FSH: THE ATL REPORT

June 13th, 2009 6:37pm PST

THE "ATL" REPORT

Around the League

WR Brandon Marshall holding out to get paid….
The Broncos often troubled receiver doesn’t appear to be too happy with the team at the moment. He was reported to have met with the team owner in a private meeting, but left the facility with no updates of his return. Marshall is looking for a new deal and it is speculated he could potentially become a hold-out this summer.

Retired QB Brett Favre looking more like Vikings Starter….
The retired Favre reportedly had surgery and could be meeting with the Vkings staff to discuss plans for the summer. It certainly looks like the retired free agent could be ready to don the purple uniform of the Vikings. Nothing official has been released, but if Favre plays it certainly appears that he will be the Viking’s starter.

Seahawks WR Deion Branch returns to the field….
Branch suffered a torn ACL at the end of the 2007 season and has not been the same since. It is not likely that he ever will, but he’s shown he can still play at a top level finishing with 22 catches in the teams last five games. He’s expected to be healthy by training camp, but will still take a back seat to newly acquired T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

WR James Thrash has been cut by Redskins…..
The Redskins receiver has never lived up to expectation since his arrival in 2004. Injuries have caught up with the 13-year veteran who only caught nine passes last season. He’ll likely remain a free agent well into training camps and may likely consider retiring if he doesn’t draw any interest.

Broncos name Kyle Orton starter for 2009....
As expected the Broncos have announced that quarterback Kyle Orton will be the team’s 2009 starter. Orton was acquired in the offseason as part of the Jay Cutler deal with Chicago. It was expected he was brought in to start and in McDaniel’s complex “Patriot’s West” offense, Kyle could be a huge sleeper pick this summer in fantasy.

Raven’s RB Willis McGahee running with 2nd team….
The former Miami Hurricane has been a starter virtually all of his career, but with surgery on both his knee and ankle this offseason, McGahee is a late arrival to minicamp. He’ll continue to work with the 2nd team and could be a long shot to win his starting job back from 2nd year running back Ray Rice. Rice will be the favorite heading into training camp to start this season for the Ravens.

Falcons release QB Michael Vick….
It was only a matter of time, but last week the Falcons finally announced the release of quarterback Michael Vick. It is likely behind closed doors the team was talking to several other teams around the league, trying to find a serviceable deal to trade the fallen NFL-star. The fact that Atlanta was unable to trade Vick is a good indicator there may not be a whole lot of interest in the former all-pro quarterback (at least not at his hefty price). Now that he’ll be available at a considerable discount he could resurface at some point in the future, but it’s not likely he’ll have any fantasy value this season.


Check back every week for more “Around the League”

FSH: FRIDAY FOOTBALL DIARY

June 12th, 2009 11:37pm PST

Friday Football Diary

Dear Diary

Another week of the offseason has bit the dust and we inch a little closer to the start of the 2009 NFL season. With Kickoff just about 13 weeks out, fantasy owners have to be starting to feel that itch once again.

If you start checking the stands now, you’ll find some of the early 2009 Fantasy Football Preview Guides print editions, just for those early birds who want to get a jump on things. While I think it may be too early to start projecting complete rankings, it’s never too early to start talking football or taking a look at what players figure to be key in fantasy.

With 13 weeks until kickoff and about nine until many fantasy leagues start up their early drafts for the 2009 season, its time to start taking a look at all the NFL teams around the league and consider what players figure to be relevant this season in fantasy football. This will be my first insert as I will go through all 32 teams and this week, we’ll feature the NFC East in my weekly spot-light “Fantasy Preview”

Fantasy Preview
(Offense only)

The NFC East

Dallas Cowboys: With all their talent, the Cowboys offense only ranked 13th last season, but a big factor was the absent Tony Romo. This season Jason Garrett should have this unit finely tuned and more cohesive. Expect the boys from Texas to be a little better than 13th and their 18th ranking in points scored.
Quarterback-Last season when healthy Romo was better than good finishing 2008 with 26 touchdowns in only 13 games. Expect a slight decline without T.O. but he’ll still be top 10 this season.
Running Backs-The Cowboys have an entire backfield of playmakers, but if Marion Barber stays healthy, he’ll keep his number one status and should rank among the elite this season. Felix Jones is just too good to remain non-relevant, but he’ll only earn a top RB3 ranking with less than 10 touches per game on average. Choice is likely to be the odd man out not earning enough PT to be a serious fantasy consideration, but he’ll definitely be worth stashing as insurance.
Wide Receivers-With no T.O., Roy Williams will likely emerge as the only reliable fantasy option on the outside. Crayton and Miles will show flashes here and there, but neither can sustain to be a legitimate fantasy option (at least not early).
Tight ends-The Cowboys have the luxury of having one of the best tight ends in the league with Jason Witten. He figures to benefit most with the departure of Owens. He now becomes the undisputed number one option for Romo and his skill set will earn him top fantasy drafting. The second year tight end martellus Bennett is a talent and could be sleeper this season, but it’s a risk-reward situation to consider him too early in fantasy drafts.

