What Went Right

Brett Favre didn’t get to throw to Randy Moss but Greg Jennings and Donald Driver did the trick in 2007. The Mississippi gunslinger fired 28 touchdown passes, his highest total since 2004. Along the way, Favre set NFL career records for most touchdown passes and most yards (sorry, Dan Marino). In other years, Favre would have received strong MVP consideration. Driver and Jennings were the biggest beneficiaries of Favre’s blast-from-the-past season. Jennings accounted for 12 touchdowns, while Driver led the team in receptions (82) and receiving yards (1,048). The biggest surprise for the Pack was the emergence of running back Ryan Grant, who accumulated 956 yards rushing and eight touchdowns despite not seeing an abundance of playing time until Week Eight.

What Went Wrong

A funny thing happened on the way to Green Bay playing the Patriots in the Super Bowl - Corey Webster. The Giant cornerback’s overtime interception in the NFC title game began what has been a tragic comedy for Packer fans, management and especially Favre. The legendary Packer quarterback announced his retirement in March, and then changed his mind after management set the wheels in motion for Aaron Rodgers to be the starting quarterback. Instead of being focused on football this offseason, the Packer front office is involved in a game of chicken with a first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback — a game which they cannot possibly win in the eyes of the public.

Off-season Outlook

Despite the three ring circus of the last few months, the Packers are coming off a 13-3 season and narrowly missed playing in the Super Bowl. While the change at quarterback (we think) will be an adjustment, the Packers kept the team intact for the most part. Offensive tackle Joe Toledo and linebacker Brandon Chillar posed as the Pack’s only meaningful free agent acquisitions. Meanwhile, they’ll need to address defensive tackle at some point with Johnny Jolly’s legal situation. Jolly could face up to 20 years in prison for possessing at least 200 grams of codeine.

Draft Review

Okay, follow me for a moment. The Packers spent so much time in nurturing Rodgers and are so completely against the idea of Favre coming back that they drafted Brian Brohm in the second round. Matt Flynn was then selected as a seventh round choice. So, the Packers could open the season with three quarterbacks that have never started a game. In brighter news, the team used another second round pick on receiver Jordy Nelson to add depth to a talented group of pass catchers.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Assuming the Packers stick to their alleged party line of keeping Favre in retirement, Rodgers as a fantasy option is an intriguing issue. He has good weapons at receiver and a solid running game to back him. Rodgers looked good when he relieved an injured Favre against Dallas last season (completing 18-of-26 for 201 yards and one TD). However, being the starter is another ballgame. Rodgers watching for a few years may give him an upper hand early as teams don’t have a great reference point for preparing against him. However, consider him a second string fantasy quarterback until he can prove himself. Historically, quarterbacks that follow Hall of Fame quarterbacks often struggle. A 17- to 20-touchdown pass season is not unreasonable, but don’t expect a Joe Montana to Steve Young transition.

On a quick side note, the Packers are better off with Favre as their quarterback for this season, but here’s the truth of the matter for fantasy owners. As days go by and August drafts start soon, the prospect of selecting Favre in a draft under any circumstance is not a good idea until something concrete happens. Remember, the Packers have all the power in this situation, not Favre.

Running Backs

Grant is back, but will have the added pressure of trying to produce with Rodgers under centre. Luckily though, teams still have to worry about Driver and Jennings, so selling out against the run isn’t a real option for defenses unless Rodgers shows Akili Smith-like talent. Former Giant castoff Grant possesses good breakaway speed and the ability to shed tacklers. Handling a season’s load worth of carries is a concern, but he should be ready for the challenge. He is an early- to mid-second round option in fantasy drafts. Brandon Jackson, Vernand Morency and DeShawn Wynn add depth and versatility.

Wide Receivers

Jennings posed as the long distance threat last season (averaged a team-high 17.6 yards per catch) and ranked amongst the league’s best in catches of 40 yards or more. Only Moss and Joey Galloway caught more passes of at least 40 yards than Jennings’ seven big play receptions. The veteran Driver could act as a security blanket for Rodgers out of the gate. However, since Jennings is younger and a long distance threat, he has better value than the 32-year-old Driver. Nelson and James Jones round out a talented group. If Rogers fails it’ll likely be on his own merit, not because he lacked options.

Tight Ends

The team severed ties with Bubba Franks and gave Donald Lee a four-year, $12 million contract extension last November. The new deal solidifies Lee as the starter and, after catching six touchdown passes in ’07, he should be a red zone factor again. He’s not in Gates-Witten-Gonzalez territory, but he’s an up and coming talent. Lee’s backup is slated to be rookie Jermichael Finley out of Texas.

