Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore is in a difficult spot as a franchise and this year’s draft was pivotal.  The Ravens’ have elite talent on offense for the first time in a while, but they lacked one weapon last year, a deep threat.  Anquan Boldin was a great acquisition for the Ravens offense, but without a speedy vertical threat on the outside to stretch the field and a draw safety help over the top, he was just being double covered and prevented from impacting the game the way they had hoped.  Torrey Smith was drafted in the 2^nd round to be that weapon and at 6’1’’ 204 lbs he is explosive enough to get the job done as well as contribute in the return game.  In round 1, Jimmy Smith was drafted to join the Ravens’ experienced and veteran-led defense.  He will have ample time to perfect his craft with players like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed to show him the ropes as well as being talented enough to start contributing immediately.  Baltimore made significant improvements, but the entire success of this draft is up to whether or not Torrey Smith or Tandon Doss (another speedy WR taken in round 4) is able to stretch the field and give the offense the vertical threat it needs to be both well-balanced and explosive.

My Grade: B+

Cincinnati Bengals

Of all the teams that drafted a QB in this year’s draft, Cincinnati got the best deal of them all.  Andy Dalton is from a spread style offense, but seems to have all the off-the-field intangibles that you want from a future franchise QB.  In the first round the Bengals also grabbed the top WR in this year’s draft. AJ Green is a very polished receiver that seems a sure thing to be success at the NFL level, but I do not think the Bengals made the right decision here.  The season before last, the Bengals were a run-first offense that gave roughly 30 carries per game to Cedric Benson.  In that season, they won the division and swept all three divisional opponents.  This is no small feat considering that Pittsburgh and Baltimore are in the division.  After that, they picked up Terrell Owens off free agency, prioritized the passing game and finished 4-12… behind the Cleveland Browns who went through three different starting QBs over the course of the season.  To me, it’s a no-brainer… run the ball.  I would have liked to see the Bengals trade the pick away (something tells me Atlanta was willing to pay a ton to trade up and take a WR) and draft an in interior offensive lineman to improve their running game.

My Grade: B-

Cleveland Browns

The Browns were one of the bigger winners in this year’s draft.  Their biggest need was a receiver for Colt McCoy to develop along side, but that was far from their only area of concern.  Cleveland had a chance for one of the premier receivers in this year’s draft but made the smart choice to trade the pick away to Atlanta. In the trade they acquired first, second and fourth round picks in this draft as well as a first and fourth round pick in next year’s draft.  So, despite missing out on an elite talent at their biggest position of need, the Browns enabled themselves to rebuild as a franchise quicker and more effectively. With their first round selection, the Browns took Phil Taylor to anchor the center of their defensive line while they transition to a 4-3 scheme.  Taylor is 6’3’’ and 334 lbs. and should make a good replacement for Shaun Rogers.  I would have thought Taylor would have been used more as a traditional NT, but he will certainly still be an effective run-stopper in his new 4-3 scheme. The Browns also had two picks in the 2^nd round and with the first they added an outside pass rusher to their d-line with Jabaal Sheard.  I expect him to start as the right defensive end immediately and be an impact player for quite some time.  The second pick of round two was the playmaking WR that they needed most of all.  They took 6’3’’ 220 lb. Greg Little.  Little showed flashes of big-time playmaking ability in his time at UNC, but was suspended for his final season.  This makes him a bit of a risk, but with risk comes the potential for great reward.  Little has the skill set to potentially be the best receiver taken in this year’s draft, even if the smart money is on AJ Green.