Philadelphia Eagles: Last season the Eagles were one of those up and down teams that finished on an up note that took them all the way to the NFC Championship. Statistically, 2008 finished very well for the Eagles offense ranking 9th in yards and 6th in scoring. This season will see the same nucleus return with some fresh young talent to add depth.
Quarterback-McNabb enters his 11th season in the league and after last season’s run, still has something left in the tank. His 3,916 yards last season were the most in his career for a single season. With some added talent on offense McNabb could still be a top 10 Q this season.
Running Backs-The Eagle’s leading running back Brian Westbrook remains the high risk-reward play in Philly. As dynamic and at times dominant he can be, his history with injury remains a concern (still recovering from surgery). Westy is likely to take a cut in PT this season, but it will remain to be seen who picks up the slack LeSean McCoy or Lorenzo Booker.
Wide Receivers-The Eagles did not go shopping on the free market this offseason, but they did stock up on some outside talent. With Curtis expected to be ready for camp, if healthy he and DeSean Jackson will be the only favorites as solid WR2 fantasy picks, but the sleeper pick could be the rookie Jeremy Maclin, who will benefit greatly with playing with an experienced core of players that include; Hank Basket, Jason Avant, and Reggie Brown.
Tight ends-Last season saw the demise of tight end L.J. Smith (considered a good receiving TE) with too many injuries. His inability to stay healthy opened the door for then 2nd year tight end Brent Celek, who took the bull by the horns to the tune of 19 receptions in the postseason. He’ll be a steady target for McNabb and should finish as one of the top 10 tight ends this season. Their backup Matt Schobel is a capable receiver, but just see enough time on the field to be a fantasy consideration.

Washington Redskins: Last season the Redskins were the epitomy of up and down, starting the season 6-2 only to finish their last eight games 2-6. The offense was steady, but not spectacular out of the gate behind the running game, but then the wheels just fell off with the Redskins finishing 19th on offense and 28th in scoring last season.
Quarterback-There were rumors, but Jason Campbell heads into camp as the team’s starter once again. Last season the 5th year player was solid limiting his mistakes in the first eight games, but struggled in the second half with just five touchdown passes. He should improve in 2009 having a better grasp of head coach Jim Zorn’s west coast offense, but he’s not going to turn any heads right away and will serve best as a fantasy backup QB.
Running Backs-For the first eight weeks of the 2008 NFL season, no one was better than the Redskins running back Clinton Portis (rushed for 944-yards), but injuries and a heavy load (187 carries) may have caught up to the seven year veteran. Now heading into his 8th season in the league, Portis figures to be big man on the DC campus, but it’s not likely that Zorn will feed him with as many carries in 2009. Last season was the fourth time in Portis’ career he tallied more than 300 carries (342). Portis should still warrant a RB2 ranking in 2009, but backup Ladell Betts could steal a few more carries to become fantasy relevant. Aside from this tandem, only Rock Cartwright might see some regular time on the field but hardly any worth fantasy consideration.
Wide Receivers-Probably one of the weaker positions for the Redskins, aside from wide receiver Santana Moss who is the only legit threat in the passing game to clip 1,000-yards the team is relatively thin. Receivers like James Thrash, Antwaan Randle EL, and Roydell Williams have been hugely disappointing to fantasy owners because of their inconsistency (none will be fantasy worthy at draft time).
Tight ends-With Chris Cooley, the Redskins boast the division’s second best tight end. He’s not your prototypical size or speed, but he’s just good. His 83 catches last season ranked second only to Tony Gonzalez for tight ends. He’ll once again rank amongst the best in 2009. Backup TE Todd Yoder is more of a blocking end and will not have much fantasy value.

