Fantasy Football Fanhouse

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Return of Megatron This Weekend?

Sean Lalley — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football, NFL Injury Report

Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.

It would appear that at long last our national fantasy football nightmare is over and Calvin Johnson is going to play this weekend. OK, let's be fair and emphasize the word "appears." Nothing is certain until I actually see Johnson in uniform and jogging onto the field. However, the notion and possibility of his return is probably the best news many Megatron owners such as myself have heard in quite sometime.

It's been far too long to not have this ubber stud in our line-ups. And trust me, this is speaking from a guy who owns Johnson in every single league. I drafted him in the first round every time around. He was who I wanted and this is not what I was expecting. Take the good with the bad, but I'm expecting all good if he finally plays again this weekend. And of course, it should also be noted he's the only player on the field that gives the Lions a chance to win a football game.

As a sidebar to this same story, Kevin Smith will most likely suit up and play for the Lions as well.

Other Fantasy Football Notes.
o. Roddy White returned to practice for the Falcons from a semi-mysterious knee injury. Of course, not to force panic upon anyone, but the words "limited" were circled around his Friday activities. As always, the suggestion would be to monitor this closely come Sunday morning.

o. Both Anquan Boldin and Devin Hester appear iffy for this weekends showdown between the Cardinals and the Bears. However, both insist they will play. Hester actually practiced on Friday, so you can kinda lean on that positive. However, for Boldin you have to bless the man for trying, but he's been hobbling around in the past few games. You wonder if a game off might help?

o. For those holding out hope that Anthony Gonzalez could still make up for lost time with a strong finish, better change that plan. It's the breakout season that just wasn't meant to be. Gonzalez will undergo surgery on his injured knee after a setback in practice and now he's out for at least another 2-3 weeks. Why not just call it a season already A-Gonz? If you haven't already, it's time to cut him loose from your fantasy team.

o. Not that it's much of reason for excitement, but Darren McFadden will be back after the Raiders' bye week. His role of course, we haven't a clue. His value in fantasy football ... well, not good.

o. We all know you shouldn't tick Tom Brady off before facing him on Sunday. Yet, Joey Porter seems to think his play can back up his talk when he proclaimed that Tom Brady is a protected man or has his own set of rules. That said, I'd expect Brady repays Porter and his Dolphins mates with a thrashing this week like only he can deliver. The over/under on TD's is at (4.5) and the over is getting hammered. Yeah, it's gonna be nice to start Brady this week.

o. Lastly, you should be pretty safe with Aaron Rodgers and Donald Driver as both are listed as probable this weekend, but did manage to practice Friday.

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Return of Megatron This Weekend? originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Window to Trade Steve Smith Is Closing Pretty Fast

Sean Lalley — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football, NFL Fantasy Felony

With most fantasy trade deadlines fast approaching you've got some tough decisions to make. Do you stand pat or do you let that deal go down? Let me be your voice of reason.

Remember a few weeks back when Steve Smith "North" was all the buzz? At the time, the joke was on Steve Smith "South" owners. The Steve Smith on the Giants went from waiver wire sensation to a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver option.

Well, that knock on the door you hear is reality ready to slap you in the face. The Steve Smith on the Giants is most certainly not an elite fantasy receiver. Sorry to break the news, but somebody had to do it.

Sure, he's a nice player, I'll give you that, but he ain't the every-week stud you fell for after he torched the Chiefs for 134 yards and a pair of TDs. That's not happening every single week and could quite possibly rarely happen, if it happens at all again this season.

You're upset because you just traded for Smith? My friend, my friend ... you've been had. The advice here is to trade Smith away right now, or, better yet, last week. Dig deep to get any last ounce of redeeming value you can find. Just hope the owner you're shopping him to still believes he's a No. 1 option.

Before I go any further, you're probably begging for some kind of explanation. Let me start with some statistics for you. Over the last three games, Smith has been in what some would call a mini-slump. He's nabbed a total of 11 passes for an average of 61 yards per game with no touchdowns. That's not all that bad and probably on par with any other elite fantasy receiver who hits a rough stretch.

However, what's missing in the equation is the targets. Smith has gone from the apple of Eli Manning's eye to just another option. Let's take the return of Hakeem Nicks into consideration as well. Over the course of the past three games Nicks has hauled in 13 grabs, 243 yards and 3 TDs. Mario Manningham has seen a steady increase of the looks as well and has pulled in 10 grabs, 123 yards and a pair of TDs over his last three games.

Again, a three-game sample size is quite a stretch to make such a jump-off-the-bandwagon appeal. However, Nicks is clearly the most gifted of this bunch and, now that he's healthy, he will certainly see more reps. Although he can beat coverage, Manningham isn't a great receiver, but nonetheless he garners a lot of looks in this offense. Smith has shown to be a great possession receiver, but that's not always a recipe for fantasy success.

It worked early in the season and Smith got the hot hand. Now, somebody else in the receiving core has the hot hand. And Eli Manning is not going to force-feed the ball to anyone just to make you or my fantasy team look good. It's a share-the-ball-and-spread-it-around kind of an offense. Against the Cardinals, Smith didn't catch his first pass until late in the second half. Raise your hand if you're a Smith owner that was a nervous situation.

I'm hardly saying Smith is a "cut the bait" kinda guy. What I am saying is the window is closing fast on his value as an elite fantasy option. Moving forward I see him producing steady, but not spectacular games. Think of him as a WR2/WR3 if you will. Sorry, I'm only warning you. If you wanna get something of value, make the move today and thank me later. His value is only gonna go down.

And here you thought I was talking about the "other" Steve Smith.

The Window to Trade Steve Smith Is Closing Pretty Fast originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Adrian Peterson and That Ankle Injury

Sean Lalley — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football, NFL Waiver Wire, NFL Injury Report

Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.

Well, Adrian Peterson was seen as "limited" in yet another mid-week practice. However, isn't this becoming familiar ground? The guy ranks amongst the tops in the league for total carries and touches on the season. He takes a pounding and always gets back up for more. It's as if we just want to circle him as an injury liability, when despite missing a few games as a rookie - he's maintained a pretty consistent healthy track record in the NFL.

Of course the guy is sore and of course he's not going to be going full steam with this current ankle injury. As usual, the Vikings disclosed very little on the Peterson ankle injury. You have to monitor the situation, but it doesn't sound as if it's a high ankle sprain, which would certainly put AP on the pine. He is looking at a very tough and physical matchup with the Steelers this weekend. Considering it's AP, though, don't bench him. You never bench him.

Other Fantasy Football Notes
o.Cedric Benson has been ripping apart opposing defenses in his revenge tour this season. And now, he's taking aim at ripping apart the Chicago Bears. Benson claims the Bears tried to get him blacklisted from the NFL by bad mouthing him. In case you hadn't realized, Benson is a man on a mission this season. He's clearly elevated himself into one of the more reliable fantasy running back options around. Perhaps this was all the motivation he needed.

o.It may not exactly spell doom for Ryan Grant, but the Packers are taking a deep breath and saying Ah...mon! That's right, going back to the glory days: Ahman Green has been signed by the Packers to most likely take over the third-string duties and, perhaps, a little short yardage action? We'll see how this plays out -- he shouldn't strike fear in Grant owners (despite Grant's struggles), but he could push Brandon Jackson down the depth chart.

o.On cue, here comes your annual Anquan Boldin injury. Reports are that it's a high ankle sprain, so prepare for the worst (that he probably won't play this weekend). This no doubt elevates the value of both Steve Breaston and Larry Fitzgerald. We say it every year, but if you draft Boldin you had best realize you're only getting 12-14 games per season. He plays too violently to stay healthy.

o.If you're like me, you were hoping to get Anthony Gonzalez back into your fantasy rotation sooner than later. When he first went down, if you were so inclined to hold onto him on your bench, you hoped this was the weekend he was due back. It just seemed right after a bye week and the Rams on tap. Well, now you've got a predicament, as no timetable is presently set for his return. And he ain't playing this weekend. Remember in August how you felt like he was a breakout in the making? Yup, I feel you bud.

o.Michael Crabtree is going to get his first NFL start this weekend. However, is it really OK to insert him into your fantasy line-up? I say that's an act of desperation, but certainly the buzz around Crabtree is making the rounds. All he ever wanted to do was score touchdowns! Do you trust he can pull this off in his first ever game? If so, go for it ... I guess.

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Adrian Peterson and That Ankle Injury originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sink or Swim: Beanie Wells, Ryan Grant and the 'Other' Steve Smith

Sean Lalley — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football, NFL Sink or Swim

It's another session of "Sink or Swim," Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekly look at the underachievers still lurking on many fantasy rosters. You've got the tough choices to make and we help you decide which direction to take. Do you cut the bait or give 'em one more chance to swim?

Welcome everyone to the fantasy hot seat. Where do I even begin? Bye weeks are upon us and it's certainly time for you to make a push for the playoffs. Do you have some dead weight sitting on your roster or even starting for you right now? Relax; most of us are in similar situations. Today, I'd like to welcome in a few guys who were snatched in the early rounds of most drafts and our favorite rookie running back pegged to do damage.

Yes, let's give a warm welcome on the hot seat to Beanie Wells, Steve Smith and Ryan Grant.
Beanie Wells, RB Cardinals. It's time; it's simply time to give up. Those thoughts you once had that the Cardinals would somehow learn to lean on the run to help close games and keep Warner healthy are long gone. At some point you just realize that you are what you are. And for the Cardinals they are a pass first, pass second and pass last team. This hardly means anything good for Beanie Wells.

