Last month the People's Pigskin offered a primer for those who wanted to use fantasy football stats to determine who really deserved to go to the Pro Bowl. On Tuesday the National Football League announced the rosters for football's all-star game.
Of course, those rosters are nowhere close to final; anyone making the Super Bowl will not play in the Pro Bowl, and every year several players miss the game because of injuries (some of them major, and some of them legitimate). But it's never too early to look at the rosters and see how they would compare to rosters set by fantasy football points.
AFC OFFENSE
Quarterback: This year the NFL picked Peyton Manning (currently 3rd among quarterbacks with 271 fantasy points, according to ESPN), Tom Brady (4th, 256) and Philip Rivers (5th, 251). So far, so good.
Running back: Chris Johnson (1st among running backs, 304), Maurice Jones-Drew (3rd, 247) and Ray Rice (4th, 220). Again, pretty good, and Rice got his fullback, Le'Ron McClain, on the roster.
Wide receiver: Andre Johnson (1st among receivers, 199), Reggie Wayne (5th, 175), Brandon Marshall (tied for 7th, 166) and Wes Welker (10th, 154). Here we have our first legitimate snubs: Randy Moss (2nd, 189) and Vincent Jackson (tied for 7th, 166).
Tight end: Dallas Clark (1st among tight ends, 158) and Antonio Gates (3rd, 149). Again, solid choices.
Offensive line: Here we turn once again to our friends at Trench Fantasy for help. In the first half of 2009, according to Trench Fantasy, the top-scoring AFC fantasy offensive lines were New England (1 lineman Pro Bowler, Logan Mankins), Pittsburgh (none) and Indianapolis (1, Jeff Saturday). By comparison, we have 2 representatives of the New York Jets (Alan Faneca and Nick Mangold) and 1 each from Miami, Denver, Cleveland and San Diego. No one from Tennessee, though; looks like Chris Johnson opened his own holes.
NFC OFFENSE
Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers (1st among quarterbacks, 308), Drew Brees (2nd, 280) and Brett Favre (8th, 246). One possible snub: Tony Romo (7th, 249).
Running back: Adrian Peterson (2nd among running backs, 254), Steven Jackson (10th, 174) and DeAngelo Williams (11th, 166). A couple of snubs: Frank Gore (7th, 190) and Ryan Grant (8th, 186). And none of these runners even got a fullback to the Pro Bowl. That honor went to Leonard Weaver.
Wide receiver: DeSean Jackson (3rd among receivers, 186), Miles Austin (4th, 185), Larry Fitzgerald (6th, 173) and Sidney Rice (14th, 146). Here we have a few candidates for snubhood, including Roddy White (9th, 162) and Steve Smith of the New York Giants (11th, 153).
Tight end: Vernon Davis (2nd among tight ends, 154) and Jason Witten (9th, 94). Again, a few nominees for snubdom, including Brent Celek (4th, 128) and Tony Gonzalez (5th, 114).
Offensive line: According to Trench Fantasy, the top NFC fantasy offensive line in the first half of 2009 was New Orleans (with 2 Pro Bowlers, Jonathan Stinchcomb and Jahri Evans). We also have 2 line representatives from Minnesota (Bryant McKinnie and Steve Hutchinson) and Dallas (Leonard Davis and Andre Gurode), along with 1 each from Philadelphia and the New York Giants.
AFC DEFENSE
(For the defensive units, we will be borrowing individual defensive player stats from FFToday.)
Defensive line: Here's where things get dicey. Actual Pro Bowlers: Robert Mathis (9th among defensive linemen with 85.5 fantasy points), Mario Williams (tied for 12th, 81.5), Dwight Freeney (14th, 79.5), Vince Wilfork (tied for 85th, 43), Haloti Ngata (tied for 90th, 42.5) and Casey Hampton (tied for 97th, 40.5). Your top snubs: Aaron Schobel (2nd, 113.5) and Jarret Johnson (11th, 82).
Linebacker: Brian Cushing (3rd among linebackers, 159), Ray Lewis (8th, 130.5), Elvis Dumervil (9th, 129.5), James Harrison (10th, 129) and DeMeco Ryans (25th, 112.5). Top snubs: David Harris (4th, 145) and D.J. Williams (tied for 5th, 133.5).
Defensive back: Brian Dawkins (3rd among defensive backs, 128), Darrelle Revis (13th, 117.5), Champ Bailey (tied for 43rd, 96.5), Jairus Byrd (46th, 95), Ed Reed (85th, 78) and Nnamdi Asomugha (tied for 166th--that's right, one hundred and sixty-sixth--with 40.5). Top snubs: Tyvon Branch and Bernard Pollard (tied for 5th with 126 points each), along with pretty much everyone in the defensive backfield wearing a Cincinnati Bengals jersey.
NFC DEFENSE
Defensive line: Jared Allen (1st among defensive linemen, 132), Julius Peppers (5th, 110), Trent Cole (6th, 108.5), Darnell Dockett (tied for 12th, 81.5), Jay Ratliff (23rd, 70) and Kevin Williams (tied for 37th, 61.5). Tops among the snubbed: Will Smith (3rd, 111) and Andre Carter (4th, 110.5).
Linebacker: Patrick Willis (1st among linebackers, 180), Jonathan Vilma (tied for 11th, 128.5), Lance Briggs (tied for 19th, 117), DeMarcus Ware (tied for 21st, 115.5) and Brian Orakpo (tied for 50th, 91.5). Your all-star-caliber snubees: Jon Beason (2nd, 160.5) and London Fletcher (tied for 5th, 133.5).
Defensive back: Charles Woodson (1st among defensive backs, 159), Darren Sharper (2nd, 141), Adrian Wilson (tied for 7th, 122.5), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (tied for 10th, 120), Asante Samuel (tied for 24th, 105.5) and Nick Collins (tied for 40th, 97.5). The biggest snubs: Dashon Goldson (4th, 127.5) and Terrell Thomas (tied for 7th, 122.5).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker: No real surprises here. For the NFC, we have David Akers (1st among kickers with 148 ESPN fantasy points). For the AFC, we have Nate Kaeding (2nd, 142).
Punter: Again, no real surprises. For the NFC, we have Andy Lee (2nd in the NFL with a 47.7-yard average). For the AFC, we have Shane Lechler (1st with a sick 51.1 average).
Kick returner: No major shockers here, either. For the NFC, it's DeSean Jackson (yes, as both a receiver and a returner). For the AFC, it's Josh Cribbs, and if he needs an introduction, it's time to take up a new hobby.
Special teamer: Again, I have nothing here. Flip a coin.
To keep this post brief--OK, shorter than it could have been--I limited myself to 2 snubs per unit. But please note that in several cases I could have listed as least twice as many. Clearly, whoever had the final word on the Pro Bowl has never been a fantasy football commissioner.