My Grade: A

Pittsburgh Steelers

I am hesitant to criticize a team that historically drafts phenomenally, but I am going to do it anyway.  I thought the Steelers should have drafted a defensive back early and with Aaron Williams still on the board, I really thought they would jump at the chance to take him.  Instead they took themselves a new defensive end to join the rotation of pass rushers that terrorizes opposing quarterbacks.  Cam Heyward is a 6’5’’ 294 lb monster to play in the five-technique and should flourish in this system, but they just needed someone to play cornerback much more and Williams slid much farther than I thought he would, because Prince Amukamara fell past both Houston and Detroit.  Again, in round two, the cornerback position remains unaddressed as they take Marcus Gilbert (6’6’’ 330 lbs.) who I actually like quite a bit as a developmental player.   Gilbert may end up being thrown into a starting right tackle role next season because of his size and mobility, but it will take a couple seasons before he can play on the left side, against all the best pass rushers the league has to offer. In rounds three and four the Steelers take a pair of defensive backs that will compete for time in nickel and dime formations, with Curtis Brown (6’0’’ 185lbs.) and Cortez Allen (6’1’’ 248 lbs.).  Brown is the more athletic of the two and the better for Pittsburgh’s zone scheme, he has the most potential to be a playmaker in the secondary and we should see him on the field much more than Allen.  Time will certainly show that the Steelers got quality players in this draft, but I just can’t help but feel like they need more talented players in the defensive backfield with Troy Polamalu.

My Grade: B-

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Buffalo Bills

Going into the draft the Bills had needs across their defensive front seven, namely at DE and OLB to provide a pass rush.  They also lacked a franchise QB, but with Ryan Fitzpatrick making their offense competitive at the end of last season, the Bills were firm in their stance that they did not need to reach for someone who is not going to the long-term future of the team.  Buffalo took Marcell Dareus with their third overall pick and it is a good one.  Dareus alongside pro bowl DT Kyle Williams should do wonders for the NFL’s worst rush defense. But when they went with Aaron Williams in round two, they lost their chance to get the outside pass rusher that this defense really needs.  To me the chance at a talent like Da’Quan Bowers in the 2^nd round was too good to pass up, but it looks like Donte Whiner is going to be replaced and Williams was a bargain in the 2^nd round after all.  In the third round, the Bills took a very complete ILB with Kelvin Sheppard.  He should help to further boost their run defense, but he won’t make a big impact rushing the passer on third down and that is what kept the Bills from getting an A+.

My Grade: A-

Miami Dolphins

I seem to be higher on what the Dolphins did in this year’s draft than most people are.  Many thought they were going to go after a QB, but they have been a run-first team for quite some time and I thought it was a mistake to get away from that last season.  In round one the Dolphins went with Mike Pouncey, likely to play Center and really bolster the middle of the offensive line and allow their running game to flourish once again.  Another reason why the Dolphins strayed from their traditional run-first attack was the age and durability of their backs.  Ricky Williams will be 34 by the end of this month and Ronnie Brown has been injury prone in the past.  Now Brown has just one season left before the dreaded age of 30 (at least its dreaded for RBs in the NFL) so, to solve this issue the Dolphins drafted Daniel Thomas. Thomas is physical between the tackles and has the ability to grind out the tough short yardage and goal line conversions to keep with the Dolphins’ theme of controlling the clock and pace of the game with their ground attack.  Lastly, in round 4, the Phins drafted speedster Edmond Gates to stretch the field after their running game has forced the 7^th and 8^th defenders into the box.  Bottom line, they made their team better at running the ball to keep Tom Brady and Mark Sanchez off the field and make it so that all Chad Henne has to do is manage the game.  I believe the Dolphins could potentially be in contention for a wild card spot, but that is up to Ronnie Brown’s health and Chad Henne’s game managing skills.

My Grade: B-

New England Patriots

I will never mock a team for picking up a franchise left tackle to keep Tom Brady healthy as he begins to approach the end of his career. I also can’t mock them for drafting a potential heir for Brady as he begins to approach the end of his career (sorry… can’t help myself, I just like saying that SOO much!), but I can dispute the other picks they made.  I’m certainly not a draft expert, but why are they drafting back to back running backs? If you aren’t confident enough in the first one, why did you draft him? Why not just pull the trigger on Mark Ingram if the position is that important to you?  I know they run a committee system in New England, but there is still little reason to burn two picks on such similar backs.  Lastly, I don’t think im alone in assuming that Ras-I Dowling would have been available considerably later, so since Aaron Williams was clearly not their guy, it seems to make sense for the trade-happy Bill Belichick to trade further back in the 2^nd round.  I will admit that they acquired more talent than most teams in the draft, but considering the number of picks they had in the first 3 rounds, I think they could have done MUCH better for themselves.