He was brought into to be the bruiser who could eat chunks of yardage. Instead, he's coughed up the football, watched his snap count diminish, while Tim Hightower gets what little scraps are left for the running game. I feel ashamed, because of all the rookie running backs heading into this season I was most confident in Wells to make a difference. I know when it's time to admit I was wrong. Let's all agree once and for all that we can sink this guy. So long sucker.

Steve Smith, WR Panthers. He's now gaining the reputation as the "other" Steve Smith. Uh-oh, that doesn't sound good to a former fantasy football legend. However, as bad as it's been for Smith this season, it's become a harsh reality. And do you see a light at the end of the tunnel? I sure as heck don't.

Look, you drafted the guy in the 2nd or 3rd round; it's insane to think you could cut him outright. However, you can't possibly consider him as a starting option anymore. He even went as far as to admit himself that he's no longer an asset to the Panthers offense. We all know Jake Delhomme ain't gonna snap out of this funk by next week. Sadly, he is what he is and it's going to dampen Smith's value or usefulness all season. My advice is to give Smith a few more chances against certain matchups or try and trade him on namesake. At least temper your excitement, because you'll be a little more at ease when he comes up empty.

Ryan Grant, RB Packers. An email from Will Brinson came across last weekend with the following statement: "Aaron Rodgers hates Ryan Grant." That may not be exactly true, but it should get you thinking. Ryan Grant hasn't sniffed the endzone since Week 2. More importantly three times in the last three Packers games they've been on the 1 yard line and gone to the fullback John Kuhn. Kuhn has scored twice.

It begs the question...why not give the ball to Grant? Is there a trust issue? What's the deal? And let's face it, if you're a Grant owner you simply need to have him score TD's, because his meager 3.8 yards per carry average ain't exactly getting it done for you. I soured on Grant all last preseason due to the hype and was partially correct. This season, I figured let's give the guy another chance.

At some point though, you have to just use theme of "you are what you are." Grant had a hot streak to end 2007, but since then he's been about a 3.5 yards per carry kind of guy. He's not getting you a whole heck of a lot right now and his offensive line is in shambles. Oh yeah, the Packers did also just re-sign Ahman Green. Let's not get carried away into thinking Green should be plucked from the wires. However, if you can deal Grant now, I'd consider it. You can't sink him outright, but if he can't pick up the pace sooner than later, you might be screwed.

Sink or Swim: Beanie Wells, Ryan Grant and the 'Other' Steve Smith originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: You Might Need a Plan B for Megatron

Sean Lalley — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:32:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football, NFL Start 'Em Sit 'Em

Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.

It would appear that the Lions aren't going to take their chances with QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson, as all signs indicate they won't be in action at Green Bay this weekend. You probably weren't starting Stafford and the news on Johnson was kind of expected. However, that certainly doesn't ease the pain of losing the production of Megatron (who has historically torched the Packers). The suggestion would be to hit the wire now if you're looking for a replacement.

It's not the best news for the present tense, but in the long run this should help Calvin get back to health. You certainly don't want your stud WR catering to a lingering injury the remainder of the season. As a Megatron owner, I'm totally cool with letting him rest up and get healthy over the course of the next two weeks (the Lions have a bye in Week 7). Just keep your frustrations in check, because when he gets back into action in Week 8, the Rams will be waiting. Ok, I just talked myself down.

So what else is newsworthy heading into the weekend games?

o. Willie Parker might be back at practice and wearing a specially crafted custom Nike shoe to help his ailing big toe, but Rashard Mendenhall is still getting the start. What we can expect from this, I'm not quite sure. Obviously Mendenhall has the upside, but you hate to consider Willie Parker slicing into his carries. Oh well, that's just fantasy football. I wouldn't be too concerned about Parker getting a split share, that's just not gonna happen.

o. Is this the week that LaDainian Tomlinson finally gets it going? Some folks tend to think so. Sure, he's been a brutal disappointment in this young season. And some are ready to write his fantasy career's obituary. However, he's got a great history against the Broncos, so don't write him off...yet.

o. Apparently, T.J Houshmandzadeh would appreciate it if the Seahawks would just throw him the ball already. Really? That's where we're at these days? Houshmandzadeh is coming off his first "breakout" game with the Seahawks last week and coincidentally it was only the 2nd game he played with Matt Hasselbeck

o. The game of the week will take place between the Saints and Giants down in New Orleans. It should be raining fantasy points with Eli Manning, Drew Brees and the plethora of weapons each QB has at his disposal. However, wouldn't it be a punch in the stomach if the defenses stamped the outcome of this game? Nah, don't worry it's gonna happen.

o. Tossing in a little satire for the weekend. The jokes are on Rush Limbaugh after being denied a bid to purchase the Rams.

Have a great weekend and be sure to tune in on Sunday morning in this very space for the Sunday tailgate to get you ready for all the action.

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: You Might Need a Plan B for Megatron originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sink or Swim: Farewell to the Timeshare

Sean Lalley — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football, NFL Sink or Swim

It's another session of "Sink or Swim," Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekly look at the underachievers still lurking on many fantasy rosters. You've got the tough choices to make and we help you decide which direction to take. Do you cut the bait or give 'em one more chance to swim?

Well, I've already covered the ailing Cowboys receivers, so go ahead and move on. This was supposed to be the week I was all ready to tell you to rid yourselves of Darren McFadden (now injured) and Braylon Edwards (traded to Jets). They already dodged the hot seat for obvious reasons, but that doesn't mean you should hold onto any member of the Oakland Raiders, sorry Zach Miller.

Moving on, Thursday's fantasy hot seat is all about the timeshare running backs. The concept alone is like nails on a chalkboard to any proud fantasy owner. Not every timeshare running back has been a resounding success this season. And so, let's welcome a few of these underwhelming running backs to "sink or swim."

Ah yes, hello Jonathan Stewart, Derrick Ward and LenDale White. Where do we start?

Jonathan Stewart (RB, Panthers) -- Seeing Stewart's name on this list is really discouraging, but wasn't that to be expected? He struggled with an injury all preseason and that wasn't even taking DeAngelo Williams into consideration. It's not as if Williams has completely pushed Stewart out of the picture. I'd say it's more like Jake Delhomme has sabotaged any chance of the Panthers getting their smashmouth running game going. Or is it the confusing game plan of the Panthers?

Either way, as with most of the other names on the fantasy hot seat, you'll notice they share a common theme. Their teams are terrible and that my friends is mainly what ails Jonathan Stewart, thus far. Will he turn it around? I'd hope so, but I'm not as confident as I once was. If you absolutely can't hold his space anymore then it's a no-brainer, but if you're fine for roster spots, give it a few more weeks.

Derrick Ward (RB, Buccaneers) -- And here we thought Ward was primed to shove aside Cadillac Williams and Earnest Graham after signing that fat contract. Well, it hasn't quite turned out the way he or many of us expected. To be fair, it's not all Ward's fault. The Bucs have been and will continue to be one of the worst teams in the league. Plus, they've not really committed one way or the other as to who will actually receive the bulk of the carries.

Currently Ward is battling a knee injury which we haven't been given full disclosure on. He started the season off in Week 1 carrying the ball 12 times for 62 yards and a score. In the weeks that followed he totaled only 14 carries combined. Apparently, the Bucs still had the flavor for a Cadillac. Will that last all season? Who really knows the answer to that, but what I do know is that there's not much reason to keep Ward around your roster. Just monitor the situation, keeping an eye open to see if his carries pick up.

LenDale White (RB, Titans) -- He gave up a lot for the Titans this season, and it shows. Unfortunately, they've rewarded him with minimal carries and/or touches. That's not to say Chris Johnson isn't "killing it" against opposing defenses, because he is. But wouldn't it be nice to see the Titans use a little change of pace with White? Once again, another timeshare running back losing ground on an awful team.

In 10-man leagues, White is what he is: a big fat waste of roster space. However, in deeper leagues you might just have to hold out hope. Look, the Titans defense can't stay off the field and they can't keep anyone out of the end zone. Tennessee may be forced to turn to a more ball-controlling game plan. This could indeed benefit the big jelly known as LenDale White. At some point the Titans are going to get into the red zone and that means they could very well feed the big man. I say hold and monitor, because a goal-line vulture is never easy to just part with.

Sink or Swim: Farewell to the Timeshare originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Over/Under: Week 4

Sean Lalley — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football, NFL Start 'Em Sit 'Em

Here's how it works. We throw some intriguing matchups at the FanHouse staff and ask whether each player will be over or under a certain point total. The result? Fantasy Football Over/Under. Makes sense, right?

So, you've got arguably the biggest game of your season upcoming. And you're losing sleep at night debating who to start and who to sit. Your buddy tells you one thing and some guy in your office tells you another. Can't decide if you should roll with Tom Brady or keep playing the hot hand in Joe Flacco? Ah, the frustration. Cheer up buckaroo, we're here to help you with these last-minute dilemmas that we all face. Let us be your compass as we debate.

Normal scoring (passing 20/4, rushing/receiving 10/6) applies.