And in case you were wondering, the number of Pro Bowlers currently on the People's Pigskin roster ... drumroll, please ... zero. Well, unless you count Trent Cole, Patrick Willis and Asante Samuel as members of the Philadelphia and San Francisco defense/special teams.
We'll be back later with some updates on the final Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Pick the People's Team - Week 17
OK, fellow fantasy football fans. It's all come down to this.
There's one week left for the People's Pigskin to claim the title of Best of the Rest. The Southern Rebels currently hold a 2-point lead, and it's time for you, the Internet, to vote on our lineup for the final week of the NFL regular season. Here's how the lineup looks right now.
Quarterback. Our current starter is Kurt Warner, whose Arizona Cardinals face the Green Bay Packers and still have a chance at earning the NFC's No. 2 seed and a bye. If you want to bench Warner, Matt Cassel can come off the bench.
Running back. Warner's teammate, Chris "Beanie" Wells, remains a starter. He's joined by Matt Forte, who seems rejuvenated after Monday night's victory. His Chicago Bears get the Detroit Lions this week. Either one can be benched in favor of Derrick Ward. (Please note that the plan is to keep Donald Brown on the bench, since the Indianapolis Colts have shown they are quite willing to bench starters late in the season, even if a 16-0 season is on the line.)
Flex. This spot seems to be good luck for Greg Jennings, so he's staying right there. His Green Bay Packers get the Cardinals. Again, Derrick Ward is available to fill his slot.
Wide receiver. The starters remain Chad Ochocinco, whose Cincinnati Bengals play the New York Jets on Sunday night, and Nate Washington, whose Tennessee Titans visit the Seattle Seahawks. If either receiver is benched, T.J. Houshmandzadeh gets the call. (Please note that the plan is for Austin Collie, like Brown, to stay on the bench because of the Colts' bench-happy ways.)
Defense/special teams. The San Francisco 49ers won't be going to the playoffs, but they do get the starting nod here, since they get to close out their season against the Detroit Lions. If you don't like that matchup, you can vote to start the Philadelphia Eagles instead.
No changes at tight end (Kevin Boss) or kicker (Jay Feely).
The lineup poll is open and will remain open until Sunday. So will the fantasy football MVP poll right below it. Please vote now.
We'll be back with some thoughts on the Pro Bowl rosters.
There's one week left for the People's Pigskin to claim the title of Best of the Rest. The Southern Rebels currently hold a 2-point lead, and it's time for you, the Internet, to vote on our lineup for the final week of the NFL regular season. Here's how the lineup looks right now.
Quarterback. Our current starter is Kurt Warner, whose Arizona Cardinals face the Green Bay Packers and still have a chance at earning the NFC's No. 2 seed and a bye. If you want to bench Warner, Matt Cassel can come off the bench.
Running back. Warner's teammate, Chris "Beanie" Wells, remains a starter. He's joined by Matt Forte, who seems rejuvenated after Monday night's victory. His Chicago Bears get the Detroit Lions this week. Either one can be benched in favor of Derrick Ward. (Please note that the plan is to keep Donald Brown on the bench, since the Indianapolis Colts have shown they are quite willing to bench starters late in the season, even if a 16-0 season is on the line.)
Flex. This spot seems to be good luck for Greg Jennings, so he's staying right there. His Green Bay Packers get the Cardinals. Again, Derrick Ward is available to fill his slot.
Wide receiver. The starters remain Chad Ochocinco, whose Cincinnati Bengals play the New York Jets on Sunday night, and Nate Washington, whose Tennessee Titans visit the Seattle Seahawks. If either receiver is benched, T.J. Houshmandzadeh gets the call. (Please note that the plan is for Austin Collie, like Brown, to stay on the bench because of the Colts' bench-happy ways.)
Defense/special teams. The San Francisco 49ers won't be going to the playoffs, but they do get the starting nod here, since they get to close out their season against the Detroit Lions. If you don't like that matchup, you can vote to start the Philadelphia Eagles instead.
No changes at tight end (Kevin Boss) or kicker (Jay Feely).
The lineup poll is open and will remain open until Sunday. So will the fantasy football MVP poll right below it. Please vote now.
We'll be back with some thoughts on the Pro Bowl rosters.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Call It a Halftime Report
The People's Pigskin remains in contention for the highly sought title of Best Fantasy Football Team Not to Make the Landshark Maniacs Playoffs.
Our team currently trails the Southern Rebels by a score of 94-92. As of Monday afternoon, that makes our matchup the closest one in the league. Here's how we got here.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 24 of 38 passing, 313 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 rush for 10 yards, 1 fumble and 19 fantasy points. Warner's Arizona Cardinals wrapped up the NFC West title last week, and this week Warner became the second quarterback (after Fran Tarkenton) to throw at least 100 touchdowns for two teams.
Derrick Ward, RB. The stats: 7 rushes, 32 yards and 3 fantasy points. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off a mother of an upset against the New Orleans Saints, but it was despite Ward's performance, not because of it.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 17 rushes for 68 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 reception for 25 yards and 14 fantasy points. Wells will definitely go much higher this fall in fantasy drafts.
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 4 receptions, 111 yards and 11 fantasy points. The Green Bay Packers played their way into the NFL playoffs, and Jennings got everything but the touchdowns.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 31 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 rush for minus-2 yards and 9 fantasy points. Ochocinco, on the other hand, got nothing but the touchdown, which wrapped up the AFC North title for his Cincinnati Bengals.
Nate Washington, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 39 yards and 3 fantasy points. You may notice that his stats are nearly identical to Ochocinco's in every way except one: no visits to the end zone.
Kevin Boss, TE. The stats: 5 receptions, 49 yards and 4 fantasy points. Not a single New York Giant covered himself in glory Sunday in the team's final appearance in Giants Stadium, and Boss was no exception.
Jay Feely, K. The stats: 2 for 2 on field goals, 1 for 1 on extra points and 8 fantasy points. A much better afternoon for Feely and the rest of the Jets than last Sunday. His team is now in "win and you're in the playoffs" status.
San Francisco 49ers, D/ST. The stats: 3 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 sacks, 6 points allowed and 21 fantasy points. Not bad at all for a team with no postseason bid to motivate it.
Bench. Matt Cassel, Donald Brown and Austin Collie scored 9 fantasy points each. The Philadelphia Eagles defense scored 4.
We'll be back with our lineup poll for week 17. Until then, enjoy Monday night's thrashing.
Our team currently trails the Southern Rebels by a score of 94-92. As of Monday afternoon, that makes our matchup the closest one in the league. Here's how we got here.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 24 of 38 passing, 313 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 rush for 10 yards, 1 fumble and 19 fantasy points. Warner's Arizona Cardinals wrapped up the NFC West title last week, and this week Warner became the second quarterback (after Fran Tarkenton) to throw at least 100 touchdowns for two teams.