Defense/Special Teams

The Jolly situation could affect Green Bay’s run stopping capabilities going forward and the secondary got exposed a bit in the NFC title game. Despite those issues, the Packers play in a division which lacks consistent offenses. Despite the fact that its return games lack explosiveness, it should rank close to a top 10 fantasy unit.

July 23rd, 2008
Categories: Derek Jones, FOOTBALL . Author: Derek Jones . Comments: 1 Comment

Fat chance that Baltimore defensive stalwart Ray Lewis will soon join offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden on the sidelines as a retired Raven.

While Ogden finally decided last month that a painful bout of turf toe would help spell the end of his NFL career, Lewis said this week that “football is just getting started for me.â€

It’s great news for the Ravens, seeking to rebound after a nightmare 2007 season saw them bottom out at 5-11.

While discussions regarding Lewis’ future with the team – he’ll be a free agent after 2008 – are still ongoing, he reminded us that he’s never held out from camp or had a contract dispute, so regardless of the off-the-field stuff, you can expect the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year to be on the field, ready to reap havoc like only he can.

While Lewis has only managed to play in 34 of the team’s last 48 games and his tackle numbers have been dwindling in recent years, he really upped his commitment to conditioning this offseason, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him show some vintage form.

Rookies and quarterbacks arrived at training camp for the Ravens Monday, and Wednesday, the vets will follow, and yes, that includes Lewis, about to launch into his 13th season – nine of which have seen him named a Pro Bowler.

So while the 33-year-old Lewis, owner of over 2,000 career tackles, says he’s ready to play for another three or four years at least, the real story of the Raven camp will be the quarterback controversy.

Plenty has changed since we wrote our Raven team capsule on March 15. Now that Steve McNair is retired, will veteran Kyle Boller emerge as the No. 1 man in B-More? Is rookie Joe Flacco, finally signed and definitely the QB of the future for the Ravens, ready for a baptism by fire? Or will sophomore Troy Smith be given a longer look this year?

We’re probably realistically looking at a battle between Boller and the rookie Flacco. As Andy so aptly put, “Boller is Boller; he’s not going to turn into Joe Montana.†So the key question is whether Flacco is ready or not. All eyes must watch him very carefully during training camp and the exhibition schedule.

From a fantasy perspective, because of the solid receiving options, either could prove to be decent backups for your team. Boller definitely is still young enough to improve, but how much? I’m not bullish on those prospects. So that leaves the untested Flacco, and all bets are off in that scenario.

July 21st, 2008
Categories: FOOTBALL, RotoRob, Rumours . Author: RotoRob . Comments: No Comments

What Went Right

Peyton Manning tossed 31 scores and accumulated just over 4,000 passing yards. Ho-hum. Just about the same as every other year for the Golden Boy. Reggie Wayne dominated to the tune of 1,500 yards and ten touchdowns. Dallas Clark also chipped in with 11 scores of his own. The running game wasn’t quite as fluid. Joseph Addai deserves some mention in this section because of his 1,000 yards and 15 total scores, but there is room for improvement.

What Went Wrong

Marvin Harrison went all sorts of wrong. He only appeared in five games due to injury and was pedestrian in those contests. One score in five games is just brutal for someone taken as a top wide out. Other than that, nothing really went “wrong†in the strict sense. Anthony Gonzalez had a steep learning curve and only contributed late in the year. Addai only had four 100-yard games and a disappointing 4.1 yards per carry average. It appeared as though he wore down late in the season, which is troubling since he only received 260 carries — a decent total, but nowhere near a caution area for workhorse backs.

Off-season Outlook

The Colts did absolutely nothing to improve their offense through free agency. Instead, let’s all read up on how to ensure we can finagle 12 hours of television time each Sunday without breaking up marriages and serious relationships! Yes, it’s important.

Draft Recap

The Colts went ahead and drafted Mike Pollak, a centre with Arizona State. He has a chance to win a starting job at guard, but the impact players on the Colts, like most of the teams at the top of the league, are already around. They used the draft to stock up some depth along the line and at tight end.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks - Manning. Yawn.

Running Backs - Addai is getting a lot of pre-season hype as a top five, or god help us, a top three back. We worry that he doesn’t quite have that pedigree yet. He’s not the top offensive option for the Colts, obviously, and that makes for some rough games. Yes, he’ll have his share of monster games, but a lot of worthless ones as well.