My Grade: C-

New York Jets

The Jets have had issues staying healthy along the defensive front and with Vernon Gholston being sent packing, the best thing the Jets could have done for their defense was exactly what they did do.  Muhammad Wilkerson is likely to play at defensive end in the Jets’ 3-4 front. Kenrick Ellis, drafted in round 2, was my top pure NT in this draft and he should hopefully provide stability at the center of Rex Ryan’s defense that Kris Jenkins was never able to provide.  After these two picks, the Jets picked only offensive players to help aid the development of Mark Sanchez and provide some depth at running back should anything happen to Shonn Greene or the aging LaDanian Tomlinson.  At the end of the day, the Jets made their football team considerably better with this draft and after making the AFC Championship in back-to-back seasons on the coat tails of their defense, they gave themselves a good chance to improve next season and make it into the Super Bowl.

My Grade: B+

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Before it gets too far away from the end of the 2010 NFL season, we should take a look back at a few players who either exceeded expectations or didn’t come close.  These players can make or break your draft next year as their former owners clamor for a chance to own their savior from last season again, or let them fall way too deep in the draft because of bitter feelings of resentment.  In order to be a good fantasy football player you have to have a short memory, but there are always a few nuggets of information worth remembering over the long-term:

Steve Smith, WR, CAR – He was a dud this past season and it is easy to think that he is getting old and no longer a factor.  I took a look at his production and found something worth noting, take a look for yourself:

Games with Matt Moore at QB

Games without Matt Moore at QB

*Matt Moore started but was knocked out due to injury in the first half.

Moore did not make the Panthers a better team by any stretch, but he clearly had a trust and connection with the only legitimate receiving threat that Carolina had last year.  I am not saying that he has much value going into next season, but the Panthers are very likely to go with a different QB next season and I do not blame Smith for his mediocre numbers. Smith could end up a gem if he can build chemistry with whoever is at Quarterback for the Panthers, so don’t be afraid to use a mid to late round pick on him at next years draft.

Jamaal Charles, RB, KC – What more can you ask for from the Chief’s stud running back, who burst on the scene last year? MORE CARRIES!  I have been on record saying that Todd Haley is an idiot, but it never hurts to say it again.  Charles averaged a staggering 6.4 yards per carry over the course of the season, which was highest in the NFL for all players who saw over 100 carries on the season. Charles was also 2^nd in total yards with 1,467, not far behind Arian Foster who had 1,616.  Even more impressively, he did it on just 230 carries (Foster had 327).  Thomas Jones was the other back involved in the league’s top rushing attack and despite having just a 3.7 YPC average Jones saw 15 more carries.  This was essentially a 50/50 timeshare, but look for Charles to get better every season from here on out.  Thomas Jones is aging quickly while Charles gains experience, he will be trusted to carry the ball more often. This guy is here to stay and I do not see his production dropping off even a little next year.

Dwayne Bowe, WR, KC – I was very surprised that the Chiefs made the playoffs this season and Dwayne Bowe was a big part of their success.  He started the season pretty poorly, with 152 yards and one TD in his first four games.  In weeks 6 and 7 he went up against two of the worst secondaries in the NFL and his production spiked with 189 yards and four TDs in those two weeks.  He went on a 7 game scoring streak recording 13 touchdowns during that timeframe.  Easily lost in these impressive stats is the trouble that Bowe had against quality defensive backs; In week 13 Bowe was held without a catch against an aging Champ Bailey and in week 8 against Buffalo, he had three catches for just 16 yards (though one of them was a TD).  Lastly, the team’s passing offense disappeared when Matt Cassel missed a game against the Chargers in week 14.  I don’t blame this on Bowe but for me to take a guy as my top wide receiver, I’d like to think he could get open at least ONCE for his backup QB.  All this points to Bowe having a lot of upside for next season, but it is not without risk.  Bowe is nothing more than a WR2 until he can produce more consistently, so don’t get caught paying too high a price to have him on your team next season.

