FSH: THE ATL REPORT

July 4th, 2009 9:37pm PST


THE ATL REPORT

Around the League

WR Eddie Royal could be looking at “Welker” type year….
Last season Royal led all rookies with 91 catches for the Broncos. And this season under McDaniels in a new system, he’ll be expected to fill a role in the passing that could allow him to flourish in 2009. Already a big talent in the league, the Bronco’s wideout will play the “Wes Welker” role in the team’s new offense. In New England Welker averaged over 100 balls in each of the last two seasons under McDaniels, making Royal a solid bet to generate the same type of fantasy numbers in Denver.

Moreno could eventually be utilized as a three-down player….
The Bronco’s rookie running back selected 12th overall in the 2009 NFL draft is expected to eventually develop into quite a talent and a three-down player according to his head coach. Moreno has the physical tools and has shown the versatility to be such a player. With the team’s current crowded backfield, the team may not be in any hurry to push the kid too quickly, but fantasy owners can expect to see Moreno at some point rise above the competition.

Bears won’t put the shackles on Cutler in 2009….
The Bears aren’t expected to suddenly air-it-out in 209, but with the talent of Cutler under center, the team is expected to open up the playbook some and allow the former Bronco to play his game. Traditionally a more conservative offense, the Bears could see their passing game elevated, but Cutler will likely see his numbers drop some for a year ago (something for fantasy owners to keep in mind).

Browns could be planning to get Edwards more touches…..
After a whole offseason with speculation of trade and rumors of being moved out of Cleveland, it appears wide receiver Braylon Edwards is now going to stay put and be a featured part of the offense. The talk is the team will try to get Edwards involved with more quick hitches and slants to get the ball into his hands more. Edwards certainly has the talent and if this hype plays out the Brown’s receiver could be a big play in fantasy once again.

Broncos could field trade offers for Marshall…
Well according to Adam Schefter (a very reliable NFL source) of the NFL Network, the Broncos will not be actively shopping their disgruntled and often troubled superstar wide receiver, but will be open to listen to offers. Though Marshall is an incredible talent, he has quite the checkered past off the field and could be considered a major risk especially at the amount of coin he’s asking. There’s no telling where this could lead, but fantasy owners are most likely hoping Marshall stays put.

LB Derrick Brooks having tough time drawing interest….
The 36-year old linebacker is still not receiving many calls these days for employment. Brooks was cut in the offseason by the Bucs and although he would like to play in 2009, the prospect looks sketchy at best. With his best playing days now behind him, Brooks won’t offer much value, if any in fantasy this season.

The Edge is still in great playing shape…..
According to his agent Drew Rosenhaus, free agent running back Edgerrin James is in great playing shape. Not to dispute the claim, but it’s hardly something you can take at its word, since Rosenhaus does represent Edge and is hoping to help him find employment. Chances are Edge won’t see any opportunities anytime soon. He’s likely to be called on once team’s cycle through injuries as most do. He’s not a candidate for any fantasy drafts, but could be a possible mid-season pickup.


Check back every week for more “Around the League”

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: JUST TALKIN SOME FOOTBALL

April 29th, 2009 10:30pm PST


Just Talkin Sum Football….
[My Take]

Edgerrin released: Where to Now?

(Photo by Matt York/ AP)

According to the Arizona Republic, on Tuesday Edgerrin James was released by the Cardinals. Certainly this takes no one by surprise. As far back as last season when James was replaced in the starting lineup by running back Tim Hightower, many speculated 2008 would be Edge’s last season in the desert. Even James knew that much. The move will save the team $5 million of cap space.

When the post-season ended for the Card’s it was highly speculated that the team would eventually release James, but few figured it come after the draft. So hearing this news becomes less of a shock for any football prognosticator and analyst, but where he ends up could be open to much debate.

(Photo by Getty Images)

With James now on the free market, there will be a few teams taking a look and by the sounds of it, he’s already drawing some interest. At 30 years of age (he’ll turn 31 in August) there’s not going to be too many landing spots offering him a starting gig, but it’s certainly possible he could find work as a back-up.

There is however one destination I could see James finding, where a starting gig could be waiting; Kansas City. Like the Cards, the Chiefs are still holding a rather expensive commodity in their backfield and could be looking to part ways soon.

Troubled star running back Larry Johnson is at the end of his welcome rope in KC and now that James is available, that could be all the Chiefs and head coach Todd Haley needs to make this move. Remember James played for Haley in Arizona.

What makes sense here to me, the reason Johnson is not gone yet, before the draft the Chiefs only had L.J. sharing a backfield with a handful of undersized running backs (Charles & Savage). The team still has Kolby Smith and did draft Javarris Williams (a rookie from a small school-Tennessee State), but neither of these two are familiar with the new offense.