Wide Receivers - Wayne is an obvious stud and Harrison will still get love on draft day, but Gonzalez is the most interesting wide out for Indy. Over the last five weeks of the season, he had two 100-yard games and three scores. If and when Harrison falters, Gonzalez will pick up the slack and makes for a nice late sleeper pick.

Tight Ends - Clark. Yawn.

Defense/Special Teams - We’re almost ready to be done with the Colt defense. Dwight Freeney was limited to doing spin moves on the sideline for about half the season. The lack of pressure up front (the Colts tied for 26th in sacks) hurt the entire defense. If Freeney comes back healthy, great, but we’re not sold on that.

July 19th, 2008
Categories: Andy Goldstein, FOOTBALL, Team report . Author: Andy Goldstein . Comments: No Comments

What Went Right

West of Foxborough, Massachusetts, few offenses could hold a candle to the Dallas Cowboys. Tony Romo progressed nicely in his second year as a starter and threw 36 touchdowns, second in the NFL only to Tom Brady. Any hangover concerns from the dropped snap against the Seahawks in the playoffs a season prior were quickly forgotten. Terrell Owens was…Terrell Owens, catching 15 touchdowns. And Marion Barber nearly eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career and scored 12 times while splitting carries with the now departed Julius Jones. It was Jason Witten, not Owens, who led the Cowboys in receptions with 96. When the dust settled, Dallas averaged 28 points per game (second overall) and 365 yards per game (third overall).

What Went Wrong

While Dallas improved defensively, it was still susceptible to big plays and struggled at times allowing 20 points per contest. For the second straight season, the arrival of a blonde singer to Cowboy games coincidentally signaled the slow death of the team’s success. In ’06, Carrie Underwood stopped by towards the season’s end and in ’07 it was Jessica Simpson’s turn. While the season finale against Washington had little value because the Cowboys clinched home field advantage, they averaged only ten points per game in the three contests of the regular season. Compounding matters was a late-season ankle injury suffered by Owens. Then in the playoffs, the offensive line fell apart as the Giants harassed Romo non-stop and eventually overcame Dallas 21-17 in the divisional round.

Off-season Outlook

A team that possessed the NFC’s best record did not need to make wholesale changes on offense. The time is now for Dallas which is why on defense it acquired suspended cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones from Tennessee, who has still yet to be reinstated by the league, to bolster the secondary. Assuming he’s allowed to play, Jones could also have an impact on the special teams as a returner. Former Dolphin linebacker Zach Thomas will join the team to help shore up the depth at linebacker.

Draft Review

Felix Jones is a big play back out of Jerry Jones’ alma mater, Arkansas. He will not play quite the role that the absent Jones did. Instead, look for him to be the lightning to Barber’s thunder. Tight end Martellus Bennett has talent, but is behind Witten which renders his fantasy value rather ineffective for this season. Fourth round selection Tashard Choice may see carries as well. He handled the load while at Georgia Tech and should be able to provide some power running off the bench.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks

Romo is the rock solid starter for Dallas and should continue his successful ways. Throughout mock drafts and as suggested by fantasy magazines, Romo is the third quarterback typically taken behind Brady and Peyton Manning, which is a fair assessment. Another 30-plus touchdown pass season is well within reach for the Eastern Illinois product. As long as the Dallas offensive line plays like it did during the regular season instead of how it performed in the playoffs against the Giants, Romo will excel again. His level of play dipped in December again for the second straight season, which is a concern for fantasy owners when playoff time rolls around. In fact, over the last four games of the ’06 and ’07 campaigns, Romo has combined for nine touchdown passes and 11 interceptions. His last four games this season: at Pittsburgh, home against the Giants and Ravens; and at Philadelphia.

Running Backs

Assuming that the Dallas offense continues to stays relatively healthy (which it has since ’06), this might be the hitch in the Cowboys giddy up. Barber returns, but he has two rookies in Jones and Choice behind him. Meanwhile, Barber has yet to prove that he can handle a season as the main go-to guy. His season high in carries is 204. At the very least, he’ll have to shoulder a lot of responsibility early on until the young pups get their bearings. Nonetheless, Barber is a scoring machine and that should continue. This should be the season he finally surpasses the 1,000-yard mark and I expect him to add to another double-digit touchdown campaign.