Benchmarks:
QB - 18 points (200 yards passing, 2 TDs; 220 yards passing, 2 TDs, 1 INT, etc)
RB1 - 16 points (100 yards and 1 TD)
RB2 - 10 points (100 yards, zero TDs; 40 yards, 1 TD)
WR1 - 14 points (80 yards and 1 TD)
WR2 - 10 points (100 yards, zero TDs; 40 yards, 1 TD)
WR3 - 8 points (80 yards, zero TDs; 20 yards, 1 TD)
FLEX - 6 points (60 yards or a TD)
TE1 - 6 points (60 yards or a TD)

Position	Player	Matchup	Lalley	Dembinsky	Snyder	Bardeen
QB	Rivers	at PIT	Under	Under	Over	Under
QB	Schaub	vs. OAK	Over	Over	Over	Over
QB	Brady	vs. BAL	Over	Over	Over	Over
QB	Manning	vs. SEA	Over	Over	Over	Over
QB	Sanchez	at NO	Under	Under	Under	Under
QB	Cutler	vs. DET	Over	Over	Over	Under
RB1	C. Johnson	at JAC	Over	Over	Over	Over
RB1	Forte	vs. DET	Under	Over	Over	Over
RB1	S. Jackson	at SF	Over	Under	Over	Under
RB1	Slaton	vs. OAK	Over	Under	Under	Under
RB2	Benson	at CLE	Over	Over	Over	Under
RB2	Moreno	vs. DAL	Over	Over	Under	Under
RB2	P. Thomas	vs. NYJ	Over	Over	Under	Over
RB2	McGahee	at NE	Under	Over	Under	Over
RB2	R. Brown	vs. BUF	Over	Over	Over	Over
RB2	T. Jones	at NO	Under	Under	Over	Under
WR1	Ochocinco	at CLE	Over	Under	Over	Under
WR1	C. Johnson	at CHI	Over	Over	Under	Over
WR1	V. Jackson	at PIT	Under	Over	Over	Over
WR1	R. Moss	vs. BAL	Over	Over	Over	Under
WR2	Burleson	at IND	Under	Under	Under	Over
WR2	R. Williams	at DEN	Under	Under	Under	Under
WR2	Steve Smith (NYG)	at KC	Over	Over	Over	Over
WR2	Driver	at MIN	Under	Over	Over	Over
WR2	Owens	at MIA	Under	Over	Over	Under
WR3	Walter	vs OAK	Over	Over	Over	Under
WR3	Washington	at JAC	Over	Over	Over	Over
WR3	H. Ward	vs. SD	Under	Over	Under	Over
WR3	Edwards	vs. CIN	Over	Under	Under	Under
WR3	Mason	at NE	Under	Over	Under	Over
WR3	Sims-Walker	vs. TEN	Under	Over	Over	Under
FLEX	Coffee	vs. STL	Over	Over	Over	Over
FLEX	Garcon	vs. SEA	Under	Over	Under	Under
FLEX	Bradshaw	at KC	Under	Over	Over	Over
FLEX	F. Taylor	vs. BAL	Under	Over	Under	Over
FLEX	J. Harrison	vs. CIN	Under	Over	Over	Under
FLEX	J. Morgan	vs. STL	Over	Under	Under	Under
FLEX	Avery	at SF	Over	Over	Under	Under
FLEX	Choice	at DEN	Under	Under	Over	Under
TE	Gates	at PIT	Over	Under	Over	Under
TE	Winslow	at WAS	Over	Under	Under	Over
TE	H. Miller	vs. SD	Over	Under	Under	Under
TE	Shiancoe	vs. GB	Over	Over	Under	Over
TE	Carlson	at IND	Under	Under	Over	Over

o. Obviously, we are all very, very high on Peyton Manning. Is there any reason not to be? However, we also hit the consensus vote that Tom Brady would finally snap out of it and Matt Schaub will continue to pour it on. As for Mark Sanchez, we all feel like a return trip to Earth is his destiny.

o. The marks are all stars for Chris Johnson this weekend, while we remained split on Steven Jackson.

o. It looks as though not many have high hopes for Steve Slaton this year. Look, if he can't deliver this week ... let's all throw in the towel. Ouch. Yes, I'm a proud or depressed Slaton owner.

o. Not surprising that none of us believe in Roy Williams.

Fantasy Football Over/Under: Week 4 originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Thank God It's Almost Sunday

Sean Lalley — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:10:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football, NFL Start 'Em Sit 'Em

Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.

It's another Friday wrap-up and we're taking you into the weekend. Good news my friends, the hard part of the week is over. Now, you can sit back, wait and enjoy sweet victory or agonize over bitter defeat this weekend. It's fun either way right?

Don't forget to join us on Sunday morning for your pregame tailgate and last-minute fantasy advice. As to what's relevant in the fantasy football world on this Friday, let's take a look.

Perhaps the biggest game of the weekend isn't until Monday night. Yes, Brett Favre faces his former team, the Packers, in primetime. You have heard a little about this game, and not just from watching Favre become the antichrist to a legion of Packers fans. This game also carries plenty of fantasy football implications. Anytime you have Adrian Peterson, Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Ryan Grant, Brett Favre, Percy Harvin and Ryan Grant to name just a few, you know it'll be pouring fantasy points.

Other Fantasy Football Notes

o. On most weekends a clash between the Patriots and the Ravens would draw top billing. However, thanks to that Favre dude, it takes a back seat. That said, what was once thought of as a defensive slug-fest might very well be an all-out offensive showcase. The Ravens are bringing their vaunted offense into New England, and it's just about time for Tom Brady and Randy Moss to kick off the rust and get into high gear. Mind you that the Ravens are stiff against the run, but can be had through the air. Did you hear me Brady?

o. If you're thinking about using Clinton Portis this Sunday in a tantalizing matchup against the Bucs, you may want to check twice. Stay tuned to the injury report, as it appears as though Portis may be the dreaded game-time decision. We hate those words when it comes to fantasy football.

o. The Beast is back. Yup, Marshawn Lynch returns for the Bills this weekend. However, it's a mixed bag around most parts. Some folks are pleasantly surprised and happy with what Fred Jackson has been able to do in his absence. If you own Lynch you are probably looking at a wait of at least one more week. We can only expect a 50/50 split against a solid Dolphins run defense.

o. Ahmad Bradshaw was back to practicing Friday with the Giants, so you can feel free to insert him back into your fantasy roster.

o. You won't find many weekly rankings around the Internet that aren't high on Glen Coffee. He seems to be the flavor of the week and is more than likely not available on any waiver wire. He cracked our Top 10 rankings, so that flier I took on him two minutes after Frank Gore went down might pay off. He may be the most hyped product to come off the waiver wire in quite a long time. Something tells me (at least I hope not) that the hype is setting the kid up to let us down.

o. For another solid list of fantasy rankings, check out the guys over at Empty the Bench. I'm of the notion that you can't ever have too much fantasy football information.

o. Jamey Eisenberg at CBS Sports gives Jay Cutler his clearance as the start of the week. He also forewarns, as we've mentioned, that if Darren McFadden can't produce against Houston we can all agree he's a bust.

Enjoy the games and as always, best of luck.

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Thank God It's Almost Sunday originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Weekend Warriors, Frank Gore vs. Adrian Peterson

Sean Lalley — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, Fantasy Football

Cut-N-Go is Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekday roundup of the NFL news with fantasy football impact.

It's your Friday installment of "CNG" and we're taking you into the weekend. You've had the whole week to circle the wagons, analyze your fantasy rosters, read all the experts and gather the various weekly rankings around the Internet. The easy part is done, now comes the hard part -- the waiting for Sunday morning. At least you're prepped and ready.

Let's take a quick-hitter look around the NFL on this Friday and piece together any fantasy-worthy news that may have slipped through the cracks.

o. It should be an exciting fantasy showcase this weekend in Minnesota when two of the top backs in the league (Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson) square off. However, perhaps we should be talking more about AP vs. Patrick Willis. The 49ers have a stout run defense thanks in large part to Willis. Also, some food for thought -- the last time AP faced the 49ers he totaled 3 yards on 14 carries. Not saying that's gonna happen again, but worth pondering.

o. In Arizona it's not exactly rookie hazing, but Beanie Wells has been forced to carry around a football to all team functions in response to coughing it up twice last weekend. He'll need to have surefire hands on Sunday night against the Colts, as he figures to be a significant part of the game plan.

o. Is this the end of the line for Fred Jackson? Conventional wisdom says absolutely not, but this is the last game that he will have the backfield all to himself. Marshawn Lynch returns from suspension next week and although he may not get the full load, he'll still be the starter in theory. Most believe we are looking at a timeshare. Either way, this could be a solid week for Jackson to state his case and leave an impression.

o. The Titans have been lit up by opposing quarterbacks and wide receivers in their first two games. One would imagine then that this bodes well for the Jets, specifically rookie QB Mark Sanchez. The "TMR" believes that this game will be Sanchez's coming-out party. Hard to imagine it won't be, right? The Titans will be ready for the Jets' rushing attack. This game belongs to Sanchez and he'll need to go out and win it for the Jets.

o. Don't laugh, but the Lions actually have a realistic chance to win a regular-season game this Sunday when the Redskins come to town. Most people are amping up their fantasy rosters with anyone employed on offense by the Redskins. However, let's not get that excited. The Redskins have only managed to scrape up a measly 26 points on the season and Clinton Portis hasn't exactly looked as if he's found the fountain of youth. If Matthew Stafford plays a smart (mistake-free) game, the Lions are going to celebrate on Sunday. OK, now you can laugh.

o. We still aren't quite sure what's going on with the Marion Barber situation for Monday night. My guess is that Felix Jones is your best option, but stay tuned.

Fantasy Football Cut-N-Go: Weekend Warriors, Frank Gore vs. Adrian Peterson originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fantasy Football Decision Time: Up for Grabs, Down for Keeps

Ryan Dembinsky — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, Fantasy Football

I must admit, I am not entirely certain that "Up for Grabs, Down for Keeps" is a universal reference. It refers to the hot open-market exchange that is the elementary school lunch table. "Up for grabs" means that the Fruit by the Foot is in play if you can come up with a fat sack of Nutter Butters, or perhaps a goat cheese sandwich if you're from Scarsdale. "Down for keeps" means you changed your mind or pulled the fake-out move and decided to hang onto it for personal consumption.