Derrick Ward, RB. The stats: 7 rushes, 32 yards and 3 fantasy points. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pulled off a mother of an upset against the New Orleans Saints, but it was despite Ward's performance, not because of it.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 17 rushes for 68 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 reception for 25 yards and 14 fantasy points. Wells will definitely go much higher this fall in fantasy drafts.
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 4 receptions, 111 yards and 11 fantasy points. The Green Bay Packers played their way into the NFL playoffs, and Jennings got everything but the touchdowns.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 31 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 rush for minus-2 yards and 9 fantasy points. Ochocinco, on the other hand, got nothing but the touchdown, which wrapped up the AFC North title for his Cincinnati Bengals.
Nate Washington, WR. The stats: 4 receptions, 39 yards and 3 fantasy points. You may notice that his stats are nearly identical to Ochocinco's in every way except one: no visits to the end zone.
Kevin Boss, TE. The stats: 5 receptions, 49 yards and 4 fantasy points. Not a single New York Giant covered himself in glory Sunday in the team's final appearance in Giants Stadium, and Boss was no exception.
Jay Feely, K. The stats: 2 for 2 on field goals, 1 for 1 on extra points and 8 fantasy points. A much better afternoon for Feely and the rest of the Jets than last Sunday. His team is now in "win and you're in the playoffs" status.
San Francisco 49ers, D/ST. The stats: 3 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 sacks, 6 points allowed and 21 fantasy points. Not bad at all for a team with no postseason bid to motivate it.
Bench. Matt Cassel, Donald Brown and Austin Collie scored 9 fantasy points each. The Philadelphia Eagles defense scored 4.
We'll be back with our lineup poll for week 17. Until then, enjoy Monday night's thrashing.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
A Sunday Evening Update
The People's Pigskin had an enjoyable final Sunday of 2009. As we wait for the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins to kick off, the Internet's favorite football team enjoys a 92-81 lead over the Southern Rebels.
There are no Pigskin players in Sunday night's game or Monday night's game. The Rebels have two players in the Sunday night matchup: Quinton Ganther of the Redskins and Jason Witten of the Cowboys. If they score 10 or fewer fantasy points, the Pigskin will hold the lead at the halfway point in our matchup. (Remember that we're combining week 16 and week 17 scores to determine the title of "Best of the Rest.")
We'll be back with a more detailed breakdown. Until then, enjoy the football.
There are no Pigskin players in Sunday night's game or Monday night's game. The Rebels have two players in the Sunday night matchup: Quinton Ganther of the Redskins and Jason Witten of the Cowboys. If they score 10 or fewer fantasy points, the Pigskin will hold the lead at the halfway point in our matchup. (Remember that we're combining week 16 and week 17 scores to determine the title of "Best of the Rest.")
We'll be back with a more detailed breakdown. Until then, enjoy the football.
The People's Choice - Week 16
Another round of voting has come and gone for the People's Pigskin, and once again you, the Internet, have spoken. You voted to keep our lineup the way it is now for our matchup against the Southern Rebels. (Results can be found at the bottom of this post.) You can follow that matchup live by clicking here.
As we come to the end of another fantasy football season (but not the end of this experiment; more details later), it's time to look back at which players excelled and which ones sputtered. Therefore, you, the Internet, have a very important task this week: Pick fantasy football's most valuable player. The poll is up and will stay up until next Sunday. Be sure to vote.
We'll be back with an update later.
[polldaddy poll=2424085]
As we come to the end of another fantasy football season (but not the end of this experiment; more details later), it's time to look back at which players excelled and which ones sputtered. Therefore, you, the Internet, have a very important task this week: Pick fantasy football's most valuable player. The poll is up and will stay up until next Sunday. Be sure to vote.
We'll be back with an update later.
[polldaddy poll=2424085]
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Saturday Afternoon Update
Those of you fortunate enough to have access to NFL Network on Christmas night (either in your own home or whoever was hosting was you) got the gift of seeing the San Diego Chargers make mincemeat of the Tennessee Titans. Unfortunately, one of the victims of this slaughter was Nate Washington, who put up only 3 fantasy points for the People's Pigskin. Washington was the only Titans receiver to get more than 1 catch. That means he was Vince Young's favorite target, but that's cold comfort for fantasy football players.
Speaking of fantasy football, there's still time for you to vote on our poll about what to do with the rest of our lineup for week 1 of our battle against the Southern Rebels. That poll will close on Sunday before kickoff, so please vote now.
While you're pondering how you'll vote, you can also check out the Alice in Chains Fantasy Football Charity League. Ten musicians/personalities have agreed to auction various items next month to benefit a charity. Which charity? The one chosen by the winner of this fantasy league. The finalists: Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who's playing for Mending Kids International, and Matt Willig, the former NFL lineman, who's playing for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. You can follow their two-week matchup by clicking here.
We'll be back Sunday with the results of our lineup poll.
Speaking of fantasy football, there's still time for you to vote on our poll about what to do with the rest of our lineup for week 1 of our battle against the Southern Rebels. That poll will close on Sunday before kickoff, so please vote now.
While you're pondering how you'll vote, you can also check out the Alice in Chains Fantasy Football Charity League. Ten musicians/personalities have agreed to auction various items next month to benefit a charity. Which charity? The one chosen by the winner of this fantasy league. The finalists: Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who's playing for Mending Kids International, and Matt Willig, the former NFL lineman, who's playing for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. You can follow their two-week matchup by clicking here.
We'll be back Sunday with the results of our lineup poll.
Friday, December 25, 2009
A Christmas Day Update
This update will be brief, since there's a good chance you're checking this blog and your other fantasy football sites in between holiday conversations with friends, relatives, neighbors and various hangers-on.
First, thanks to those of you who voted in the Nate Washington and Christmas football polls. You voted to keep Washington in our starting lineup for week 1 of our fifth-place matchup against the Southern Rebels. Washington and the rest of the Tennessee Titans host the San Diego Chargers tonight, and you can watch keep track of the Pigskin-Rebels matchup by clicking here.
You also voted to keep playing football on Christmas Day. Santa Claus (who undoubtedly played defensive end in college with his knowledge of sacks -- ho, ho, ho) would be pleased. You can see the results of both polls below.
Speaking of polls, there's still time to vote on the rest of our lineup. That poll will close Sunday.
[polldaddy poll=2420210] [polldaddy poll=2380234]
First, thanks to those of you who voted in the Nate Washington and Christmas football polls. You voted to keep Washington in our starting lineup for week 1 of our fifth-place matchup against the Southern Rebels. Washington and the rest of the Tennessee Titans host the San Diego Chargers tonight, and you can watch keep track of the Pigskin-Rebels matchup by clicking here.
You also voted to keep playing football on Christmas Day. Santa Claus (who undoubtedly played defensive end in college with his knowledge of sacks -- ho, ho, ho) would be pleased. You can see the results of both polls below.
Speaking of polls, there's still time to vote on the rest of our lineup. That poll will close Sunday.