Brent Celek, TE, PHI – Celek had a breakout season in 2009 when Donovan McNabb was at Quarterback for the Eagles and appeared to be a big part of their offense last season when Kevin Kolb was running the show.  Once Michael Vick took the starting job, Celek appeared to become an afterthought.  The fact is that with a mobile quarterback like Vick, the tight end will not be used as often as with a pocket passer… especially when the offensive line struggles as it did last year. The end of the season was better for Celek, but the big issue for me will be his consistency.  There might be more 10-reception games like in week 16 on the horizon, but I am much more concerned with how many 0-2 fantasy-point outings are waiting for his fantasy owners.  I think Celek has the skill to be a top-5 TE, but the situation looks to be a frustrating one for fantasy owners and you can find a better value at the position during next year’s draft.

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, NYJ – There was a lot of hype going into last year’s fantasy draft season about Shonn Greene being the lead guy for the Jets.  This was not the case, LT showed that he still has what it takes to be a dynamic playmaker and was pivotal to the early success that the Jets had.  Later in the year however, LT slowed down and made less of an impact.  LT might be getting old, but he still has the ability to make an impact in a supporting role.  He was used as the lead back most of the season and because of that he wore down and was not as effective a weapon late in the year.  If Rex Ryan hopes to get the most of LT deep into the playoffs he will need to lean much more heavily on Shonn Greene, which knocks LT out of my top 30 running backs for next season.

Kenny Britt, WR, TEN – Britt is my biggest sleeper pick for next year’s fantasy draft.  I am by no means alone in this, but there is good reason that so many people think he is about to explode… he already did.  Last season Britt started just 7 games and still managed 775 yards and 9 TDs.  This is an average of over 110 yards and 1.2 TDs per game.  These averages are slightly inflated due to a 225 yard 3 score game in week 7, but since when do we mind letting one player put up 40+ points with their backup QB?  Right now I see Britt as a top-15 receiver, but this all depends on how the Titans go about addressing their QB situation.  The Titans also have a new head coach, Mike Munchak, who was a 9 time pro-bowl offensive lineman and is sure to favor the ground game.  This actually bodes well for Britt however, because Chris Johnson will force defenders to bring an eighth into the box to contain him and severely limit their ability to double cover Britt.  I expect the Titans to look to add a veteran QB to their roster in an effort to give them a chance to win right out of the gates and if say, Donovan McNabb landed the job… the Titans would instantly have a playoff-caliber team.  All we really need now is a new CBA so that free agency can happen…

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So I want to start with two quick digressions.  The first is a quick apology for my lack of posts so far this off season, I was finishing my college degree and now that that has been accomplished and I will be posting regularly again.  The second is that I am not an NFL draft analyst and do not even play one on TV, so these are just my quick observations about what I saw when watching the offensive players workouts.   Feel free to leave a comment or find me on twitter for my opinion on the defensive workouts.

Quarterbacks

I was very excited to see this combine because of the skill and athleticism of the QB class with Blaine Gabbert being the only one to not throw in the positional drills. After the drills were completed, I was left wanting more because almost all of the QB’s seemed to struggle with their accuracy and consistency.  After re-watching the workouts I realized that a fair amount of this is not the fault of the QBs themselves. When throwing at the scouting combine, the QBs are told to throw to a spot… NOT to complete the pass. This is a difficult thing for players to do because it goes against what they have done their entire lives.  Also, the receivers make the QBs look bad.  In a few drills, the receivers were running bad routes and this is what I believe led a lot of people to heavily criticize Cam Newton’s throwing performance.