Anyway, today's segment deals with the decision of determining who should be stashed away "down for keeps" versus who is better off being placed back on the market "up for grabs" in those keeper leagues as we head into the off-season.

The 2008 regular season provided no shortage of fantasy surprises and it is important to determine which of these were anomalies and which will be around for a while. Furthermore, some of these surprises came at the expense of some longtime no-brainers for keeper leagues. Hence, let's divide 'em up and take a look at who NOT to keep for next season.

Terrell Owens - Surely, some desperate team will pick him up for another season and let him ruin its morale if the Cowboys choose to release Owens. He'll probably put up some good games wherever that may be, but don't bother risking it at this point. There's too much potential for missed games and inconsistency with yet another quarterback.

Thomas Jones - Don't kid yourself folks, one career Pro Bowl in a year behind Brett Favre and one of the best (and most expensive) offensive lines in the NFL has more to do with the system than the runner. Sure, Jones might have another good year, but as you well know, Brett Favre might also retire ... again. Keep in mind that in Jones' other eight seasons, he averaged just over four touchdowns per season and his yardage is generally good, but not great.

Tom Brady - Believe me, this is tough to call on our side too. Still, Tom Brady is coming back from a very serious surgery and given the success that Matt Cassel enjoyed, it is not inconceivable to expect a shakeup. The Patriots have a notoriously savvy/frugal front office and are rumored to be considering a franchise tag for Cassel, which raises all sorts of question marks about Brady's future. We're not speculating or rumor-spreading here, but rather simply recommending you save your personal fantasy franchise tag for somebody else. A keeper has to be a lock and Tom Brady is no longer a lock.

Reggie Bush - How can you argue with the utter domination that Pierre Thomas demonstrated down the stretch this past season? Nobody in their right mind would consider scaling back his time on the field. You can certainly still expect Reggie Bush to catch his swing passes and play an integral role, but let's face facts -- the guy has never cracked 600 yards rushing and didn't even clear 1,000 combined rushing and receiving yards in the past two seasons. Plus, he struggles with injuries every year. Again, your keepers are your rocks. Reggie Bush is a playmaker, but not a rock.

Ronnie Brown - We may be stretching here, because Ronnie Brown is not exactly keeper material to begin with, but just in case you are considering him, we'd prefer to put the kibosh on that idea right here. You probably look back on Ronnie Brown's season and say to yourself, "Dude, over 900 yards rushing and over 250 receiving with 11 scores. This guy is brain-dead." Well, how about you subtract his one good game, where he racked up five touchdowns, and then come back down to earth. Ronnie Brown is a good fourth-round bargain for your backfield, but he is not a keeper and he is not very consistent.

Darren McFadden - I'm a little at odds with my colleague Matt Snyder here, so take this one as a grain of salt as he probably knows about 10 times more about football than I, but until the Raiders can put together a semblance of a complete offense, I don't see the value in gambling on McFadden. We know he is a great athlete, but he has yet to carry a full load and struggled way too much with injuries to gamble unless you keep more than three players in your league.

Anquan Boldin - As much as it kills me to put Q on the list, he goes on the list. Besides the obvious struggles with injuries, Boldin most likely will not play in Arizona in 2009. Arizona has definitely shown interest in keeping Boldin, but for pennies on the dollar as compared to teammate Larry Fitzgerald's contract. Thus, it's doubtful Boldin will come to terms with the Cards. This means Boldin could very well play for a far less pass-happy offense. Again, if you are in a less limited keeper league where you hang onto upwards of 50 percent of the roster, obviously keep Boldin. But if you are faced with choosing three or four guys with a combination of long-term staying power and immediate results, Boldin is the wrong guy.

Fantasy Football Decision Time: Up for Grabs, Down for Keeps originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dynasty Diaries: Which Dash Ya Got: DeAngelo Williams or Chris Johnson

Will Brinson — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, Fantasy Football, NFL New Studs

There's no doubt that both Chris Johnson and DeAngelo Williams won a lot of ~~money~~ fantasy championships for owners this year. Johnson was a late round draft pick (although Snyds and I both loved him coming out of the draft) whereas DeAngelo was almost an afterthought with Jonathan Stewart coming into Charlotte (guilty on all fronts here of whiffing this one).

That being said ... who's the better bet for the long term in fantasy? Well, for starters, both appear to be locked into a tandem situation for a while; Stewart and LenDale White are both young and each do a superb job complimenting the two guys we're discussing here. Hence the hysterically overplayed 'Smash and Dash War'. (Again, guilty.)

Outside of "job security" (meaning touches and tandems), there are three other key components for a fantasy running back: big plays, environment and the feature factor. Yes, I am making these up; allow me to explain.

The edge that most folks would hand to Johnson has to be "explosiveness", a.k.a. the big play ... but that's kind of a tough argument to simply hand to the faster guy if you happened to watch Williams play at any point this year. Johnson is lighting quick, for sure, but when DeAngelo can cuts back to the outside, he looks almost unstoppable.

Environment -- thinking here of the rest of the team -- might actually be closer to a push. Yes, normally we would say that Jake Delhomme is better than Kerry Collins, but given Delhomme's game against the Cardinals and the final few months of the season, it's kind of tough to make that argument and feel good about yourself. The Titans defense is better, certainly, but the Panthers other offensive weapons and an offensive line that appears to be gelling quickly makes up for that.

So, presuming that Johnson is ahead -- I'll give him the BOOM factor for argument's sake -- with just the "feature factor" remaining, it seems pretty clear to me that DeAngelo is your pick for the future. Who had more touchdowns this year? Easy -- Williams. Why? Again, easy -- LenDale.

Stewart may take away from some of Williams' goal line touches, but for the most part, John Fox utilized them in the red zone on an equal basis. Jeff Fisher's choices with White and Johnson were vastly different, almost always utilizing the, um, heftier White around the end zone.

Couple in the fact that DeAngelo is far more likely to become "the man" in the sense of getting a full season, every game carry load, and it seems pretty simple (although either one is a great choice) that going forward, Williams is your selection in fantasy keeper leagues.

Dynasty Diaries: Which Dash Ya Got: DeAngelo Williams or Chris Johnson originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ranking the Rookie Runners: The Finish Line and Looking Ahead

Sean Lalley — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, Fantasy Football, NFL New Studs

Let's face it, this year was all about the Rookie RB when talking about fantasy football. Depending on the scoring system for your league, three rookies most likely finished in the Top 10 RB producers. This made for arguably the single greatest rookie RB class in recent memory, not only from a realistic perspective, but also for fantasy purposes.

Is this the new trend and will we lust over the rookie class next season as we prepare for our drafts? Well, let's not jump the gun just yet. However, what we can depend on will be the spiked draft day values of the returning sophomore class. Many of these talents have already become mainstays on the fantasy football horizon.

And so today, we take a quick look back at the season that was, but more importantly gage the values of this heralded class moving forward. Follow along and in order...
Chris Johnson: Say hello to the star. Dude is ready to break away from the pack. He's got stardom waiting around the corner and many would argue that had he been on the field the entire game against Baltimore this past weekend, the Titans would be playing for the AFC Championship. Well, looking forward it's hard to find a more lucrative player at his position. He reeks of upside and we've seen the potential come to fruition. Dominance for years to come is on the radar and LenDale White is in the rear view...eating a pizza.

Matt Forte: Forte put up a monster season and at times (well most of the time) carried an otherwise lackluster Bears offense. He was leaned heavily upon and produced instant star fantasy RB caliber statistics. He's certainly arrived in fantasy football terms and he's going to be in it for the long haul. Look for Forte to draw considerable less hype than somebody like Chris Johnson, but he'll be equal in reliability.

Kevin Smith: One would have to believe that Rudi Johnson is no longer in the picture. Smith gave a late surge down the stretch to topple 1,000 total yards to go along with 8 TD's. Aside from Calvin Johnson, he's the only real glimmer of hope the Lions organization can hang onto. Already expectations are on the rise for K-Smith heading into next season. His fantasy value will no doubt spike to new heights with realistic goals of 1,200 total yards and double digit TD's. Look for him to build upon his hot close to '08 and be a commodity come fantasy draft time next season.

Steve Slaton: The keys to the Ferrari are all his. OK, so maybe the Houston offense isn't quite that extravagant, but it's still a young creative offense with several budding stars. And the ground attack belongs solely to Slaton after he brushed aside would be competition (um, and Ahman Green's knee) to become the full time feature. He most likely helped many in their push to the playoffs and beyond. Is he first round material next season? No, but he's certainly not the second coming of Dominick Davis. If he's on the board in Round 3...I'd consider that a steal.

Felix Jones: Something just tells me that Marion Barber's audition as the full-time RB in Dallas didn't go as planned. Barber struggled to stay healthy down the stretch and couldn't fully be trusted. When healthy, we saw the burst and game-changing ability of Felix Jones. Does it come as a surprise that the Cowboys ship began to sink when Jones and slew of other injuries hit the team? He's going to be thrust into more looks n' touches next season and if he can stay healthy, he'll be a fantasy star.

Darren McFadden: I'd love to say that McFadden is going to evolve into the next Priest Holmes/LT/AP that we've all anointed him to be. However, let's face the reality of the fact that his team stinks and he's still gonna split carries with either Michael Bush or Justin Fargas. I'm with everyone else that the Raiders should've just gone at the final month of the season with simply McFadden to see what they had. And I'm with everyone that he can and should be a star. Yet, as it stands right now...I think his stock should be tempered heading into next year's draft.