[polldaddy poll=2420210] [polldaddy poll=2380234]
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Fearless Predictions - Season Finale
There's still time to vote on the Nate Washington and Christmas football polls (both of which will close tomorrow) and the lineup poll (which will close Sunday). In the meantime, it's time for one last set of predictions for the Landshark Maniacs fantasy football league. Again, these are two-week matchups, so week 17 will be in play here, too.
Last week's predictions went 4-1, raising our season record to 41-29. The only miss was the win by the Southern Rebels, our opponent in the final round. Here's hoping the Rebels don't hold that against us.
Let's start with the ninth-place matchup between the Houston Wreckin' Crew and Ravens Fan T Sizzle. In this game, it will be important to mind your Ps and Qs--that is, the "probable" and "questionable" statuses throughout both lineups. This matchup will hinge on Michael Turner, who could put up big numbers for the Crew or injure himself on his first carry and put up a doughnut (as he did in last week's game against the Pigskin). My guess is that Turner will show up for the last two weeks and fuel a victory for the Crew.
Next is the seventh-place match between the D.C. Destroyers and T-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs. Both sides have plenty of players fighting for playoff spots, but the most intriguing player is Chris Johnson, who is chasing a postseason bid, a 2,000-yard season and possibly Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. Since the Titans need to win both games to get into the playoffs, they'll be motivated to feed Johnson the ball early and often. That will mean big fantasy points for him and a victory for the Destroyers.
The fifth-place match for the title of Best Landshark Maniacs Team Not to Make the Playoffs (yes, I just made that title up) pits the People's Pigskin against the Southern Rebels. Which team is the pick here? Let me give you a hint: In the immortal words of Terrell Owens, "I'd love me some of me."
In the playoff consolation game for third place, we have the Hawaiian Surfriders facing Tinks Revenge. As of this writing, the Surfriders have not selected a kicker, but it probably won't matter. Ray Rice is a contender for fantasy football find of the year, and his team is in a "We need to win both games to get into the playoffs" situation, so he'll get the ball early and often. The Revenge gets the win and the proverbial bronze medal.
Finally, we have the Landshark Maniacs championship game, Northeast Dragons vs. Big Lough O. One thing that's striking about this matchup is the proliferation of 1s and 2s under the "position rank" column. We can honestly say that the two best teams are meeting for the title. (Note to college football fans: We used a playoff to get here. We did not need a fraudulent set of polls and computer numbers. Remember: Playoffs rule.)
Anyway, it's hard to find a player who won't be in a position to put up a ton of points over the next two weeks. Even Drew Brees has a reason to keep slinging the ball in the fourth quarter. (The New Orleans Saints have not wrapped up home-field advantage.) The difference here may be the wide receivers. Given the choice, I'll take Brandon Marshall, Andre Johnson and Vincent Jackson over Roddy White, Terrell Owens and even Wes Welker. As a result, I'll take the Dragons to win it all.
We'll be back tomorrow with poll results. Have a merry one.
Last week's predictions went 4-1, raising our season record to 41-29. The only miss was the win by the Southern Rebels, our opponent in the final round. Here's hoping the Rebels don't hold that against us.
Let's start with the ninth-place matchup between the Houston Wreckin' Crew and Ravens Fan T Sizzle. In this game, it will be important to mind your Ps and Qs--that is, the "probable" and "questionable" statuses throughout both lineups. This matchup will hinge on Michael Turner, who could put up big numbers for the Crew or injure himself on his first carry and put up a doughnut (as he did in last week's game against the Pigskin). My guess is that Turner will show up for the last two weeks and fuel a victory for the Crew.
Next is the seventh-place match between the D.C. Destroyers and T-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs. Both sides have plenty of players fighting for playoff spots, but the most intriguing player is Chris Johnson, who is chasing a postseason bid, a 2,000-yard season and possibly Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record. Since the Titans need to win both games to get into the playoffs, they'll be motivated to feed Johnson the ball early and often. That will mean big fantasy points for him and a victory for the Destroyers.
The fifth-place match for the title of Best Landshark Maniacs Team Not to Make the Playoffs (yes, I just made that title up) pits the People's Pigskin against the Southern Rebels. Which team is the pick here? Let me give you a hint: In the immortal words of Terrell Owens, "I'd love me some of me."
In the playoff consolation game for third place, we have the Hawaiian Surfriders facing Tinks Revenge. As of this writing, the Surfriders have not selected a kicker, but it probably won't matter. Ray Rice is a contender for fantasy football find of the year, and his team is in a "We need to win both games to get into the playoffs" situation, so he'll get the ball early and often. The Revenge gets the win and the proverbial bronze medal.
Finally, we have the Landshark Maniacs championship game, Northeast Dragons vs. Big Lough O. One thing that's striking about this matchup is the proliferation of 1s and 2s under the "position rank" column. We can honestly say that the two best teams are meeting for the title. (Note to college football fans: We used a playoff to get here. We did not need a fraudulent set of polls and computer numbers. Remember: Playoffs rule.)
Anyway, it's hard to find a player who won't be in a position to put up a ton of points over the next two weeks. Even Drew Brees has a reason to keep slinging the ball in the fourth quarter. (The New Orleans Saints have not wrapped up home-field advantage.) The difference here may be the wide receivers. Given the choice, I'll take Brandon Marshall, Andre Johnson and Vincent Jackson over Roddy White, Terrell Owens and even Wes Welker. As a result, I'll take the Dragons to win it all.
We'll be back tomorrow with poll results. Have a merry one.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Pick the People's Team - Week 16
With our recent victory over the Houston Wreckin' Crew, the People's Pigskin gets to play the Southern Rebels for fifth place (in other words, the top spot among nonplayoff teams) in the Landshark Maniacs fantasy football league. That means it's time once again for you, the Internet, to help pick this week's lineup. Here are the contenders.
Quarterback. Even though one of his touchdowns last week was changed to an Anquan Boldin run, we still have Kurt Warner in the starting lineup. He faces the St. Louis Rams this week. If that matchup isn't juicy enough, you can vote to start Matt Cassel instead.
Running back. Another Arizona Cardinal, Chris "Beanie" Wells, stays in the starting lineup. He's joined by Derrick Ward, who's coming off our proverbial bench and facing the New Orleans Saints. If you vote to bench either one, we can call on Matt Forte.
Flex. Greg Jennings worked well in this spot last week, so he's there again this week. He gets to play the Seattle Seahawks. If you want to bench him, we can pull Austin Collie off the bench.
Wide receiver. You already know about the Nate Washington poll, which will close Friday morning. The other starter, at least for the moment, is Chad Ochocinco, who plays the Kansas City Chiefs in the first home game for the Cincinnati Bengals since Chris Henry's death. Austin Collie can take this spot, too.