Earlier this offseason, the Chiefs won a grievance against Johnson that basically opened the door to his release from the team without any cap hits. What has likely stopped the team from making this move is the lack of better options in the backfield.

Without Johnson, the teams lacks an inside runner that can handle the punishment. Smith may get a shot this offseason to earn some carries and with Williams likely a long shot to even make the team as a seventh round pick, the choices are far and few between. Charles and Savage have quickness and speed to bounce it outside, but both backs are too small to be everydown runners.

James is familiar with Haley’s system and can give the Chiefs a larger inside runner it will need in the red-zone and for short yardage. Charles and Savage, with their smaller sizes and quickness would give the team a needed change of pace.

The biggest invitation to making this move today is the price tag. James, now a free agent would likely come with a huge discount, while L.J. still commands a rather hefty salary (nearly $4 million in 2009). Unless Johnson is willing to renegotiate, this far-fetched idea may start to look very good, very quickly to the Chiefs front office.

These are just my thoughts, while we’re talking some football, but why not?

Check back everyday for more football!

FSH: DAVID'S DAILY DIGEST

April 27th, 2009 10:30pm PST


David's Daily Digest
[My Take]

All the buzz of the draft is still humming with everyone from your brother to my sister offering their take on how their home town teams did this past weekend. Even with a lot of the focus on Radio City Music Hall there was still much happening away from the glam and glitter of the big stage in the NYC. Here’s my take on the latest….

My Take...

TE TONY GONZALEZ IS NOW A FALCON
Last week the Falcons acquired Tony G. in a trade with the Chiefs. The deal sent a draft pick to the KC and Matt Ryan nabbed himself one heckuva target over the middle.
Early Fantasy Read: Ryan is only a second year quarterback, so no one will be projecting pro bowl just yet, but Tony G. will have a huge impact on the passing game. Roddy White emerged as one of the league’s top flight and 2009 could be big with defenses forced to watch Gonzo.

RB EDGERRIN JAMES RELEASED BY THE CARDS
The Cardinals released running back Edgerrin James on Tuesday, a move that was highly anticipated. This followed the team’s drafting of running back Chris Wells (Ohio State).
Early Fantasy Read: The departure for James means he’ll be looking for work and should be able to find some, but maybe not in a leading role. The absence of Edge could mean a competition for the starting tailback position between Wells and Tim Hightower, but regardless who wins both will see their share of carries.

RB THOMAS JONES COULD BE ON THE TRADE BLOCK?
The Jets were not just aggressive going after a quarterback, but the team traded away several picks to move up the board to grab rookie running back Shonn Greene. The move could signal the last days in New York for the unhappy Thomas Jones.
Early Fantasy Read: An unhappy camper in the big apple, Jones could be traded or released if the Jets feel they have what they need in Greene. Greene was the team’s top rated back in the draft and could very easily enter camp as their starter leaving Jones in the cold.

WR JAVON WALKER’S STOCK CONTINUES TO FALL
With the Raiders selecting Darius Heyward-Bey as high as they did in the draft, he figures to be slotted in as a possible starter dropping Walker further down the charts. It doesn’t help that the Raiders also took a second wideout (Louis Murphy-Florida) with the 124th overall selection
Early Fantasy Read: Walker is slowly but surely falling out of favor in the bay area, unless he bounces back with strong showings at the minicamps and this summer’s training camp, there’s no reason to think he’ll even be with the team come September (even with guaranteed money).

TE TONY SCHEFFLER COULD BE TRADED
There was a lot of talk on the second day of the draft indicating that the Eagles could still have interest in Scheffler and reaffirming that the Broncos are still shopping the fourth year tight end.
Early Fantasy Read: It’s no secret that McDaniels passing system in New England seldom incorporated the tight end position, putting more value in their blocking skills. The team drafted a rookie tight end, considered a solid blocker and one that develop the needed pass receiving skills. The pick could indicate Scheffler will likely be on the move and Philly could be a good fit for him being familiar with the West Coast offense.


IDP Notes:

Here are some football notes from the past couple of days noting some key defensive players and my read for all of the IDP Nation….


DB ELLIS HOBBS TRADED TO THE EAGLES
The Eagles dealt away a couple of picks on the second day to New England to acquire cornerback Ellis Hobbs. The move give the Eagles some lateral movement if they decide to deal an unhappy Sheldon Brown.
Early Fantasy Read: Hobbs is a talented and versatile corner that can contribute right away on defense and in the return game. He played well in Foxboro last season and could easily earn a starting nod opposite his former teammate Assante Samuel.

DL JULIUS PEPPERS NOT LIKELY TO BE MOVED
With no deal getting done during the draft it looks more and more like Julius Pepper is going to remain a Panther in 2009.
Early Fantasy Read: Peppers may not be happy about remaining in Carolina, but there’s no question he’ll be a more consistent IDP play for owners coming off his strong performance in 2008.