Speaking of Cam, as I am a native Buffalonian and most of the mock drafts released have placed Newton with the Bills at the third pick, I paid close attention to what Cam was able to accomplish this past week.  The first thing that stood out to me was that he beat Tim Tebow’s broad jump and 40 yard dash times from last year.  Cam posted a 4.58 forty yard dash to go with his 10’6” broad jump and really demonstrated his explosiveness and acceleration off the line.  Also, in his 3-cone drill, he covered 5 yards in just two steps which further demonstrates his explosiveness when he decides to run.  For the reasons discussed above, I do not discredit Cam due to his inaccurate throws, because the 2 or so truly errant balls were balanced by the touch and placement he showed me on some of his deep throws.  I have not made up my mind whether I want him leading my team or if I think he can be successful at the pro level, but that should become clear in his fast approaching pro day.

Jake Locker quietly had an outstanding day as many of his measurables actually matched up very well against Cam who was thought to be the most physically gifted of the class.  Ricky Stanzi was the biggest winner of all the QBs at the combine however, because of his incredible performance throwing the ball in the on-field drills.  He seemed to be by far the most prepared and the only one that was actually throwing to a spot as he was instructed.  On the 10 yard out routes, he released the ball when his back foot planted and did not wait for the receiver to make his break.  He did what the scouts wanted to see, delivered an accurate ball on a timing route to a spot where it would not be intercepted.  Most all of his passes fell incomplete, but again that is not his fault and his new team will be able to find receivers that can get to where they are supposed to be.  Stanzi has plenty of inconsistencies in his game, but he looks like a pro QB and if he can spend a few years behind the right tutor… we should see this guy as a starter in the NFL.

Wide Receivers

The breakout player of the receiving corp is a no brainer and I suspect you have already heard plenty about his day in Indianapolis. Julio Jones had an absurd day.  WITH a broken foot, Julio had an 11’3” broad jump and 4.39 forty yard dash.  These numbers were not expected from a healthy Jones and while he did not pass AJ Green on many people’s draft boards because of a good shorts and t-shirt work out, he did ensure that he will be a top 15 pick and personally I think he will go to St Louis with the 14th pick at the latest.  Other very real possibilities before the 14th selection are Cleveland or Washington if Green does not fall to them as both are in dire need of a top receiver.

Jonathan Baldwin from Pittsburgh is a big and physical receiver who was not expected to run exceptionally fast, but with a 4.5 forty yard dash he showed that he has the ability to separate from defensive backs as well as out jump them.  He will develop into an NFL caliber player and he reminds me a lot of Hakeem Nicks.  Another guy who improved his stock this past week was Randall Cobb.  While watching the workouts I heard the comparison to Brad Smith and while I wouldn’t go that far… I will say that he is a very versatile player and will certainly be used by a creative offensive coordinator somewhere.  Honestly, I think he compares better with Joshua Cribbs, who never really turned into a quality wide-out… but is one hell of a kick returner.

Running Back

Apart from Mark Ingram, this year’s running back class is pretty shallow.  Ingram did nothing to hurt his draft status in my eyes at the combine, but I was a little disappointed with his forty yard dash time.  He more than made up for his average time with an incredibly fast 10 yard split and he also displayed an aggression in his running style that solidify him as the only clear-cut first round running back.  Dion Lewis was the biggest winner among RBs as his acceleration and lateral burst were on display during on-field drills.  Another quick back that made a splash was Jacquizz Rodgers, who had a weak 40 yard dash time.  While each of these backs are unlikely to get taken in the first round, they will be a value deeper in the draft and able to make an impact for their new teams in the return game as well as being a change of pace runner.

There was one very interesting player that is not likely to be taken early at all but has a TON of upside, despite not being often talked about and that is Allen Bradford from USC.  Bradford was an after thought for the Trojan’s offense until the last game of his college career, when he saw 28 touches for 212 yards.  He is a big back at over 240 lbs, but actually ran a faster forty than Jacquizz at 4.56 seconds and lifted 225 lbs 28 times.  Look for a team to take a late-round flyer on him after the impact that LeGarrette Blount (another quick yet big RB) had as an undrafted rookie.