Jonathan Stewart: Don't sleep on J-Stew. While everyone will be slurping the DeAngelo Williams kool-aid, I just don't see a repeat of last season. No, I'm not saying Stewart will overtake D-Will for the starting gig. Rather, I just don't think D-Will is gonna erupt again as he did and thus, there will more of a timeshare. And to that notion, J-Stew wasn't all that bad with the touches he got this past season. He'll be overlooked, but he's a smart investment for those who can afford to be patient.

Ray Rice: The "little engine that could" should get more chances to shine next season. He's still somehow gotta supplant Willis McGahee and/or LeRon McClain, but when given the chance this past year he delivered. He's still certifiable via the "sleeper tag" for next season. However, don't be surprised if he pulls a late season surge for some lucky owner who takes the late round flier. Think Pierre Thomas circa 2008. Is that too lofty?

Rashard Mendenhall: Injuries derailed his debut season in Pittsburgh. And judging by the way Willie Parker's season was going (prior to the playoffs), Rashard was looking at a ripe opportunity to be the man heading into next season. Well, he may very well still get that chance. In the least, he'll see plenty of work in the red-zone, which we all love to hear in fantasy football.

Tim Hightower: Will he or won't he be the man? Best guess is that Edgerrin James is on his way out of town. However, does that mean that Hightower has what it take to be the full-time featured RB? Um, his porous yards per carry average would suggest otherwise. However, his nose for the end-zone speaks to ears of fantasy footballers everywhere. He's not a bad option as a Flex or reserve RB...right now.

Ranking the Rookie Runners: The Finish Line and Looking Ahead originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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My Undefeated Fantasy Football Year

Shane Bacon — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:38:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football

I want to prep this by explaining something. I'd say I'm an average bragger. I don't talk about my skills as much as some people do, mostly because I don't have a lot of them (true), and the ones I do have are fairly dorky and pointless (golf, writing, ping-pong).

That said, I've always been a fairly decent fantasy football player, even though I think at this point in the history of fantasy, it is more luck and less about skill (see "Brady, Tom" first-round pick).

Anyway, my fantasy football story begins a year ago, when I was reading ESPN's BIll Simmons talk about his fantasy year. He was going undefeated. His fantasy team hadn't lost, and his favorite real team, the Patriots, were undefeated as well. He made it a battle to see who could keep the second "0" the longest.

His conclusion was Week 6 was an appropriate time to start thinking undefeated. For my fantasy team in 2008, I didn't really "think undefeated" until Week 10.

What I did do was go undefeated in a fantasy football league with 12 teams. We played one quarterback, one true running back, two flex positions, one true wide receiver, a tight end, a kicker and special teams/defense. It was in a keeper league my family and friends had started three or so years ago, and my keeper from the previous year was none other than the one and only LaDainian Tomlinson. Who wouldn't keep him, right?

I've spent some time thinking about my season and I've broken it down into three parts: opponent's injuries or byes, complete and utter luck, and "the hunch." (Note: Fantasy is the only place in sports where there should ever be talk of "a hunch." If any coach [see: Brad Childress] says he is starting a quarterback because "it feels like the right thing to do," you should stop being a fan of that team.)

It all started in the first week of the season. I, the Denver Dewey Decimal Systems, played the Portland Eager Beavers. It was a fairly even match. I had LdT and Thomas Jones starting, he had Earnest Graham and Edge. Where did my edge come from? The guy started Tom Brady. 1-0, Shane.

In week 2, I got the good fortune of playing someone that obviously didn't read up on how the hurricane in Houston was affecting fantasy football. The man started Willis McGahee, and the strange bye week occured. I'm now 2-0.

Week 3 was just a flat out win, with both Drew Brees (my quarterback steal) and LdT going for 20 points each.

I won't bore you with all the details of each week, but I think it's worth noting my Week 6 game against my brother-in-law and avid Ravens fan, Keith. The Charleston Ornery Sons were beating me around the yard, thanks to a Tony Romo-Marion Barber combination of 50 points and Ronnie Brown tossing in a 50-yard-one-touchdown game. Because of a hunch, I had decided to start Braylon Edwards over Calvin Johnson, because Johnson was playing early and against Minnesota, and Edwards was the Monday Night guy on a team that hadn't showed a lot of life all season.

Down 22 points heading to Monday, I didn't think I had a shot. He was killing me, Edwards was up against the Giants, and, well, I was relying on Braylon Edwards. You could hand the guy a pillow at Bed, Bath and Beyond and Edwards would probably drop it. Yet after 154 yards and a touchdown, I was a point behind my opponent. No chance, right? The Browns decided to go for two in that game, and for some reason, found Edwards in the end zone. Two point conversion, two points for me, ball game folks.

That was how the fantasy season went for me. Undefeated? It's unlikely, but at least I have one story of it happening. The only problem is, what do I do for my encore?

My Undefeated Fantasy Football Year originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dynasty Diaries: Adrian Peterson Owns Keeper Running Back Rankings

Matt Snyder — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, Fantasy Football

As opposed to quarterbacks, I'm definitely in favor of keeping running backs. In fact, I highly recommend keeping two runners instead of a quarterback, if you have two of my top 20. Running backs are the life-blood of your fantasy team, much like the oil in your car. Two consistent runners on your fantasy team make life so much easier, which is why it's your starting point.

As I said, I'm recommending you keep two from the list, which is why I'm ranking more than I did for quarterbacks or wide receivers.

Ladies and Gents, your top 20 keeper running backs ...

1. Adrian Peterson - He'll learn to stop fumbling the ball. In the meantime, 1,760 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground were a nice encore to his insane rookie season. He's only going to be 24 in 2009, by the way.

2. Michael Turner - I'd like for him to be more consistent, but this whole year was a learning process for the Falcons. Not too shabby, huh? His consistency will improve, as the Falcons offense becomes one of the top-notch units in the NFL. He'll be turning 27 this year, but he's only amassed 604 career carries.

3. Chris Johnson - He's only going to get better, and the Titans will likely begin to lean more on him as he matures into a superstar. He's much too explosive to put any lower on this list.

4. DeAngelo Williams - He was easily the top scoring running back in fantasy football this past season. So, why number four? I'm just a tad bit worried about where this came from. He couldn't completely overtake DeShaun Foster for two years. It's not like I'm incredibly worried, however, because he's still only turning 26 this year and he did average five yards per carry in 2007.

5. Matt Forte - We know he's going to get a massive amount of touches, we know he's a game-breaker, and we know he can handle the workload without slowing down. The question, though, lies with the entire Bears offense. Can the passing game keep enough attention off Forte, and can the line continue to improve?

6. Steven Jackson - Say what you must about the holdout and his injury woes in the wake of it. This guy is a flat-out stud when he plays. He'll have a full training camp next season, and he's sure to be motivated to stay strong and healthy. Jackson will be turning 26 this summer, so there's still plenty of gas left in his tank. Also remember, with a new coach in town, he's sure to be featured heavily in the offense.

7. Marion Barber - He's the Cowboys' horse, so don't let the late-season injury woes deter you. I might be a little worried about his punishing style of running the football, but he's still young enough to handle it for a bit.

8. Frank Gore - Through Week 11, Gore was an elite option in fantasy football, and then everything fell apart as he dealt with injuries and ineffectiveness. Still, the Niners were looking like a strong team towards the end of the season, and the overall improvements will help Gore. Let others be fearful of Mike Martz's departure.

9. Clinton Portis - He's gone over 2,000 carries and will turn 29 this season, so his shelf life is starting to become limited. Still, I'd take three more years of nearly 1,500 yards rushing and nine scores.

10. Marshawn Lynch - We were really hoping for more from "Beast Mode" in his second season. You can attribute much of his second half woes to the fact that the Bills were one of the worst teams in football (2-8 in their last 10 games). He's got the potential, though, and he's only going to turn 23 this year.

11. Steve Slaton - We just kept waiting and waiting for the little guy to shut down, but he wouldn't. He's 23, playing in an explosive offense, and he just proved he could handle the load for an entire season. The diminutive frame does cause some concerns about long-term durability, but he hasn't given us any reason for concern just yet.

12. Maurice Jones-Drew (MJD) - Fred Taylor is going to be gone, and I'm fully confident MJD can carry the load as the featured back in Jacksonville. The only downside is the Jags line was horrible this past season -- and yes, injuries played a role. If they can patch things up in the offseason, there is no reason to believe MJD won't be an elite fantasy option.

13. Brian Westbrook - He's coming off of what can be considered a mild disappointment, judging by the lofty standards he has set for himself -- when you look at the only the season-ending totals. The problem is, the totals are skewed by three absurd performances in which Westbrook went for 30+ fantasy points. He actually had seven games with less than 10 points and sat out two due to injury. So, he was only usable in seven games. That's not a first-rounder, and it means he was a colossal bust. You still have to consider him as a keeper due to his history and the fact that he shouldn't be breaking down just yet (he's turning 30 and has less than 1,700 career touches).

14. LaDanian Tomlinson - Last year he would have landed number two on this list. That's the thing with running backs: Sometimes their tanks go empty without tons of notice. While he's been hurt all season, I believe we've already seen his best. He's got enough talent and desire for me to confidently place him here in the rankings, though, because LdT-Lite is still a stud.

15. Joseph Addai - What an absolute disaster of a fantasy season from Addai in 2008. If not for Braylon Edwards, he would be the most hated man in fantasy right now. We do know a few things, though. First of all, the Colts offensive line was banged up. Secondly, Peyton Manning's knee was injured early in the season, which didn't enable him to disguise whether or not a play was a run or pass on the stretch play -- he had to pitch it on a run, which gives the defense an extra few seconds to adjust -- and Addai was never really completely healthy. While I don't think we should expect him to jump back up to top five status, he's young enough -- especially in this explosive offense -- to keep in larger leagues.

