tools to do this and should contain the 11th seed as they move onto what should be a match-up with the third seed Xavier.

Xavier is a good team, no one can deny that, but Purdue may just be more than they can handle. So can Purdue pull off the upset? Let’s look at how each team has done in a similar situation to this earlier in the season.

Purdue beat now third seed in the Midwest region Wisconsin both times they met in the regular season while Xavier lost to the East region’s 11th seed Saint Joseph’s two out of three times in their regular season. They also only averaged 59.5 points in the two losses against a Hawk’s defense that gives up an average of 67.3 points against per game.

Time for Cinderella to find her slippers.