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Aaron Hernandez, TE, NE – Inactive

Brett Favre, QB, MIN – Inactive

Calvin Johnson, WR, DET – Active

Darren McFadden, RB, OAK – Inactive

Deion Branch, WR, NE – Inactive

LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, NYJ – Inactive

Marques Colston, WR, NO – Inactive

Peyton Hillis, RB, CLE – Active

Pierre Thomas, RB, NO – Inactive

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, BUF – Inactive

Shonn Greene, RB, NYJ – Inactive

Sidney Rice, WR, MIN – Inactive

Steve Smith, WR, CAR – Inactive

Todd Heap, TE, BAL – Active

Wes Welker, WR, NE – Inactive

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The following is a compiled list from Twitter and browsing the web:

4th Down Syndrome

Multiple Scorgasms

Romosexual Tendencies

My Vick in a Box

Steave Breastonlargement

Somewhere Over Dwayne Bowe

Skittles, Taste Dwayne Bowe

BP Oilers

Henne-nut Cherios

Body By Mangini

JaMarcus NoHustle

Jamarcus Russel Cholesterol Tussle

Chris Henry Too Soons?

Slob on My Kolb

LeFevour for More Cowbell

She Said No Ben.

Please help me expand on the list in the comments!

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Today I want to discuss some of the picks made in this year’s draft that will directly impact fantasy football.  It is pretty difficult for a rookie in a skill position to make a big enough splash statistically to be relevant in fantasy football, but as Percy Harvin owners can attest to… it happens.  Rookies are also often drafted higher in keeper leagues so that you can reserve them for future seasons.

Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati, San Francisco 49ers – The 49ers traded up aggressively to get the 11^th pick in the draft to get a new left tackle in Anthony Davis.  Davis is a prototypical left tackle at 6’5’’ 323 lbs; he has long arms and quick feet.  With their pick at number 17 they further fortify their offensive line with Mike Iupati.  Iupati is quick and athletic and is a sure fit at guard where he can pull around the edge and seal off lanes for Frank Gore.  These selections give the 49ers their physicality back up front and solidify Gore as my number four RB for next season’s draft.  Alex Smith also stands to benefit from better protection up front.

Sergio Kindle and Terrance Cody, Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens did not pick in the first round this year, but got two potential first round players with the 11^th and 25^th picks of round two.  The Ravens have been known as a defensive power house for years now, but since the emergence of Flacco, Ray Rice and now Anquan Boldin on the offensive side of the ball, the defense has slipped.  The 43^rd pick landed the Ravens a great edge rusher Sergio Kindle who will be transitioning from DE to OLB. The 57^th pick gives the Ravens a new 354 lb nose tackle in Alabama’s Terrence Cody, and has helped shore up the hurting front seven on defense.  With the addition of these two the Ravens do wonders for their defense and will return to a dominating force on that side of the ball.  As of now the Ravens are my number two ranked D/ST.

Jimmy Clausen, Carolina Panthers – I liked Matt Moore’s production at the end of last season, and was planning to list him as a sleeper for the upcoming fantasy football draft season. The Panthers first pick in this year’s draft didn’t till the second round and they jumped on the opportunity to nab the most pro-ready QB in this year’s draft class… Jimmy Clausen from Notre Dame was projected by many people to be a top 10 selection but he fell all the way down to the Panther’s lap at the 48^th pick.  Armanti Edwards was a QB in college but the plan is to transition him to wide receiver and utilize his throwing ability for trick plays and option plays out of the wildcat formation.  And to completely kill any chance that Matt Moore is going to start for any extended period of time they also ignored plenty of available needed talent to draft Tony Pike who played for the Cincinnati Bearcats.  Clausen is now the most viable QB from a fantasy standpoint but let’s be honest, you shouldn’t be drafting any of these guys.

Toby Gerhart, Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings made a surprising and perplexing decision to move up in the second round to take Toby Gerhart with the 51^st pick in the draft.  Gerhart is a big physical back that is adept running between the tackles.  In his 2009 Heisman Trophy campaign he racked up 1,871 yards and 28 TDs.  He led the country in both categories, but lost the trophy to Mark Ingram Jr. of the University of Alabama by the closest margin in the history of the award (28-points). As impressive as Gerhart is I don’t think that an offense that has Adrian Peterson can get the most out of him.  The issue is that because Gerhart is bigger physically than Peterson the goal line carries could very well go to Gerhart.  The Vikes needed to replace Chester Taylor who was shiftier than Peterson and was a better 3^rd down back for screens and check down passes, and they did not get that back in Gerhart.  It will be interesting to see how this plays out and I won’t be downgrading AP from his number 2 spot because they will need him more on third down, but it will likely cost him some touchdowns by the end of the season.