LB DJ WILLIAMS TO PLAY WEAK-INSIDE LINEBACKER
With the team moving to a 3-4 defense under Mike Nolan this season, Williams will move to the inside.
Early Fantasy Read: Williams is extremely athletic and quick. If he can play within the scheme and not get caught out of position, he could be a very highly productive IDP for owners in 2009.

DB SHELDON BROWN CREATING BUZZ
The unhappy Sheldon wants out of Philly if the team is not willing to renegotiate a new deal, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll hold out. Nonetheless he’s being very vocal in the local press about his unhappiness.
Early Fantasy Read: If Brown remains in Philly, he’s likely going to see more time as a nickel back behind Samuel and Hobbs, so the idea of a trade becomes more logical. Brown will have more value as a starter on another team, than playing nickel with the Eagles.


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

FSH: SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL STUFF

April 26th, 2009 11:07pm PST

Sunday Night Football Stuff

And That’s a Wrap!

The 2009 Draft is complete....
Now that the draft has concluded, there will be plenty written (if not already) about what teams did and how they all fared, but what will likely be written most are those that surprised. To say surprised could just be a nice way to put it.

Early in the first round….

Probably the first surprise came with the third pick, when the Chiefs chose LSU’s Tyson Jackson over Aaron Curry (Wake Forest). Jackson is considered a good pass rushing defensive end which clearly addresses a need, but many folks thought the Curry was the pick. At number four, the Seahawks were expected to be in the neighborhood looking for possibly a receiver or quarterback, but when Curry fell past three he became their first pick.

Shortly after, the next surprise of the day, but one that some may have seen coming with the activity that was being reported was the Jets move up to number five via a trade with Cleveland to select quarterback Mark Sanchez. There was a lot of talk back-and-forth over the wire and on the internet the past several days regarding the value of Sanchez. Despite what has been said, good and bad about the former Trojan, he was wanted and the Jets got their man.

The Bengals made a questionable call with Andre Smith at number six, only because with so many questions about his work ethic, there were clearly other options available at six.

The Raiders shook a few heads when they chose Darius Heyward-Bey with the seventh pick, but if you had talked to ESPN’s Chris Mortenson you may have seen it coming. Heyward-Bey was the fastest timed player at the combine, and this was something noted that has historically attracted the Raiders. Though it was a surprise, the pick does make sense with Heyward-Bey’s speed and Jamarcus Russell’s big arm, the two go together.

Perhaps the most intriguing move of the day came at number 12 with the Bronco’s first selection in the first round. Since his arrival, McDaniels has been criticized for his moves to reshape the offense, when the team’s biggest deficiencies are on defense. At 12, McDaniels and the Broncos selected running back Knowshon Moreno (Georgia), once again ignoring their most glaring needs.

Middle of the first round….

A couple of gifts in the first round came at number 10 and 13, when both wide receiver Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech) and defensive end Brian Orakpo fell to their new homes of San Francisco and Washington respectively. With the Raiders making their surprise move, Crabtree was still available and fell into the laps of Singletary and the Niners. Orakpo’s journey down the board was similar, especially with Denver bypassing the Texas defensive playmaker.

A possible stretch pick I saw in the first round was the Vikings choice of wide receiver Percy Harvin. Some would suggest some questionable character flaws, enough that might discourage teams risking so much with a 1st round pick. There’s no question the Vikes got talent and great speed and they certainly addressed a specific need, but only if their pick pans out.

I’ve been seeing a lot of criticism focused on the Eagles camp leading up to the draft and while there is still work to do, I thought their move up to 19 to grab wide receiver Jeremy Maclin was a good move. The addition gives Donovan McNabb another possible playmaker to go along with wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis.

Late in the first round….

The Dolphins immediately addressed their needs in the defensive secondary with cornerback Vontae Davis (Illinois) at number 25. After losing a couple of players via free agency, Davis gives the team much needed help at the corner. A great value pick and one that should pay dividends immediately.

With their second pick in the first round the Packers followed up their earlier pick (DL-B.J. Raji) with another defensive player selection, linebacker Clay Matthews (Southern Cal). The selection gives the Pack two players that could easily be opening day starters in 2009.

One of the last picks in the first round came with the Cardinals pick at 31 when they chose running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Ohio State). The selection addressed a strong need in the backfield with both James and Hightower not providing the type of production HC Whisenhunt needs at the position. Wells is a gifted runner with size and speed and will certainly be expected to compete for the starting position in camp. This move almost guarantees James departure from the team. It’s just a matter of time.

The two day event concluded on Sunday with a total of 256 players being chosen. With the draft complete it’s now time to take a look and evaluate the players that will be arriving to camp this summer and those that could make a splash in fantasy this season.....don't worry folks, there's plenty more to come.


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