New York Giants: The G-men had their struggles last season with the loss of burress down the stretch, but the team still ranked in the top five in scoring and 7th on offense. Their aerial attack took a back seat to their three-head rushing monster. They will enter 2009 with a few minor tweaks, but should have enough talent and depth to boast one of the better offenses in the division.
Quarterback-Eli Manning is cemented as the team’s leader on offense, but he’s not exactly going to light up any scored boards with his passing. His strength will however be his consistency. Last season he passed for over 3,200-yards and tossed 21 touchdowns. He’s probably not a top 10 fantasy quarterback, but he’s a later round selection that will be very serviceable.
Running Backs-With the departure of Derrick Ward, this remains Brandon Jacobs stomping grounds. Earth was the team leader in rushing a year ago with almost 1,100-yards and 15 rushing touchdowns. With Ward out, Jacobs will see quite a few more carries in 2009 and could be a huge fantasy play and top pick. Ward may be gone, but Fire” stayed in Jersey and running back Ahmad Bradshaw could become considerably more relevant in 2009. With just 67 carries last season, he could easily see that number double this coming year.
Wide Receivers-This is going to be the big question mark in 2009 for the Giants. Although they have some talent, their two starters from last season are now gone. The team will likely turn to trio of Steve Smith (3rd year), Domenik Hixon (4th year), and Sinorice Moss (4th year) to share the pickens. Right now it’s a reach to predict which receiver will emerge, but last season Smith finished as the team’s leading pass catcher making him the favorite to be Mr. Relevant in Jersey. Wide receivers Derek Hagen and David Tyree figure to be the faves to battle for the fourth receiver spot, but neither is a threat to make any noise in fantasy this year.
Tight ends-The Giants only feature one tight end worthy of mention, Kevin Boss. This will be his second full season as the team’s starter. He’s proven to be more durable, but hardly a reliable pass receiver. He’ll likely fill the same type of role in 2009, making his a less than attractive fantasy option but still a possible (TE2) backup on someone’s fantasy roster.


Check back every week for more “Friday Football Diary” and more “Fantasy Preview”

FSH: IDP NOTES

June 9th, 2009 11:30pm PST

IDP Notes:

With OTAs in full swing, there's lots to cover on both sides of the ball. Here's more to digest and my take for the IDP faithful...

DB CHARLES TILLMAN RETURNS TO PRACTICE
My Fantasy Read: The Bear’s playmaking corner returned to the field for the first time since having surgery to repair his injured shoulder. Tillman is still recovering, but is expected to be at full strength in time for training camp. Tillman is the leader of the Bears secondary and a perennial playmaker in the league. Last season he finished second on the team with 93 tackles and his four fumble recoveries and three picks make him an IDP favorite in fantasy.

DL VINCE WOLFORK IS A SPECIAL GUY IN NEW ENGLAND
My Fantasy Read: Whenever your employer calls you “special” it has to say something about you as a person and player. Wolfork might get a lot of hand shakes and accolades for being a great team player, but fantasy owners are more impressed with his solid numbers in the middle. Last season the Patriots run stuffer collected 66 tackles and two sacks, making him one of the few solid IDP defensive tackles for the 2009 season.

LB AARON CURRY LOOKING IMPRESSIVE IN SEATTLE
My Fantasy Read: The Seahawks rookie has looked impressive this offseason according to head coach Jim Mora. The team has yet to begin any contact during the minicamps, but this could be an indication that Curry is ahead of the curve and could be an immediate impact player in fantasy this season. Owners will have to watch the reports from the Northwest as soon as the pads go on.

DL BJ RAJI SEEING TIME WITH THE FIRST UNIT
My Fantasy Read: The Packers top selection from this year’s NFL draft is logging a lot of time with the first team. Raji figures to be a constant fixture in the middle and along the defensive line for the Packers, but fantasy owners are going to have to wonder if he’s going to be an occupier or stopper. As long as he is on the field, he figures to have more upside, but it remains to be seen if he can be dominant in the middle.



Check back with "Your Fantasy Sports Home" for more Football 411….

FSH: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

June 8th, 2009 8:30pm PST

David's Daily Digest
[My Take]


My Take...

WR DERRICK MASON A QUESTION FOR TRAINING CAMP
My Fantasy Read: The Raven’s veteran receiver is questioning whether he will be ready in time for training camp. It’s never good when a player has doubts, but then Mason is as tough as they come. At his age, it’s probably best he doesn’t take any extra punishment during training camp. Expect him to be ready for the start of the season, but don’t expect the Mason of old. He’ll be consistent, but no better than a WR3 in most fantasy leagues.