Dexter McCluster, Kansas City Chiefs – The fourth pick in the 2^nd round belonged to the Chiefs and they ignored a gaping need on the offensive line to add a dynamic playmaker at the running back position in Dexter McCluster.  While McCluster can do more than play RB all he can really do is take work from Jamaal Charles both on offense and in the return game.

Sleeper picks from the draft for the coming fantasy season: CJ Spiller (BUF), Dez Bryant (DAL), Demaryius Thomas (DEN), Ryan Mathews (SD), Dexter McCluster (KC – deep sleeper)

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With the first weekend of free agency drawing to a close its time to look at how the moves that have been made so far impact next years Fantasy Football season.  Many big-names have changed teams during this week, and  will shake up next seasons pre-draft rankings quite a bit.  Here are the roster moves made so far during this free agency period that have an impact on fantasy football:

Anquan Boldin traded to Ravens – The biggest move of the free agency period was not a signing, but a trade.  With the addition of Anquan Boldin to the Ravens offense three different players all receive a bump in my rankings; Joe Flacco, Anquan Boldin (shocker!), and Ray Rice.  The biggest weakness of the Ravens last year was balance in the passing game.  They have been lacking a serious play-maker at the wide receiver position, and Flacco’s production was hurt the worst by it.  Mason is getting old and may not be back in a Ravens uniform next year, but with the addition of Stallworth and now Boldin the Ravens will finally have two polished receivers that can stretch the field AND get open over the middle.  The impact on Ray Rice will also be significant, with Boldin on the roster the Ravens will have a balanced offensive attack instead of the Ray Rice show that was last season.  Next year he wont be a surprise, people know what he can do now and without a balanced attack he would be vulnerable to being schemed against.  With game-breaking talent at wide-out defenses will need to respect the deep ball and Rice will remain a top tier back.

(Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / September 23, 2007 )

Antonio Cromartie traded to the Jets – Another trade tops my list of moves made during free agency week, and yes I know it was the day before but its so significant I’m sneaking it in!  This move will solidify the Jets as my #1 Defense for next season barring some unforeseen incident.  While Cromartie  is certainly no Revis, he is a very gifted player filling the area of biggest need for the Jets already number one ranked defense.  Oh, and the Jets were already first in the league in passing defense last year… 30 yards fewer per game than the number two Bills.

(AP Photo/Chris Park)

Bears sign Chester Taylor – I am really excited to see what Taylor can do outside the shadow of Adrian Peterson… but I do not think we will know his full potential until at least next year.  The Bears have no picks in the first two rounds, and have an offensive line that could use quite a bit of work.  Good news for the Bears however, this is a VERY deep draft class at offensive line and there is a real chance they could find a diamond in the rough.  Taylor is a very complete back and he will likely take over the primary role leaving Forte to handle third downs.

Taylor runs through an arm tackle.

Lions sign Nate Burleson – Calvin Johnson finally has someone that could pull some double teams away from him… ok not quite. However,  Burleson has 7 years of experience and a fair few left in him.  His veteran leadership and experience at being on mediocre teams could go a long way to helping the Lions on the road to average.  And lets face it, with a tough and talented kid like Stafford at the helm they could get there pretty quick.  Burleson will likely see similar production as he had in his disappointing last season, but he could really help Megatron get open a couple more times per game… and that is certainly a good thing.