Defense/special teams. A switch for the Pigskin here. Our starting defense is the San Francisco 49ers. They play the Detroit Lions on Sunday. If you want to bench the 49ers, we can put the Philadelphia Eagles on the field.
Kevin Boss remains our tight end, and Jay Feely remains our kicker.
The poll is now open. We'll be back tomorrow with a Christmas Eve edition of the Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Quarterback. Even though one of his touchdowns last week was changed to an Anquan Boldin run, we still have Kurt Warner in the starting lineup. He faces the St. Louis Rams this week. If that matchup isn't juicy enough, you can vote to start Matt Cassel instead.
Running back. Another Arizona Cardinal, Chris "Beanie" Wells, stays in the starting lineup. He's joined by Derrick Ward, who's coming off our proverbial bench and facing the New Orleans Saints. If you vote to bench either one, we can call on Matt Forte.
Flex. Greg Jennings worked well in this spot last week, so he's there again this week. He gets to play the Seattle Seahawks. If you want to bench him, we can pull Austin Collie off the bench.
Wide receiver. You already know about the Nate Washington poll, which will close Friday morning. The other starter, at least for the moment, is Chad Ochocinco, who plays the Kansas City Chiefs in the first home game for the Cincinnati Bengals since Chris Henry's death. Austin Collie can take this spot, too.
Defense/special teams. A switch for the Pigskin here. Our starting defense is the San Francisco 49ers. They play the Detroit Lions on Sunday. If you want to bench the 49ers, we can put the Philadelphia Eagles on the field.
Kevin Boss remains our tight end, and Jay Feely remains our kicker.
The poll is now open. We'll be back tomorrow with a Christmas Eve edition of the Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Something to Celebrate: Victory!
Before we get into last week's results, we should let you know that there's a new poll up. This one concerns Nate Washington, whose Tennessee Titans will face the San Diego Padres on Friday night. (Yes, on Christmas Day.) Nate currently sits in our starting lineup. Your votes will determine if he stays there. If you vote to bench him, Austin Collie will take his spot, at least temporarily.
Now, on to last week. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and he's given the People's Pigskin a chance to play for the title of "Best of the Rest."
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team hung on Monday night to seal a 150-126 victory over the Houston Wreckin' Crew. Here's a breakdown of last week's portion of the results.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 23 of 37 passing, 233 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, 2 rushes for minus-2 yards, 1 fumble and 13 fantasy points. The turnovers remain a concern, but Warner remains upright, and that's the important thing for Arizona Cardinals fans and fantasy football players.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 17 rushes for 110 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 reception for 13 yards and 18 fantasy points. Wells has settled nicely into the Cardinals lineup, and his value is sure to skyrocket in fantasy drafts next year.
Julius Jones, RB. The stats: 12 rushes, 65 yards and 6 fantasy points. ESPN also credits Jones with 2 receptions, but it also says he gained 0 yards on those catches. If a player gets the ball and doesn't go anywhere, did he really make a catch?
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 5 receptions for 118 yards, 1 touchdown and 17 fantasy points. What's more amazing: Jennings putting up those numbers against the Pittsburgh Steelers, or the fact that a receiver puts up those numbers against the Steelers is no longer surprising?
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 1 rush for 26 yards, 3 receptions for 79 yards, 1 touchdown and 15 fantasy points. Frankly, he should get an extra point for the way he paid tribute to Chris Henry in the end zone.
Austin Collie, WR. The stats: 1 rush for 2 yards, 3 receptions for 27 yards, 1 touchdown and 8 fantasy points. That's about as low a point total as you can generate in a game where you score a touchdown.
Kevin Boss, TE. The stats: 3 receptions, 57 yards and 5 fantasy points. He didn't get one of the dozens of touchdowns the New York Giants scored against the Washington Redskins, but at least he wasn't scratched.
Jay Feely, K. The stats: 0 for 2 on field goals, 1 for 1 on PATs and minus-1 fantasy points. How many of you would have voted differently in our kicker poll if you had known Feely would react the way he did to Henry's death?
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 3 sacks, 13 points allowed and 15 fantasy points. This defense may be the real key to the NFC East title.
Bench. Matt Cassel scored 22 points. (Who knew?) Derrick Ward scored 12. Nate Washington scored 9, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh scored 7.
We'll be back tomorrow with a preview of our next matchup.
Now, on to last week. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and he's given the People's Pigskin a chance to play for the title of "Best of the Rest."
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team hung on Monday night to seal a 150-126 victory over the Houston Wreckin' Crew. Here's a breakdown of last week's portion of the results.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 23 of 37 passing, 233 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, 2 rushes for minus-2 yards, 1 fumble and 13 fantasy points. The turnovers remain a concern, but Warner remains upright, and that's the important thing for Arizona Cardinals fans and fantasy football players.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 17 rushes for 110 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 reception for 13 yards and 18 fantasy points. Wells has settled nicely into the Cardinals lineup, and his value is sure to skyrocket in fantasy drafts next year.
Julius Jones, RB. The stats: 12 rushes, 65 yards and 6 fantasy points. ESPN also credits Jones with 2 receptions, but it also says he gained 0 yards on those catches. If a player gets the ball and doesn't go anywhere, did he really make a catch?
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 5 receptions for 118 yards, 1 touchdown and 17 fantasy points. What's more amazing: Jennings putting up those numbers against the Pittsburgh Steelers, or the fact that a receiver puts up those numbers against the Steelers is no longer surprising?
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 1 rush for 26 yards, 3 receptions for 79 yards, 1 touchdown and 15 fantasy points. Frankly, he should get an extra point for the way he paid tribute to Chris Henry in the end zone.
Austin Collie, WR. The stats: 1 rush for 2 yards, 3 receptions for 27 yards, 1 touchdown and 8 fantasy points. That's about as low a point total as you can generate in a game where you score a touchdown.
Kevin Boss, TE. The stats: 3 receptions, 57 yards and 5 fantasy points. He didn't get one of the dozens of touchdowns the New York Giants scored against the Washington Redskins, but at least he wasn't scratched.
Jay Feely, K. The stats: 0 for 2 on field goals, 1 for 1 on PATs and minus-1 fantasy points. How many of you would have voted differently in our kicker poll if you had known Feely would react the way he did to Henry's death?
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 3 sacks, 13 points allowed and 15 fantasy points. This defense may be the real key to the NFC East title.
Bench. Matt Cassel scored 22 points. (Who knew?) Derrick Ward scored 12. Nate Washington scored 9, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh scored 7.
We'll be back tomorrow with a preview of our next matchup.
Monday, December 21, 2009
A Pre-Christmas Comeback
It's Monday, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and the People's Pigskin has found the proverbial ray of sunshine.
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team has more than erased its deficit against the Houston Wreckin' Crew. In fact, we're now sporting a 145-111 lead. The Crew has two New York Giants suiting up for Monday night's matchup against the Washington Redskins: Hakeem Nicks and Lawrence Tynes. The Pigskin has one player tonight: Kevin Boss, the emergency acquisition who replaced the injured Jeremy Shockey.