RB EDGERRIN JAMES NOT LIKELY TO BE A SAINT SOON
My Fantasy Read: the former Cardinal’s running back is not generating much interest anywhere else and it appears the Saints will take their time. We still have training camps to get through, but the aging veteran running back is likely to have very little fantasy value in most fantasy leagues.

RB LERON MCCLAIN STILL EXPECTED TO GET CARRIES
My Fantasy Read: The Ravens leading running back last season will spend most of 2009 season opening holes for Ray Rice and company, but the newly improved Baltimore fullback is still going to merit some fantasy value. LeRon McClain is still expected to see a lot of short yardage carries as well as goal line totes. Last season the Raven’s runner punched the zone 10 times and he’ll get just as many opportunities in 2009, making him very fantasy relevant.

QB BRADY QUINN LOCKED IN TIGHT RACE
My Fantasy Read: Not exactly what Brady Quinn fans expected from the former 2007 1st round selection. Now entering 3rd season, Brady has yet to crack the starting lineup with any kind of separation. Locked in a closely heated battle with quarterback Derek Anderson, fantasy owners will have to be concerned if Quinn does not win the job outright. Entering his 3rd season in the league, he could see his fantasy stock drop considerably if he starts the season on the sidelines.

TE TODD HEAP BACK ON THE FIELD PRACTICING
My Fantasy Read: The former All-Pro tight end has become somewhat of a forgotten man in fantasy football over the past couple of seasons. Injuries have played a huge part in Heap’s demise, but recently it was reported he was practicing at full strength. While that appears to be good news, fantasy owners won’t relish over it too much. Over the past two seasons Heap has only caught 58 balls and has missed 10 games (all in 2007), although he was banged up often in 2008. His value has sunken to a new low and he’ll likely be overlooked by many in fantasy this season.


Check back with "Your Fantasy Sports Home" for more Football to digest....

FSH: FANTASY FIXX

June 9th, 2009 9:37pm PST

THE FANTASY FIXX

The “Mojo” Rider.


Maurice Jones-Drew#32, RB-(Jacksonville Jaguars)….
The former UCLA Bruin running back is considered one of the leagues most exciting runners, because of his explosive nature and dynamic versatility. Last season MJD or Mojo, led the team with 824-yards rushing and 12 rushing touchdowns to go along with his 62 receptions (second on the club).

Defenses fear Mojo, because of his low center of gravity and aggressive style of running. The human wrecking ball plowed his way through defenses in 2008 at 4.2 yards per carry and tallied 1,739 all-purpose yards.

With Fred Taylor no longer sharing time in the backfield, Mojo figures to see a significant increase in touches this season. MJD has always been a middle of the road type of fantasy back while splitting time with Taylor, but this season he could be a solo act. There doesn’t appear to be any visible threat currently in the Jags backfield that will likely steal any significant amount of touches from Mojo’s plate. Only full-back Greg Jones seems a likely threat to share some short-yardage and goal-line carries.

What to expect in 2009…
With Taylor vacating the Jag’s backfield this past offseason, it appears MJD will inherit the role of featured back in head coach Jack Del Rio’s system. It’s no secret Del Rio is a fan of smash mouth and ball control will become a priority for the Jaguar’s offense in 2009. Fantasy owners can expect to see Jones-Drew leading this battle cry and seeing a lofty increase in his fantasy numbers for 2009. (2009 predictions: 262 carries, 1,166-yards rushing, 13 rushing touchdowns, 49 receptions, 456-yards receiving, 2 touchdowns)


Check back every Monday for more “Fantasy Fixx”

FSH: MONDAY MORNING HUDDLE

June 8th, 2009 8:37pm PST

[Tuesday edition]

Favre Story to Reach Conclusion

Vikings Ready to Move on; Give Favre Deadline....

Sure this story has been like beating a dead horse back to life. Well not really, but it is so over done, yet we are compelled to follow it to its end. And that appears to be sooner rather than later.

In recent news retired Jets quarterback had surgery to repair his torn biceps on his throwing arm, a great indicator of his intent to play. Now we are hearing that the Vikings are only going to give the former Packer legend to Friday to decide if he’s going to return to the field of action.

Favre has not participated in any workouts. He just had surgery and no time to heal. It’s going to be a tough for him to make this decision, but it’s easy to read here. The Vikings have a couple of capable starters and need to make decisions soon on which direction the team is going to head.