Wide Receivers

At 34, Owens is creeping up there in age, but shows little signs of slowing down. The biggest concern with him is injury. He has missed at least one game in five of the last six seasons. However, he is as reliable as any receiver in the league when it comes to making big plays. A potential negative for the Cowboys at receiver is a lack of consistency after Owens. Patrick Crayton is the number two guy, but has shown a propensity to drop the ball at crucial times. His fantasy value as a second or third receiver on a fantasy team is solid though because of T.O.’s presence. Terry Glenn’s situation with the team still remains up in the air as he missed 15 games last season with a knee injury; he may be on his last legs.

Tight Ends

Witten is one of the top tight ends in football and is coming off a career year. His totals may not be quite as high from ’07, but he remains the second best option in the passing game behind you know who.

Defense/Special Teams

The Cowboy defense should be amongst the league’s best again in 2008. Even if Jones is not reinstated prior to the regular season’s beginning, Dallas still has guys who make plays like DeMarcus Ware, who had 14 sacks last season. The ‘Boys secondary should be in good shape as long as they hide safety Roy Williams, who is quickly falling out of favour in Big D. Whenever Dallas has given up a big pass play in the past two seasons, somewhere Williams was likely trailing the play. Expect Dallas to be one of the top fantasy defense/special teams squads in 2008.

July 18th, 2008
Categories: Derek Jones, FOOTBALL, Team report . Author: Derek Jones . Comments: 1 Comment

What Went Right

After LaDainian Tomlinson’s record-setting 2006 season, it’s inevitable that last year would feel like a huge letdown. It kind of did, but Tomlinson did lead the league in yardage again. Also, his 18 total scores are nothing to sneeze at, even if it was a 13 touchdown drop from 2006. On the plus side, Tomlinson didn’t fumble at all! Seriously, he’s making a claim to be considered the best running back of all time. Antonio Gates had another impressive campaign. He nearly hit 1,000 yards and ten scores. The receiving game was also bolstered by the addition of Chris Chambers, who averaged 63 yards and almost a half a score a game once he was put into the starting lineup.

What Went Wrong

Philip Rivers was one of the more popular pre-season sleeper picks at quarterback. He was supposed to use Gates and his ragtag crew of wide outs to firmly claim a spot in the top ten quarterback rankings. Well, that didn’t quite happen. In fact, Rivers regressed in every major statistical category. His struggles were due, to some degree, to the inferior wide out crew. Once Chambers entered the starting lineup, Rivers had four of six games with a quarterback rating over 100. It goes without saying that Vincent Jackson is probably more of a third wide out rather than a top option.

Off-season Outlook

The Chargers have one of the most talented rosters in the league, so they obviously didn’t feel the need to upgrade the offense all that much. Jeremy Newberry and L.J. Shelton add offensive line depth, which is good for Tomlinson, but the impact players are already on the team.

Draft Recap

The biggest worry for Tomlinson owners surrounds the fullback position. The now released Lorenzo Neal was certainly the best blocking fullback in the league, but the team selected Jacob Hester in the second round to fill Neal’s shoes. On one hand, Hester will be an offensive weapon for the Chargers. He’s got some quickness and is a reliable receiving option. Unfortunately, he’s not projected to be the best NFL blocker. Whether he works within the offense is anyone’s guess, but there’s certainly reason to worry about Tomlinson maintaining his torrid pace.

State of the Team

Quarterbacks - Rivers is locked into this slot. Billy Volek has had success when starting, and is worth a waiver pick if Rivers is injured or struggles, but there’s no reason to expect any shakeup for the signal caller position.

Running Backs - Everyone knows about Tomlinson. The big question will be who takes over the primary back-up role with Michael Turner out in Atlanta. Hester might be the early frontrunner, and he’ll most definitely be on the field more, but the Chargers also drafted Marcus Thomas out of Texas-El Paso. We might see a situation similar to Denver when Mike Anderson played fullback and probably could have been a starter, but maintained that position even when a backup came in. Of course, that’s all speculation. Any Tomlinson owner (especially those in dynasty leagues) should keep a close watch on who picks up the junk late carries.

Wide Receivers - Chambers is a definite starter. The other side could get interesting. Jackson will probably get the early nod, but don’t be surprised to see Craig Davis seeing more field time and more looks before the season gets too old.

Tight Ends - And God created Antonio Gates and it was good. Umm, well, that’s basically true.

Defense/Special Teams - In many scoring systems, the Chargers were the top scoring defensive unit. They have playmakers on every level and can create turnovers, sacks, and defensive scores at will. If we cared even a little about defenses, we might even care about this team.

July 15th, 2008
Categories: Andy Goldstein, FOOTBALL, Team report . Author: Andy Goldstein . Comments: No Comments