Nicks and Tynes must outscore Boss by 35 points for the Crew to beat the Pigskin. Is that a long shot? Perhaps, but so were the Cowboys and the Buccaneers this weekend.
We'll be back Tuesday with a breakdown.
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team has more than erased its deficit against the Houston Wreckin' Crew. In fact, we're now sporting a 145-111 lead. The Crew has two New York Giants suiting up for Monday night's matchup against the Washington Redskins: Hakeem Nicks and Lawrence Tynes. The Pigskin has one player tonight: Kevin Boss, the emergency acquisition who replaced the injured Jeremy Shockey.
Nicks and Tynes must outscore Boss by 35 points for the Crew to beat the Pigskin. Is that a long shot? Perhaps, but so were the Cowboys and the Buccaneers this weekend.
We'll be back Tuesday with a breakdown.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The People's Choice - Week 15
Thanks again to those of you who voted in our lineup. You, the Internet, voted to leave the People's Pigskin lineup the way it is now for our matchup against the Houston Wreckin' Crew.
The Crew got some impressive numbers on Saturday night from Marion Barber and Miles Austin, raising the Crew's overall lead over the Pigskin to 104-62. The good news is that the Pigskin still has eight fantasy football players to play, while the Crew now has only six. As always, you can follow the results live by clicking here.
The Christmas poll is still open, so feel free to cast your vote or leave a comment. We'll be back later with an update on our matchup.
[polldaddy poll=2397283]
The Crew got some impressive numbers on Saturday night from Marion Barber and Miles Austin, raising the Crew's overall lead over the Pigskin to 104-62. The good news is that the Pigskin still has eight fantasy football players to play, while the Crew now has only six. As always, you can follow the results live by clicking here.
The Christmas poll is still open, so feel free to cast your vote or leave a comment. We'll be back later with an update on our matchup.
[polldaddy poll=2397283]
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Another Saturday (Tight End) Update
You can always count on the National Football League to throw you a curveball if you make the mistake of turning your back on it.
Actually, it's unfair to blame the NFL itself for the latest curveball to be thrown at the People's Pigskin. This one comes from the New Orleans Saints, which have just inactivated Jeremy Shockey for Saturday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys. In an emergency measure, Shockey has been cut from our lineup and replaced with Kevin Boss of the New York Giants.
One of the upshots of this mess: The People's Pigskin no longer has any "skin" in Saturday night's game. However, we now have some skin in Monday night's game between the Giants and the Washington Redskins. So we've got that going for us, which is nice.
Anyway, the lineup poll is still open. Please vote, and enjoy the game.
Actually, it's unfair to blame the NFL itself for the latest curveball to be thrown at the People's Pigskin. This one comes from the New Orleans Saints, which have just inactivated Jeremy Shockey for Saturday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys. In an emergency measure, Shockey has been cut from our lineup and replaced with Kevin Boss of the New York Giants.
One of the upshots of this mess: The People's Pigskin no longer has any "skin" in Saturday night's game. However, we now have some skin in Monday night's game between the Giants and the Washington Redskins. So we've got that going for us, which is nice.
Anyway, the lineup poll is still open. Please vote, and enjoy the game.
A Saturday Evening Update
My thanks to those who voted in our kicker poll. You, the Internet, voted to add Jay Feely to our lineup to replace Nick Folk. And that's exactly what the People's Pigskin did. (You can see the results for yourself at the bottom of this post.)
Speaking of our lineup, this week's version included Austin Collie, who scored 8 fantasy points Thursday night, narrowing the People's Pigskin deficit against the Houston Wreckin' Crew to 65-62. Folk is now out of our lineup, but thanks to Jeremy Shockey, the People's Pigskin will still have a stake in Saturday night's game between the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys.
There is still time to vote in the lineup poll, which will close early Sunday. Thanks in advance for voting.
(And our sympathies go out to Chris Henry's family.)
[polldaddy poll=2390302]
Speaking of our lineup, this week's version included Austin Collie, who scored 8 fantasy points Thursday night, narrowing the People's Pigskin deficit against the Houston Wreckin' Crew to 65-62. Folk is now out of our lineup, but thanks to Jeremy Shockey, the People's Pigskin will still have a stake in Saturday night's game between the New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys.
There is still time to vote in the lineup poll, which will close early Sunday. Thanks in advance for voting.
(And our sympathies go out to Chris Henry's family.)
[polldaddy poll=2390302]
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Pick the People's Team - Week 15
Thanks to those of you who voted in our Austin Collie poll. You voted to keep Collie in our lineup for Thursday's game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The results are at the bottom of this post.
Now it's time to address the rest of our lineup for our week 15 matchup against the Houston Wreckin' Crew.
Quarterback. Despite his lackluster performance on Monday night, Kurt Warner retains his spot in the starting lineup and faces the Detroit Lions. If he gets benched, Matt Cassel gets his spot.
Running back. Our starters for this week are Julius Jones, who faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Chris "Beanie" Wells, who faces the Lions. Matt Forte is available on the bench as a substitute.
Flex. This week's flex starter is Greg Jennings, whose Green Bay Packers take on the reeling Pittsburgh Steelers. Again, Matt Forte is available to take his spot.
Wide receiver. Our starters are Chad Ochocinco and the aforementioned Austin Collie. Nate Washington may substitute for Ochocinco if he's voted to the bench.
Defense/special teams. The Philadelphia Eagles keep their starting spot and take on the San Francisco 49ers, whose defense can be called off the bench if necessary.
The winner of our kicker poll will get that spot, and Jeremy Shockey remains the tight end.
The lineup poll is now open and will close early Sunday. Please vote. I'll be away from my computer Thursday and Friday, so the next update may not be until Saturday. In the meantime, enjoy the Colts-Jaguars game.
[polldaddy poll=2390270]
Now it's time to address the rest of our lineup for our week 15 matchup against the Houston Wreckin' Crew.
Quarterback. Despite his lackluster performance on Monday night, Kurt Warner retains his spot in the starting lineup and faces the Detroit Lions. If he gets benched, Matt Cassel gets his spot.
Running back. Our starters for this week are Julius Jones, who faces the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Chris "Beanie" Wells, who faces the Lions. Matt Forte is available on the bench as a substitute.
Flex. This week's flex starter is Greg Jennings, whose Green Bay Packers take on the reeling Pittsburgh Steelers. Again, Matt Forte is available to take his spot.
Wide receiver. Our starters are Chad Ochocinco and the aforementioned Austin Collie. Nate Washington may substitute for Ochocinco if he's voted to the bench.
Defense/special teams. The Philadelphia Eagles keep their starting spot and take on the San Francisco 49ers, whose defense can be called off the bench if necessary.
The winner of our kicker poll will get that spot, and Jeremy Shockey remains the tight end.