While there are many unconfirmed reports floating, it makes sense that the Vikings would ask that Favre to decide soon, but will he oblige? Favre has become some sort of an enigma these days, with no one really understanding his motivation. Sure he enjoys the game, but at some point you have to hang’em up, don’t you?

We can speculate all we want about whether or not an aging Favre is a better pick for the Vikes, but it may just as simple as “Favre is done.” Rehab is not a quick process and at age 39, nothing moves as fast as it used to. This whole surreal daytime drama seems more like it has already been determined, but there are probably quite a few people who believe Favre will be back in purple this season. This may be the case, but as usual only time will tell.

And once again the wait will continue, at least until week’s end when we will either see the Vikings blink or call the whole thing off. If they don’t blink, you have to figure that the team is going to roll with Sage Rosenfels as their starter for 2009. It may not be the most popular pick of all things considered, but the Vikings appear to have a pretty good nucleus.

Remember when people looked at quarterback’s Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson, they did not exactly scream Super Bowl Champion (but both are). Let’s face it, if the team is good (and the Vikings are), Rosenfels may be just enough of what they need to go one step farther in 2009. So you have to ask why all this.

Remember to check back for more "Monday Morning Huddle!"

FSH: ON THE COVER

June 8th, 2009 8:50pm PST

This Week on the Cover….


Where Eagles Fly!

The big story coming out of Philly in the post draft offseason, "did the Eagles do enough" to satisfy quarterback Dononvan McNabb? Last year the Eagles came one game away from getting back to the big dance and once they did exit, the call was for help on offense.

Well there were no big trades made, but on draft day the Eagles were one of the early aggressors maneuvering themselves in position to make a grab for wide receiver Jeremy Maclin at number 19 in the 2009 draft.

Coming off a strong 2008 campaign, McNabb was lobbying for more help on the offense and with Maclin joining an already talented group, the Eagles passing game could be looking to soar even more in 2009. Kevin Curtis is recovering from recent surgery, but is expected to be healthy by training camp and looking to return to his 2007 form. The Eagle’s leading receiver from a year ago, DeSean Jackson will be looking to improve his 60-catch, 900-yard rookie campaign.

To compliment his aerial attack, McNabb will be counting on a healthy and always versatile Brian Westbrook to lead the backfield. Joining the group, the newest up and coming pass receiving tight end Brent Celek. The Eagles tightend came on strong in the post season with 19 receptions, including three touchdowns.

The green birds have plenty of wings in the coup entering minicamps, but head coach Andy Reid and his staff will be looking for the best of the bunch to lead the way in 2009. Players like Hank Baskett, Jason Avant, and Reggie Brown could be fighting this summer just to find a spot.

The prognosis for McNabb and company, come September they will be ready to go where Eagles fly!


Check back everyday for more football!

FSH: SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL NOTES

June 7th, 2009 9:37pm PST

Sunday Night Football Notes

Can Kyle lead the Broncos?

So much has changed from a year ago if you’re a Bronco fans. Last Summer the big concern in Denver was the availability of wide receiver Brandon marshall, who was facing a possible suspension which he did receive.

Nowadays if you’re following the team in Denver, there are even more much larger concerns. With a new head coach, and surprise, surprise Marshall facing the possibility of suspension again (court date set for August), and more importantly a new quarterback (Cutler was traded to Bears earlier in the offseason) the team faces many questions heading into the 2009 season.

It’s not that everyone in Denver has bought into the system, but it appears new head coach Josh McDaniels is a man on a mission and with a purpose. His willingness to take chances, think outside the box, and not be afraid to make tough decisions has brought the team into camp with a plan; but with Kyle Orton as the team’s starting quarterback.

While that decision has not been made official, many believe that Kyle will ultimately win the starting gig over Chris Simms. With Kyle at the helm under center, many fans in Denver will be wondering if he’s the right man for the job. Can he lead the Broncos in 2009?

It would seem that Orton would have the necessary roots to be a star in the NFL, but when he was drafted by the Bears, things just did not seem to pan out how he would have liked. Orton was tagged with the label of “game manager” rather than the playmaker he was at Purdue. Many might argue that it could be more of the product of the system the Bears ran. Well now that he is in Denver, we will surely see.