16. Thomas Jones - Just as we at FanHouse knew he would, Jones emerged as an elite fantasy back in 2008. Entering 2009, however, there are questions. Who is going to quarterback? Will the new administration give a heavier role to the more-explosive Leon Washington? Is Jones seriously going to score 15 total touchdowns again, even though he never had more than nine in a previous season? At 31, when will he start slowing down?

17. Ryan Grant - After an abysmal start, Grant began piling up the yardage late in the season and broke the 1,000 yard mark. It was only his second season, and I don't expect him to continue being afraid of the end-zone (only four rushing touchdowns). I like his potential moving forward.

18. Darren McFadden - Coming off an incredibly disappointing rookie season, McFadden is primed to be drastically undervalued heading into drafts for 2009. We didn't see many flashes of what he showed he could do in college, but I still believe. He's only going to be 22, and the Raiders looked better towards the end of the season. He has far too much talent to dismiss in keeper leagues.

19. Kevin Smith - More reliable than McFadden, just a bit less upside. The Lions have to get better, obviously, and the offensive center-pieces will be Calvin Johnson and Smith. He compiled a pretty solid rookie season. He just had the misfortune of being in the most stacked rookie running back class ever, so he was overshadowed. He's a very viable keep here, considering the new Lions regime is taking over and Smith is only 22 years-old.

20. Pierre Thomas - From Week 11 through Week 16, there weren't many better fantasy backs than Thomas. He's definitely squeezed Deuce McAllister out of a job, and he's shown he can do it all in the backfield. This could spark a change in how the Saints use Reggie Bush. I really like the upside of Thomas in New Orleans.

Barely Missed the Cut

LeRon McClain - I'm encouraged by the fact that this 24 year-old received an average of 22 carries per game in the Ravens' last six contests this season. I'm discouraged by the fact that he wasn't routinely averaging over four yards a carry. Still, he found the end-zone 10 times this year. I'm betting he takes over the lead role in Baltimore with Ray Rice as the change of pace back and Willis McGahee being shown the door.

Jonathan Stewart - He showed us flashes of brilliance in his rookie season. Still, he's going to be relegated to short-yardage and pace-changing duties as long as DeAngelo is running the way he did this season. I feel like a repeat of 833 yards and 10 touchdowns is doable. Is that really worth keeping?

Ronnie Brown - It seems as though the Dolphins aren't serious about giving Brown enough carries to justify him as a fantasy starter on a weekly basis. Too bad, because he most certainly has the talent.

Reggie Bush - As I said with Thomas, it's evident the Saints have a do-everything back on their hands. Bush is a game-changer, though, so you shouldn't discount him. He'll likely be used in the slot often, and still get a ton of touches. In PPR leagues, he's a keeper over some of the above guys on this list. Of course, there are talks he'll never be the same again after his knee injury this year. Proceed with serious caution.

All the sleepers about whom I already wrote - Especially Derrick Ward. If he leaves New York and joins a team with any sort of promise -- in terms of being able to run the football -- he's definitely ahead of the above names and could up to as high as 15th on the list.

As always, feel free to leave specific keeper questions in the comments section, and we'll answer every single one of them.

Dynasty Diaries: Adrian Peterson Owns Keeper Running Back Rankings originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dynasty Diaries: Drew Brees and Philip Rivers Headline the Top 10 Keeper Quarterbacks

Matt Snyder — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, Fantasy Football

First things first: Depending on how many keepers you have, I really don't recommend holding onto your quarterback. I could see keeping one of the top guys if you don't have good running back or receiving options, but there are going to be plenty of quality options available in the redraft.

I'll explain more after the rankings, because I'll be able to better illustrate my point with the crop of quality quarterbacks who don't make the top 10. You'll see what I mean ...

1. Drew Brees - He's not going anywhere just yet.

2. Philip Rivers - The Chargers are becoming a passing team right before our eyes, and Rivers is legit. He was fourth in quarterback points in standard Fleaflicker leagues this past season, and the offense is still shifting its niche. With the emergence of Vincent Jackson and an increased use of Darren Sproles as a receiver out of the backfield, things will only get better.

3. Aaron Rodgers - Finished behind only Brees and Cutler in quarterback points this season, and it was only his first at the helm. Just like the person before him -- though not nearly as long or as durable, in all likelihood -- he's gonna be taking snaps here for a long time. He'll produce big-time numbers while he's at it. It doesn't hurt that the pass defense in his division is embarrassing.

4. Jay Cutler - I probably would have had him second, but with coaching changes comes the unknown. We fear the unknown in the world of fantasy. But hey, we aren't going overboard here. We're looking at a young quarterback with two young, very studly receivers. The sky's the limit when it comes to Denver's passing game.

5. Peyton Manning - Old reliable. He's only below the three young gunners because he puts up comparable stats to them, and they will be around longer.

6. Tom Brady - The toughest thing to do on this list for me was figure out where to put Brady and Matt Cassel. The Pats are likely to franchise Cassel for next season, so it's conceivable to believe Cassel will start at the beginning of the season with Brady taking over later. But what if the Pats are rolling people under Cassel, and they don't want to switch? Also, what if Brady never really recovers, and he becomes Carson Palmer? By this ranking, you can tell I don't buy into that for various reasons, but I'm cautious enough to slot him outside the top five.

7. Matt Ryan - The proverbial surface has barely been scratched in Atlanta. The offense is only going to get better as Ryan grows into a franchise quarterback. He could be your fantasy quarterback for the next decade.

8. Tony Romo - One thing you'll notice about all the quarterbacks on this list is they have a definite go-to receiver. Romo does, too, in Terrell Owens. The thing is, we can never be sure what's going to happen with T.O. There is talk the Cowboys could cut him. Also, we've seen enough ups and downs from Romo to be scared that his early success may not have been indicative of his overall talent. That being said, he puts up points and presently has the weapons. You could do much worse.

9. Matt Schaub - The Texans passing attack was among the best in football when Schaub and Andre Johnson were on the field together. Questions of Schaub's durability are sure to arise, to which I'd respond that Jared Allen's cheap shots low hits are what put Schaub out this season. Those low blows would have hurt Peyton Manning. I'm not willing to call him injury-prone based upon an accident like that.

10. Kurt Warner - I'll put a huge caveat on this one. If you are loving your chances to win the league next year -- meaning you have a stable with Larry Fitzgerald, Adrian Peterson, and Michael Turner already in place -- then you need to keep Kurt. I'll likely be ranking him second for next season -- assuming he comes back as the Cardinals signal-caller. It just depends on your plan, when deciding whether or not to keep him. If you have decent keepers for next season who could develop into beasts for the future -- like Darren McFadden and DeSean Jackson -- I'd stick with someone who will be playing much longer. We don't know Warner's future. Hell, the Cardinals may win it all this year, in which case Warner may elect to hang it up for good.

So, um, let's see. Who wasn't listed, but is likely to be a serviceable fantasy quarterback moving forward? A large handful of quarterbacks like Joe Flacco, Eli Manning, Donovan McNabb, Tyler Thigpen, Matt Cassel, Ben Roethlisberger, and David Garrard.

As I said in the intro, I'd just let others keep quarterbacks, while you draft a couple from the group I just listed. There's no way you should feel inferior with Big Ben and Flacco as your quarterbacks -- especially considering you probably kept solid receiving and running options instead of quarterbacks.

As always, you can ask specific questions regarding whom to keep in the comments section and we'll answer each and every one of them.

Dynasty Diaries: Drew Brees and Philip Rivers Headline the Top 10 Keeper Quarterbacks originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Offensive Line Breakdowns: The Rewind

Ryan Dembinsky — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:34:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football

You might recall that during the preseason, I concocted a relatively thorough analysis of the offensive line of all 32 teams. The crux of the project -- and what I thought would crack the secret to fantasy success wide open -- was that by determining where the talented offensive lines resided, the picks for skill positions would be made much more intelligently. Well, today we finally get to test that thesis and put the rubber to the road. If you recall, the the offensive lines for each of the league's 32 teams were broken down into five tiers with regard to quality: the creme de la creme, the highly competent, the serviceable, the grim, and the bunk.

The Creme de la Creme

Teams: the Dallas Cowboys, the Cleveland Browns, the Minnesota Vikings, the New England Patriots, and the New York Giants

The Skinny: The glaring error here was calling the Browns offensive line the best in the game and hyping Jamal Lewis for a big season. Still, our creme de la creme group performed quite well averaging 34 sacks on the season and 4.4 yards per carry. The Giants also led the league in yards per carry. The creme de la creme group was definitely solid, but this clearly did not make anyone's season by focusing their drafts here.

The Highly Competent

Teams: The Green Bay Packers, The New Orleans Saints, The Arizona Cardinals, The San Francisco 49ers, The Tennessee Titans, The Miami Dolphins, The Buffalo Bills

The Skinny: This group really held up well as surprises such as Arizona, Miami, and Tennessee really stepped up their game with a lot of the credit due to the respective offensive lines. This group averaged 4.9 yards per carry and a very respectable 29 sacks on average for the season. The Saints and Titans line played particularly well as they both allowed a mere 12 and 13 sacks respectively. This group right here deserves credit in particularly for the wildly successful passing game of Kurt Warner, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers.