The lineup poll is now open and will close early Sunday. Please vote. I'll be away from my computer Thursday and Friday, so the next update may not be until Saturday. In the meantime, enjoy the Colts-Jaguars game.
[polldaddy poll=2390270]
Landshark Maniacs Playoff Update
There's still time to vote in the Austin Collie poll (which will close Thursday) and the kicker poll (which will close Saturday), as well as the Christmas poll. In the meantime, here's an update on the playoffs in the Landshark Maniacs fantasy football league, where playoff rounds last two weeks. Essentially, each matchup is at halftime, though no one is being assaulted in these locker rooms.
Northeast Dragons vs. Hawaiian Surfriders. The prediction here was for a Dragons win, and the top seed wasted no time getting out to a 137-76 lead. Of course, the Surfriders could turn the tables this week, but that's a long shot at best. The Dragons can start preparing for the finals.
Big Lough O vs. Tinks Revenge. In the other semifinal, the prediction was for a Lough O victory. Again, the second seed got off to a fast start and now enjoy a 124-69 lead. The Revenge can mount a comeback, but to call this an uphill battle is to call JaMarcus Russell slightly overpaid. The Lough Os should cruise into the finals.
D.C. Destroyers vs. Southern Rebels. The call here was for a Destroyers win, but with the score 95-90 in the Rebels' favor, this is still anyone's game. The Rebels better hope the Colts don't decide that Peyton Manning is too "injured" to play a full game Thursday.
Peoples Pigskin vs. Houston Wreckin' Crew. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team faces a 65-54 deficit heading into week 15. Comeback time, baby!
T-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs vs. Ravens Fan T Sizzle. The call here was for the stumblrs to stumble their way to a win, and they have built a 92-57 lead. Again, this lead is by no means insurmountable, especially if the Rams realize their only way to beat the Texans is to hand the ball to Steven Jackson until his cleats fall off. However, the stumblrs have to like where they stand right now.
We'll be back tomorrow with an update on Austin Collie and the weekly lineup poll.
Northeast Dragons vs. Hawaiian Surfriders. The prediction here was for a Dragons win, and the top seed wasted no time getting out to a 137-76 lead. Of course, the Surfriders could turn the tables this week, but that's a long shot at best. The Dragons can start preparing for the finals.
Big Lough O vs. Tinks Revenge. In the other semifinal, the prediction was for a Lough O victory. Again, the second seed got off to a fast start and now enjoy a 124-69 lead. The Revenge can mount a comeback, but to call this an uphill battle is to call JaMarcus Russell slightly overpaid. The Lough Os should cruise into the finals.
D.C. Destroyers vs. Southern Rebels. The call here was for a Destroyers win, but with the score 95-90 in the Rebels' favor, this is still anyone's game. The Rebels better hope the Colts don't decide that Peyton Manning is too "injured" to play a full game Thursday.
Peoples Pigskin vs. Houston Wreckin' Crew. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team faces a 65-54 deficit heading into week 15. Comeback time, baby!
T-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs vs. Ravens Fan T Sizzle. The call here was for the stumblrs to stumble their way to a win, and they have built a 92-57 lead. Again, this lead is by no means insurmountable, especially if the Rams realize their only way to beat the Texans is to hand the ball to Steven Jackson until his cleats fall off. However, the stumblrs have to like where they stand right now.
We'll be back tomorrow with an update on Austin Collie and the weekly lineup poll.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Assessing the Results (and New Polls)
Well, suffice it to say that the People's Pigskin did not have the Monday night it wanted. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team now trails the Houston Wreckin' Crew by a score of 65-54. We now have a week to make up the 11-point deficit. Here's a breakdown of the week 14 results.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 16 of 29 passing for 178 yards, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble and 1 fantasy point. We were counting on Warner to have a decent night against the San Francisco 49ers. He did not.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 12 rushes for 51 yards, 4 receptions for 17 yards and 6 fantasy points. Not the type of numbers one would want to see from a first-round fantasy pick.
Julius Jones, RB. The stats: 10 rushes for 39 yards, 1 reception for 4 yards and 3 fantasy points. Being your team's primary running back becomes less meaningful when your team falls behind by 27 points with a quarter to go.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Flex. The stats: 4 receptions, 52 yards and 5 fantasy points. On the other hand, when you're down that much, you would expect the receivers to benefit.
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 3 receptions, 56 yards, a 2-point conversion and 7 fantasy points. All that's missing are the touchdowns.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 3 receptions, 27 yards, 1 touchdown and 8 fantasy points. See? All it takes is one trip to the end zone.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 4 receptions, 46 yards and 4 fantasy points. Jeremy just keeps chugging along in fantasy mediocrity.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 of 2 on field goals, 2 of 2 on PATs and 4 fantasy points. More on him later.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 4 fumble recoveries (1 returned for a touchdown), 3 sacks, 1 punt returned for a touchdown, 38 points allowed and 16 fantasy points. The defense was by far the top performer for the People's Pigskin. And that's not a good thing.
Bench. Chris "Beanie" Wells scored 13 fantasy points. The San Francisco defense/special teams scored 24.
Time for a couple of new polls. The first one deals with Austin Collie, whose Indianapolis Colts play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night. The poll asks whether Collie (who scored 9 fantasy points last week) should start for our team. If you vote to bench him, T.J. Houshmandzadeh will move (temporarily, at least) into his spot. This poll will close Thursday morning.
The other poll deals with our kicker. Nick Folk, now tied for 19th in fantasy points among kickers, is getting the heave-ho, and you have three candidates to take his spot.
Jay Feely, 6th among kickers with 108 points.
Matt Prater, 9th among kickers with 97.
Dan Carpenter, 10th among kickers with 95.
This poll will close Saturday. Please vote.
Kurt Warner, QB. The stats: 16 of 29 passing for 178 yards, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble and 1 fantasy point. We were counting on Warner to have a decent night against the San Francisco 49ers. He did not.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 12 rushes for 51 yards, 4 receptions for 17 yards and 6 fantasy points. Not the type of numbers one would want to see from a first-round fantasy pick.
Julius Jones, RB. The stats: 10 rushes for 39 yards, 1 reception for 4 yards and 3 fantasy points. Being your team's primary running back becomes less meaningful when your team falls behind by 27 points with a quarter to go.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Flex. The stats: 4 receptions, 52 yards and 5 fantasy points. On the other hand, when you're down that much, you would expect the receivers to benefit.
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 3 receptions, 56 yards, a 2-point conversion and 7 fantasy points. All that's missing are the touchdowns.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 3 receptions, 27 yards, 1 touchdown and 8 fantasy points. See? All it takes is one trip to the end zone.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 4 receptions, 46 yards and 4 fantasy points. Jeremy just keeps chugging along in fantasy mediocrity.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 of 2 on field goals, 2 of 2 on PATs and 4 fantasy points. More on him later.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 4 fumble recoveries (1 returned for a touchdown), 3 sacks, 1 punt returned for a touchdown, 38 points allowed and 16 fantasy points. The defense was by far the top performer for the People's Pigskin. And that's not a good thing.