While Orton may not appear to be the big arm from the Mid-West or the super-star from out West, he’s going to have a lot of support this season to do what many may not be to sure he is capable of. With wideouts Marshall (if he avoids suspension), Royal, Stokley, and Gaffney, Kyle should have plenty of targets to locate in the passing game. He’ll also get a big boost from the backfield with running backs Correll Buckhalter and Lamont Jordan, both equally capable of serving in the short passing game.

Perhaps two of the biggest secrets heading into the 2009 season will be Orton safety valve tight end Tony Scheffler and rookie running back Knowshon Moreno. Many folks are very high on the kid out of Georgia (Moreno), who is not only expected to anchor the running attack, but could also serve as a dual purpose back catching passes out of the backfield.

While in Chicago, Orton became very comfortable connecting with his tight ends, completing over 90 passes. In the new “Patriots West” system, Scheffler is probably not going to see that many passes, but being such a gifted and skilled receiver he’ll get his chances which will aid Orton tremendously.

Orton’s best season in Chicago only saw him throw 465 times in 2008. He’s likely to surpass that number around week 13 or 14 this season. The McDaniel’s offense relies on spreading the field and getting rid of the ball quickly. It’s going to be an adjustment for Kyle to learn the play-calls and formations, but if he can reach back to his Purdue playing days when he averaged 35 passes and 281-yards per game he should do fine.

It’s a stretch to think Kyle Orton can be the next Jay Cutler in Denver, but as McDaniel’s system has apparently shown, he doesn’t need to be. If he can be the next Matt Cassel, that should be enough for Orton and the Broncos to enjoy success in 2009.

By David Ortega

Check out more “Sunday Night Football Notes” every week!

FSH: THE ATL REPORT

June 6th, 2009 6:37pm PST


THE "ATL" REPORT

Around the League

RB Joseph Addai expected to be ready for camp….
The Colts are expecting to have their starting running (recovering from ACL surgery) back in time for training camp. Last season Addai was less than stellar and a fantasy disappointment. With the team drafting a rookie running back (Donald Brown), if Addai suffers any setbacks during his recovery, he could see a considerable amount of his playing diminish in 2009.

Ray Rice looking to lead the Ravens in 2009….
The Raven’s second year back figures to be the favorite in camp to take the starting job. Last season LeRon McClain led the team in rushing, but he’ll move over to fullback to open holes for Rice. With the Ravens being a predominant running team (ranked 4th last season), Rice should be considered a favorite as a decent RB2 in fantasy drafts.

Westbrook likely to sit during Training Camp….
The Eagle’s starting running back Brian Westbrook recently underwent surgery to repair his injured ankle. His recovery period puts him on track to return in time for training camp, but it is expected the team will limit his activity and that he’ll likely not even participate much in the preseason. The big concern will be how Westbrook responds once he returns to the field. Any setbacks and the door could open up for running backs Lorenzo Booker or LeSean McCoy to cut into Westy’s playing time.

Buc’s Rookie QB expected to take back seat in 2009
The Bucanneers are not making any plans to have rookie quarterback Josh Freeman see any action this season. It’s pretty obvious Freeman will be a work in progress, so the team is in no hurry to throw him to the wolves. Freeman won’t have any fantasy value in 2009, but may be worth looking at in some dynasty leagues.

Plaxico Burress still hopeful to play in 2009?….
Burress may be one of very sharing that opinion at this point. With much of his legal trouble still very much in the air, it looks like the prospect of playing could be a long shot at best. If Plax can evade any legal punishment this summer, he’ll still have to face possible punishment from the league. There are a few teams showing interest in Burress, but it doesn’t look likely he be joining any new teams anytime soon.

Cowboys TE Martellus Bennett expected to see more time….
The word around the football web is the Cowboys are planning to get their second year tight end more involved with the offense in 2009. The team is planning more two-tight end sets, which will get Bennett more time on the field. He is no threat to unseat the Cowboys incumbent leading receiver Jason Witten, but there should be more opportunities for other Cowboy receivers with Owens now long gone. Bennett is a bit of a freak with tremendous athletic ability and size. If he can refine his skill, he could be a very valuable pass receiving threat, as well as a relevant fantasy play in 2009.

Faver has surgery to repair throwing arm….
Pro Football Talk.com is reporting that Brett Favre has had surgery to repair the torn biceps. While this would indicate his intent on playing this season, there’s still no guarantee that he will. Favre still needs to recover from the procedure, something easier said considering the quarterbacks age. This has been the story that won’t go away and it doesn’t look like it has any chance of ending anytime soon.


Check back every week for more “Around the League”