(AP Photo/Marcio Sanchez)

Bears sign Julius Peppers – The Bears make my list twice since they needed to use the limited free agent pool as their draft, and lets face it… you cant draft the best pass rushing defensive end and that is what the Bears got in Peppers.  The biggest weakness for the Bears defense last year was… well… their offense.  With Cutler throwing such a large number of interceptions as well as the Bears’ inability to extend drives and provide some rest for their defenders, just about every game the defense was worn out by the fourth quarter and unable to stop much of anything.  Hopefully Taylor and Manumaleuna help to extend drives and give those poor guys a break.  If the Bears find a good lineman or two, their defense could be a top5 fantasy defense again soon.

(REUTERS/Jason E. Miczek)

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This is an interesting time to do some scouting very early for next year’s fantasy football team and now is the best time to start taking notes on players that made the Playoffs.

Among the biggest stand-out teams in this year’s playoffs are the New York Jets.  The player everyone will want to know about is Mark Sanchez, and I don’t see any way that Sanchez is a viable fantasy option outside of very deep formats.  The forecast that I see for him is similar to that of Joe Flacco.  His performance this season was streaky, but he made plays when it mattered most and he will continue to do so.  I think the Jets are likely to repeat a playoff berth and possibly even win the division.  With that said the player I see making the biggest impact on fantasy rosters next season is Shonn Greene.  The way Ryan and the Jets used him at the end of the season led me to believe that Thomas Jones was worn out.  I would expect Greene to take the majority of the work starting early next year so that Jones is able to contribute the entire season.  I envision Jones getting most the short yardage work and splitting goal-line carries with Greene, who will take up the primary rushing role.  Braylon Edwards will likely remain a Jet going into next season but when you think about drafting him think about the pass that bounced off his face mask in the the open field against Buffalo, because no matter who throws the ball Edwards has a problem with drops.

Another team that I felt stood out was the Baltimore Ravens.  With how young Flacco is it would be hard for them to be playing instead of Manning and the Colts, but all this post-season time he is seeing early in his career will help him to develop into a premiere QB in the league.  He may not yet be a starting Fantasy Football QB but that is not much his fault… If the Ravens can get some deeper talent at WR he will end up top 10 at his position next season.  Ray Rice never slowed down, all season.  He gained respect among Fantasy owners every time he touched the football this season and the Playoffs was no different.  He is a threat in both dimensions of the offense and will mature with the rest of that offensive unit.  I also respect the Ravens because of their Defense, which at times struggled and faced injuries to big play-makers but they kept Flacco and their offense in almost every game and they will lead the Ravens back to the Playoffs again next year.

The biggest disappointment this post season was the Cincinnati Bungals.  They swept their division by playing smart and disciplined in all three phases and with a punishing run game.  These are the most important elements to playoff football, but they still broke down at the end and took an early exit against the Jets.  I saw great things come from the Bengals all season and after the unfortunate passing of their teammate, they never quite seemed the same.  Not that this is why, but it definitely crushed the momentum they had built for themselves and following that incident Cedric Benson was ROBBED of Comeback Player of the Year and they were snubbed by the Pro Bowl.  All these distractions broke the focus of the team down and cost them a chance to make a deep run into the playoffs.  Next season they are hopefully able to retain focus deep into the year and Palmer has one last shot to win a Super Bowl because after that they may need a new QB.

Hard to call losing with such a profound effort a disappointment but I expected the Packers to go deep this year, not out in the first round.  It made for a fitting end to Warner’s career who is too often forgotten as one of the most incredible football players of our time, but I view it like the Packers do, a loss, and a big one.  Rodgers has yet to step up and really fill the shoes of Favre, and lasting long enough to beat him (or even face him) in the Playoffs would have done just that.  Next year will be another phenomenal fantasy campaign for Rodgers and a fair few Packers, but that is little consolation if they are one and done in the post season again next season.

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Hello Readers, I want to thank each and every one of you for reading during our first season, which we did start late.  We will be coming back starting with pre-season draft coverage next year, and hope that you will come back and remember us!  I would also like to invite each of you to join my NFL.com Playoff Challenge league. Also, any feedback you have about the site, specific things that you liked, didn’t care for or want to see in the future PLEASE e-mail me at bigjim@startingfantasylineup.com.

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