The best thing about the build up to the next NFL season is the exact same thing as the worst. If that makes sense. It's fun to dissect every aspect of everything, but it can also be maddening when you consider we're still just under three months until an actual, real NFL game is played. Regardless, things constantly change in terms of fantasy football draft value. What I'll do in On Second Thought is take a look at the rankings we compiled as a staff and point out which players I believe we collectively ranked too high and vice versa. This isn't a slap in the face to my colleagues, as some of the rankings I didn't like were my fault (you'll see one here). Plus, we started working on them a month ago. Things change.
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Guys We Liked Too Much
Tony Romo, Cowboys - The closer we get to the season, the more I worry about how losing Terrell Owens will hurt his production. With the running game Felix Jones and Marion Barber will provide, and Roy Williams and Patrick Crayton on the outside, it seems like the Cowboys will be a different looking offense. Plus, Romo wasn't especially great in the Cowboys' last four games (222 YPG, 5 TDs, 6 INT).
Don't misconstrue and think I'm saying Romo is going to suck. He's still got some weapons and good talent. I just saw him at eight in our rankings and didn't like it when I saw Carson Palmer, Jay Cutler, Matt Schaub and even Matt Ryan behind him. Even if he ends up ranked correctly, it's going to be awfully close with that group.
Trent Edwards, Bills - Again, we are talking about T.O. He's aging and he doesn't like quarterbacks who can't get him the ball. Edwards hasn't proven he can be a prolific passer yet. Buffalo winters are cold and windy. Good luck. While I'm here, I think the teens are all jumbled up. I would still rank Edwards above Eli Manning and probably Ben Roethlisberger, but I'd want to put Jason Campbell -- and maybe even Matt Hasselbeck -- ahead of Edwards. I definitely have Matt Cassel above Edwards presently.
Sage Rosenfels, Vikings - See the last entry on this page for details.
Guys We Didn't Like Enough
Matt Schaub, Texans - As I said in the rankings, if you pro-rated his yardage last season to a full 16 games, you come up with 4,426 yards. He's throwing to the best receiver in football, and the Texans entire team is only getting better. The bugaboo with Schaub is obviously his inability to stay healthy. I'm willing to take the leap, especially considering he lost four games last season due to a ridiculous, bush league play by Jared Allen. That's not happening again. He'll be fine.
Jason Campbell, Redskins - He got off to a hot start last season (100-plus rating in three of his first four games and only one more the rest of the way). He tailed off when Clinton Portis did, which coincided with the fall of the offensive line. I could harp on the whole first time having the same offensive scheme two consecutive years since high school again, but we've done that. Instead, I'll also point out how much the Redskins need balance in the red zone. Campbell only threw 7 touchdown passes in the last 12 weeks. Chris Cooley only caught a single touchdown pass in 2008, after compiling 27 in his first four season. He'll rebound, and with it Campbell's TD total rises as well. Finally, Campbell will take care of the football. He threw only 6 picks in 506 pass attempts in 2008.
Kyle Orton, Broncos - It was him I alluded to in the intro. This one is all on me. As a huge Bears fan, I was horrified at the inability for Orton to complete deep passes last season, especially late in the season -- which, in fairness to Orton, could have been the bi-product of his ankle injury. We can't totally overlook the decent stat-line Orton put up in 15 games last season with a pretty lackluster receiving corps. Now he has Eddie Royal, who is an upgrade for Orton even if Brandon Marshall is traded. Tony Scheffler is a good tight end and a good young back behind him (Knowshon Moreno) is something Orton had in Chicago last year. He's certainly not an advisable starter, but having him all the way down at 27 was a wee bit harsh.
That Guy
Brett Favre, The Brettfavres -- Hey, I still firmly believe our head was in the right place. We're tired of him, so we just ignored him (seriously, people always post comments like "if you guys don't like talking about him, quit talking about him," so we did! And now our rankings appear they'll be incomplete). As things currently stand, he's probably going to be the Vikings starting quarterback 16 times this year. With Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin, Sidney Rice, Bobby Wade, Visanthe Shiancoe, Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor around him, there are plenty of reasons to believe he'll be a quality fantasy quarterback. Expect plenty of interceptions, but decent yardage and solid touchdowns will accompany.
Wednesday: We'll take a look at our own running back rankings.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TURNCOATS ALL YOU COWARDS ARE SCARED ,YOU KNOW WITH PETERSEN,THE RUN SETS UP THE PASS,MONTANA PLAYED LONGER,NO ONE PLAYED MORE GAMES HENCE MORE INT.S,ELWAY HAD A HIGHER PERCENTAGE PER GAME. YOU ALL KNOW IF THE ARM IS THERE YOURE ALL FIRED ,AND DESERVEDLY SO,WHAT RIGHT DO YOUPENCIL PUSHING PUSSIES HAVE TO KNOCK A PHENOM,A ONCE IN A LIFETIME PHENOM,ARMOR,THE LAST OF THE TRUE GRIT,YOUGUYS SUCK,AND I MEAN THAT,GO PLAY BADMITTEN IN YOUR POLO SHIRTS. I PREFER THE WORDS OF THE GREAT,PLYERS THAT PRAISE THE WAY THE MAN RESPECTED THIS GAME ,YOU KNOW WHY HE IS COMING,HE ALWAYS,ALWAYS ANSWERS TO THE PRESSURE,THE TITANS,PATRIOTS,CARDINALS 6 TDS,THAT WAS JUST LAST YEAR,ONE INJURY AND HES DONE,FAVRE IS COMING,CONTINUE YOUR COWARDLY RETEAT IN WRITING.
But, somehow, your attack of me isn't cowardly?
Please explain the difference.