The Serviceable

Teams: the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Indianapolis Colts, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Carolina Panthers, the New York Jets, the Oakland Raiders, the San Diego Chargers

The Skinny: This group followed the script exactly, performing simply serviceable averaging 4.2 yards per carry on the ground and allowing 28 sacks. Clearly, between Philadelphia, Oakland, Indianapolis, ad San Diego, injuries were an issue here. While, the numbers were not terrible, this is a theme to keep in mind when selecting skill players as there is a correlation between line quality an propensity for injury.

The Grim

Teams: the Chicago Bears, the Washington Redskins, the Seattle Seahawks, the Denver Broncos, the Houston Texans, the Atlanta Falcons

The Skinny: Besides the bad call on Chicago given Matt Forte's bountiful rookie season, this one held up well also. The Seahawks line played awful and they enjoyed minimal success both on the ground and through the air. The Broncos offensive line actually played great, allowing a league low in sacks and posting big numbers through the air and on the ground in many occasions. As a group, the grim lines allowed 28 sacks on average for the season and gained 4.3 yard per carry on the ground. This group as a whole performed a little better than expected.

The Bunk

Teams: the Detroit Lions, the Kansas City Chiefs, the St. Louis Rams, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals

The Skinny: As expected, this group sucked and caused fantasy owners all sorts of trouble as the stars suffered from injuries and posted consistently inconsistent games. The bunk group allowed an average of 45 sacks on the season and averaged 3.9 yards per carry. Every single team on this list suffered the loss of at least one of their starting quarterback or running backs, so avoiding the bottom offensive lines seems to be a valid strategy.

Key Takeaway

Broadly speaking, the top three tiers of offensive lines lived up to their expectations of not ruining their respective stars' fantasy seasons at the very least. But, in terms of gaming the skill of the elite offensive lines and selecting skill players amongst those teams, that strategy did not bear a lot of fruit given that analyzing the best offensive lines is a bit of a crap shoot. Offensive lines are continually faced with injuries and in reality, it's pretty tough to gauge skill as a unit. On the contrary, the strategy of avoiding the really bad offensive lines proved particularly useful. A quick scan of the bottom two tiers calls to mind a virtual who's who of 2008 fantasy team killers such as Clinton Portis, Steven Jackson, Larry Johnson, Willie Parker, Willis McGahee, and basically anyone who played for the Bengals. Hence, next year we'll focus our analysis more on the avoidance of players with very poor offensive line support as opposed to trying to select players on teams with seemingly high quality offensive lines.

Offensive Line Breakdowns: The Rewind originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:34:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dynasty Diaries: MegaTron, Fitz, and 'Dre Lead the Keeper Wideouts

Matt Snyder — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dynasty Diaries, Fantasy Football

I initially just wanted to do a Johnson vs. Johnson debate (you can see the two studs to the right), on the wide receiver front, for a dynasty diaries selection. Then I realized that I'd have to wedge Larry Fitzgerald in there somehow.

Then, I realized you guys deserve some rankings. You deserve them for each position, dammit. So you'll be getting them all on Fantasy FanHouse. For now, though, we're gonna start with wideouts since that's where my head already was.

Yes, as I mentioned, there are three gentlemen head and shoulders above everyone else when it comes to keeper value. Remember, with keeper leagues we are trying to think about someone you could own throughout his prime and enjoy five to eight absolutely elite seasons. This is especially true with wideouts, because you probably won't be keeping many (if any). Finally, do not keep someone slightly unproven like Ted Ginn over an established stud like Terrell Owens. While Ginn might be the better player in three years, he definitely won't be for the next two. You aren't just building for the future. You are trying to win now and in the future.

So here you go, our top 15 keeper-league wideouts ...
1. Andre Johnson -- This wasn't even a question for me. He'll be 28 next season, so he has just the right amount of experience without being even remotely old. He's playing in an offense that is up and coming. Their passing attack is on the rise with Matt Schaub coming into his own, when he played, in 2008. Even if you want to point out that Schaub is injury prone, it doesn't hurt Andre. His average points per game aren't overly affected when Schaub misses games. As I've said before, I'm looking for records from Johnson in 2009.

2. Larry Fitzgerald -- He'll only be 26 in 2009. Seriously. He's already amassed over 400 catches and 6,000 yards and he hasn't even turned 26. No one can guard him, his offense is prolific, he stays on the field, he's consistent, and he makes amazing catches like he did on that fleaflicker in Arizona's first playoff game. What's not to love?

3. Calvin Johnson -- MegaTron lives. You cannot dispute his talent. He may even have the top two beat -- though it would be a really tough call, as all three are inexplicably talented. Your worries here are the unknown. What kind of coach will be hired? Who is going to be his quarterback? I know he had sick numbers in 2008 on a historically bad team with pretty awful QBs, but he wasn't top three. I love him as much as the next guy, I'm just telling you his drawbacks, because the positives are obvious.

4. Brandon Marshall -- Really, he should have had a better season in '08. Expect him and Jay Cutler to come out in '09 with a fury over their disappointing 2008. Both are young and talented, and the Broncos hired an offense-oriented coach after considering the talent in the passing game already there.

5. Roddy White -- Matt Ryan was only a rookie, and White still absolutely lit up the stat sheet to the tune of 99-1466-8. White will turn 28 in November. Translation: You keep him, you get six years of elite stats, including two or three of mind-boggling numbers.

6. Greg Jennings -- He and Aaron Rodgers are about to develop a disgusting rapport. Having Jennings go 80-1292-9 in their first season together was a good start.

7. Reggie Wayne -- You know when someone is a stud? When people complain about 86-1274-7. The Colts' passing offense isn't going away, and Wayne's only 30. He's got some juice left.

8. Steve Smith -- The direction Carolina is heading is the running game. That's fine for their real team, and it's fine for Smitty when they do decide to pass -- as he'll likely see single coverage. He'll just need to get bigger chunks with his catches than most, and you run the risk of being saddled with a three-point week every once in a while.

9. Marques Colston -- He was finally on the same page with Drew Brees in the last three weeks, and the results were stellar. He'll be back, and he's not going anywhere for a while.

10. Anquan Boldin -- You won't find a tougher SOB in football, but he keeps finding ways to miss games. He's missed 16 in his six-year career. He's been inconsistent as well. He also threw up 91-1110-12 in only 13 games this past season. And he's only gonna be 29 in '09. And the Cardinals offense is prolific.

11. Randy Moss -- He's about to turn 32, and he missed Tom Brady this past season. He's still a beast, just not a top-10 beast in a keeper league. He's top five in year-to-year leagues. Easily.

12. Dwayne Bowe -- No one in the league was more consistent in 2008. The only problem was that he was not explosive. His consistency was more around 10 points than 20. Of course, it was only his second season, and his first with Tyler Thigpen. Things go up from here. Just trust me.

13. Vincent Jackson -- The Chargers are becoming a passing team as the star of Philip Rivers rises. As Antonio Gates ages, Jackson also becomes the favorite target of the hot-headed Rivers.

14. Wes Welker -- There were 108 instances where he caught a pass and didn't score a touchdown last season. Love to see more scores, considering that alone is worth 60 yards. Still, he's worth it at this point.

15. Eddie Royal -- He burst on the scene as a rookie, but was largely inconsistent. Hey, that's a rookie for ya. He'll grow. That Broncos passing attack is going to develop into a juggernaut.

Difficult to leave off: Terrell Owens, Antonio Bryant, Santonio Holmes, Bernard Berrian, Lance Moore

Keep an eye on: Donnie Avery, DeSean Jackson, Anthony Gonzalez (Marvin Harrison will be gone from Indy)

I realize the one I need to explain is T.O. He's gonna turn 36 next season. There are reports that the Cowboys might end up cutting him because of his divisive locker room presence. I'm not here to talk about whether or not I think that's true or just. For fantasy purposes, I'm a data analyst. His numbers on the field are good enough to make the list. What knocks him off the list is his age and the fact that I'd be worried he'll finally wear out his welcome on good teams with decent quarterbacking.

Any other questions on this subject, feel free to post and you know we'll reply.

Dynasty Diaries: MegaTron, Fitz, and 'Dre Lead the Keeper Wideouts originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Week 2 Playoff Fantasy Football Look

Matt Snyder — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football

If you play in a playoff fantasy football league and get to reset your lineup before this weekend, worry not, we got your back. We'll just do a quick run-through of each game.

Baltimore Ravens @ Tennessee Titans
First of all, don't you dare play any defense other than the Ravens. Ed Reed might score the most points in this game. If you've been watching the Ravens' play of late, you definitely aren't laughing at that statement.

I don't see how the Titans generate much offense, outside the possibility of getting Chris Johnson in space. I'd avoid everyone other than Johnson, and I'm not even a huge fan of Johnson.

The Ravens won't be able to move the ball quite as well as they did against the Dolphins' average defense. Your best bet would be Le'Ron McClain, as the Ravens will likely try to control the clock. The Titans are more vulnerable via the pass than the run -- though they aren't really weak anywhere -- but I can't see Joe Flacco playing overly well against this defense.

You could do much worse than either kicker here, by the way. Both Rob Bironas and Matt Stover are sure to be busy, considering the defenses don't allow many touchdowns.

Arizona Cardinals @ Carolina Panthers
While it's true the Cardinals don't play well -- understatement alert -- in the East, they have the weapons to score some points on the Panthers. Weather could be a factor, but not a huge one. As of right now, it appears there's a slight chance of rain and the temperature will be in the mid-40s with mild winds. That not enough to kill a prolific offense.

Kurt Warner threw for 381 yards and two scores in a loss when the Cards visited Carolina earlier this season, and I see no reason for things to be much different. He's an elite start, as is Larry Fitzgerald. Considering the uncertain status of Anquan Boldin, it's tough to trust him or Steve Breaston. Edgerrin James looked good last week, but I'm not buying into him for this week. There are much better options.

Speaking of better options, I'm not seeing a repeat of that tough Cardinals run defense we saw last week. DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are both in line for big games. Jake Delhomme had one of his best games of the season when they played Arizona this season, but I sense they'll be playing much more of a ground game this time around. Steve Smith is still a play, but I'd avoid everyone else in the Carolina passing game.

Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants
Brian Westbrook is an automatic play. Other than that, I'm not really liking the Eagles -- including Donovan McNabb. I'm feeling a ferocious Giants defensive front pressuring him into some bad mistakes, and none of the receivers are very reliable.

For the Giants, they will look to control the game on the ground, and that means a healthy dose of both Derrick Ward and Brandon Jacobs. Both are good starts. Eli Manning will do what he does. He won't be elite, and he won't really hurt you. Expect something like 175 yards and a touchdown through the air.

San Diego Chargers @ Pittsburgh Steelers
First of all, the weather -- though it will be really cold -- shouldn't be a huge factor, as there don't appear to be treacherous winds or snow on the way.

The Chargers pass defense has been bad all season, but it wasn't awful against the Colts. The Colts' passing attack has much better weapons than the Steelers, so I wouldn't bother with Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward or Santonio Holmes right now -- especially considering Big Ben's possible lingering concussion effects. I also don't like the Willie Parker/Mewelde Moore split to rack up better numbers than several other running backs. All things considered, I like the Steelers to win despite no one having an overly impressive stat total. It is the blue-collar way, after all.

For the Chargers, they have a tough assignment. This is the best defense in the league, and it stifled San Diego last time around. Philip Rivers is hotter now, sure, but he wasn't exactly earth-shattering against the Colts. The most impressive player against Indy was Darren Sproles, but the Steelers rush defense is exponentially better than Indy's. I'd avoid LaDanian Tomlinson for the rest of the way. I do, however, like Antonio Gates to be easily the best tight end of the week.

Top lineup for the week:
QB - Warner
RB - Westbrook
RB - D. Williams
WR - Fitzgerald
WR - Steve Smith (CAR)
TE - Gates
D/ST - Ravens
K - Bironas

Sleeper lineup:
QB - Delhomme
RB - D. Ward
RB - M. Moore
WR - Marcus Floyd
WR - Derrick Mason
TE - Heath Miller
D/ST - Giants -- if you can call them one
K - David Akers

A Week 2 Playoff Fantasy Football Look originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some More Accountability Along With More Gloating for This Past Fantasy Football Season

Sean Lalley — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:21:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football

You know this job ain't easy. It's sure a lot of fun to toss around opinions, eat, sleep and breathe fantasy football, but when the day is done...it's still not easy. We've gotta be on top of the game at all times, take the criticism when we're wrong and still somehow manage our own fantasy teams and hope to win our own fantasy titles.

The hard part is always dropping a post about a potential sleeper we like and then having a buddy in our league read that very post and beating us to the punch. Well, that's just life and I'm hardly complaining. And not that we like to brag or boast all too much, but when we get it right, we gotta let people know. When it comes to fantasy football, cockiness is all part of the game.

With that said I'm holding myself accountable today for some of the things I nailed this season and some of the others I completely whiffed on.
Let's start with the misses and why I'm an idiot, because...

- I told everyone (including myself) to bail on Kevin Smith way, way too early in the season. And here I thought Rudi Johnson was going to take over. That sound you just heard was a virtual "f-bomb."

- Um, I did mention that Ricky Williams would get the bulk of the carries in Miami. What was I smoking? Bad joke, turns out neither Ronnie Brown nor Ricky Williams were all that reliable.

- I was told to bury this one, but I did suggest that DeAngelo Williams would be a spectator to Jonathan Stewart's breakout rookie season. I'm honest. And hindsight is 20/20, as later in the season - I suggested Stewart was of no use. Swing and a miss on all accounts.

- Yes, I swore by LaDainian Tomlinson as you rode him and eventually crashed into the building, unless your Championship game was in Week 17.

Although, I'm that big of a moron and could even be considered a genius, because...

- I warned you that Aaron Rodgers was going to have significant fantasy value.

- I kinda-sorta said Steve Slaton could be a stud. OK, I mentioned him as a deep sleeper, but still.

- I did forewarn that Jamal Lewis had B-U-S-T written all over him.

- Calvin Johnson; you were going to draft him anyway, but I went out on a limb and suggested he was gonna crack the Top 5 fantasy WR list. I know, not much of a reach, but anyway.

- What about my suggestion that you trade Clinton Portis and Marion Barber, because both had peaked? I took some backlash, but hey since each respective post both guys did zilch to help fantasy owners and were long forgotten.

- And lastly, I promised you that Peyton Manning would help win many fantasy titles down the stretch, while his buddy Joseph Addai would play no part.

So what does it all mean? Well, it just means that I threw more strikes than gutter balls. The joy and agony of fantasy football is a thin line. I wound up not winning a single fantasy title this season, but managed to place in the top 3 in both of my money leagues. I wish I had followed some of my own advice a little stricter. I lost one of the most "punched in the stomach" fantasy Championship games of all time a few weeks ago.

Thanks to not dealing Marion Baber before the deadline and giving up on Kevin Smith way too early, I was left thin at RB in the title game. However, I managed to hang in there thanks to Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne. My one colossal and unforgivable mistake was that I benched my bread and butter defense, the Tennessee Titans. For some obscene reason I took a gamble and went with the Texans against the Raiders. Well, the Titans scored 25 points that day and the Texans scored 5. I lost the title by seven points.

And that's fantasy football. Always, listen to the experts.

Some More Accountability Along With More Gloating for This Past Fantasy Football Season originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Some Accountability Along With Horn Tooting for This Past Fantasy Football Season

Matt Snyder — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy Football

As I said in the last Zebra Report, I'm a guy who believes deeply in accountability, plus, it seems as though many fans were pleasantly surprised at the fact that Mantz posted our preseason NFL predictions. First and foremost, I just wanted to thank Drew Brees. I'm not linking everything, but I told everyone who would listen that he would be a monster this year.

With this in mind, I delved back into my preseason posts to see how I did. I planned on posting all the good and bad things, but the list would be way too long -- and frankly, not very entertaining. I'll just go through and pick out the five most glaring calls on each side, especially if they drew the ire of commenters at the time.

I'll start by first calling myself out for the poor advice, because no one likes arrogance.

I'm an idiot because ...

- I thought Jeremy Shockey and Marvin Harrison would be quality fantasy players this season.

- I was scared of drafting the Giants D/ST.

- I loved Selvin Young. Of course, I should also point out I loved Philip Rivers on that same list.

- I loved the Raiders offense. This piece seriously makes me cringe.

- Rudi Johnson was undervalued? Sigh. Bad, bad fantasy analyst!

I'm a genius because ...

- The column of guys about whom you should worry going into the season was pretty accurate.

- I really loved Thomas Jones, even though he wasn't going too high in preseason drafts. You could jab at me for the inclusion of Matt Leinart on the list, but the basic premise is that I knew the Cardinals offense was going to be sick. He was the likely starter at the time. I also had Roddy White and the Ravens D/ST on here, so we're fine.

- Definitely liked DeSean Jackson in Philly.

- Really liked a breakout campaign from the Packers quarterback.

Finally, I'm an incredible genius because of this column. I nearly hit everything right on the money, save for a few names -- like Laurence Maroney -- which should have been omitted. I do want to post this comment and give the guy a chance to be accountable and admit I was right about Brees over Tony Romo (even though I'm pretty sure he won't). Take us away, "Michael Walker:"

So Drew Brees will have better numbers than Tony Romo.....just what could you be basing that on? Your saying Marques Colston will catch more passes than T.O.? That Shockey will catch more passes than Witten? Shockey can't stay healthy long enough for that to happenm. That whoever the Saints 2nd receiver is will catch more passes than Patrick Crayton? That the Saints defense is better than Dallas' and will therefore give the Saints offense more opportunities?

Where do you live? Is it anywhere near the Lower Hudson Valley NY? Because I'm thinking I'll need to install a security system, cause you're gonna need to burglarize to support that substance abuse habit.

P.S. I'll be glad to admit that I'm wrong.....IF that's what happens, but you're just another fantasy WOG that doesn't know crap from crappie

(Snyder's note: I didn't bother with cleaning up the grammatical mistakes or typos -- not really worth my time due to the inordinate number)

Fleaflicker standard scoring numbers?
Brees 392.35 (top overall scorer by far)
Romo 254.5

Before you go claiming Romo's pinky injury played a part in the final tally, please realize Brees averaged five more points per game than Romo.

Oh, and I live in Indianapolis, but am a Bears fan. Not that it matters at all. As a sidebar, one of the funniest accusations levied against my colleagues and I is calling us a homer when we state an opinion. Like when I said I liked Rivers for a huge season and someone accused me of being a Chargers fan. Like you can't even have an opinion that isn't related to your favorite team. It's high comedy.

Overall, there were far more good calls than bad. I think we did a pretty solid job, but I also believe it's important to point out that fantasy analysts don't have crystal balls and we err from time to time. That's why I wanted to run this piece. Again, I believe in being accountable.

We'll be back next season to hopefully improve upon a very solid season here at Fantasy FanHouse. Thanks for your continued patronage.

Note: I only went through my own stuff because I didn't think it would be proper to critique my colleagues.

Some Accountability Along With Horn Tooting for This Past Fantasy Football Season originally appeared on Fantasy Football Fanhouse on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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