Bench. Chris "Beanie" Wells scored 13 fantasy points. The San Francisco defense/special teams scored 24.
Time for a couple of new polls. The first one deals with Austin Collie, whose Indianapolis Colts play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night. The poll asks whether Collie (who scored 9 fantasy points last week) should start for our team. If you vote to bench him, T.J. Houshmandzadeh will move (temporarily, at least) into his spot. This poll will close Thursday morning.
The other poll deals with our kicker. Nick Folk, now tied for 19th in fantasy points among kickers, is getting the heave-ho, and you have three candidates to take his spot.
Jay Feely, 6th among kickers with 108 points.
Matt Prater, 9th among kickers with 97.
Dan Carpenter, 10th among kickers with 95.
This poll will close Saturday. Please vote.
Monday, December 14, 2009
A Quick Monday Update
The People's Pigskin did not get All-Pro performances from most of its players Sunday, but the Internet's favorite fantasy football team remains in contention.
Contention for a spot in the fifth-place game, that is.
The Pigskin currently trails the Houston Wreckin' Crew by a score of 65-53. There are no players from the Crew involved in Monday Night's game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers. The Pigskin has one player: Kurt Warner. If he scores 13 or more fantasy points, we'll head into week 2 of our matchup with the lead.
We'll be back later with a detailed roundup.
Contention for a spot in the fifth-place game, that is.
The Pigskin currently trails the Houston Wreckin' Crew by a score of 65-53. There are no players from the Crew involved in Monday Night's game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers. The Pigskin has one player: Kurt Warner. If he scores 13 or more fantasy points, we'll head into week 2 of our matchup with the lead.
We'll be back later with a detailed roundup.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
The People's Choice - Week 14
Another week has passed, and once again you, the Internet, have spoken. You voted to leave our lineup the way it is now for week 1 of our consolation round matchup against the Houston Wreckin' Crew. You can follow that matchup live by clicking here.
You also voted to replace Steve Slaton with Austin Collie. He's now a member of the People's Pigskin bench. I'm sure his mama is proud.
And in the debate over what makes the best fantasy football trophy, there was a split decision, as you can see below.
Our latest poll has a holiday flavor. To quote Bing Crosby, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. There's snow on the ground in most of the country, stores are becoming impossible to navigate and children are being extra good in the hopes for extra presents (one example: I have yet to see anyone rearrange backyard animatronic deer into Kama Sutra positions).
Another sign of Christmas: football on the TV schedule. In this case, the San Diego Chargers and the Tennessee Titans are scheduled to play on Christmas night. Our latest poll basically asks if that's a good thing. Please vote.
We'll be back with an update on our matchup. Poll results are below.
[polldaddy poll=2369013] [polldaddy poll=2354549] [polldaddy poll=2348186]
You also voted to replace Steve Slaton with Austin Collie. He's now a member of the People's Pigskin bench. I'm sure his mama is proud.
And in the debate over what makes the best fantasy football trophy, there was a split decision, as you can see below.
Our latest poll has a holiday flavor. To quote Bing Crosby, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. There's snow on the ground in most of the country, stores are becoming impossible to navigate and children are being extra good in the hopes for extra presents (one example: I have yet to see anyone rearrange backyard animatronic deer into Kama Sutra positions).
Another sign of Christmas: football on the TV schedule. In this case, the San Diego Chargers and the Tennessee Titans are scheduled to play on Christmas night. Our latest poll basically asks if that's a good thing. Please vote.
We'll be back with an update on our matchup. Poll results are below.
[polldaddy poll=2369013] [polldaddy poll=2354549] [polldaddy poll=2348186]
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Saturday Afternoon Reading
There's still time to vote in the polls about our lineup, the waiver wire pickup and your favorite type of fantasy football trophy.
In the meantime, there's a very good football game on the schedule: Army vs. Navy in Philadelphia. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. EST on CBS. There are no Heisman Trophy candidates here, and nobody is going to argue for putting either team in the mix for a national championship. However, there are many reasons to make time in your schedule for this game (other than the "I need a football fix right bleeping now" reason). Here's one: The players on the field and their classmates in the stands take the "going pro in something other than sports" concept to a whole new level.
And while you're waiting for that game to kick off, here are some links to ponder.
Is it too soon for fantasy nostalgia? For those of us who can only fantasize about what it would be like to be a playoff contender right now, the folks at Yahoo's Roto Arcade blog offer some Decembers to Remember: a list of the top "fantasy football playoff runs" from the past decade. Number 1 on the list: Drew Bennett and Billy Volek putting up monster numbers in two December games for the 2004 Tennessee Titans. "They're the patron saints of Scrubs Gone Wild in the fantasy playoffs."
It's a fun list, unless you remember being bumped out of your playoffs by one of these performances. If that's the case, the list may make you want to do this.
That's it -- let the anger out. The People's Pigskin was not the only fantasy football team burned when Steve Slaton was inactivated for the season with a nerve injury. A fellow WordPress blogger, Second String Fullback, offers some not-so-pleasant thoughts on the matter. (And by "not-so-pleasant," I mean "not-so-G-rated.")
I can't believe I picked up Carrie Underwood in the third round. Yes, Virginia, you can set up fantasy leagues for anything. Sony is offering a Fantasy Festival application that lets you set up a league where you and your friends try to assemble the ultimate music festival. The grand prize: "four 'money can't buy' tickets (including VIP accommodation, flights and spending money) to one of Europe's best festivals." (Thanks to Converge Technologies for the assist on this one.)
I guess someone's watching. Remember that TV show "The League" about a group of friends in a fantasy football league? Well, FX must have liked what it saw from this show, because it is getting a second season. And this is in spite of (or perhaps because of) reviews like this one from YourTango that call the show a "moap opera" (short for "men's soap opera") and say it is "a relationship show in macho clothing."
By the way, has anyone out there actually watched the show? If you have, would you mind confirming whether it's about football as opposed to, say, what fantasy owners think of their significant others?
Things that make fans go "Hmmm." Christopher Harris, the top fantasy football expert on ESPN.com, breaks down every NFL game from a fantasy perspective in his essential column "The Breakdown." In this week's version, Harris has something very interesting to say about that Robert Meachem play from last week in which the Washington Redskins intercepted a pass and Meachem stripped the ball from the defender and scored a touchdown.
"Thanks, Mr. Meachem. True, your tying 53-yarder was a thing of beauty (and an unforgivably stupid play by LaRon Landry), but that stripped fumble of a Kareem Moore interception return and subsequent touchdown set off a fantasy firestorm. For the record, Meachem got credited for a fumble-recovery touchdown, and the Saints' defense got credited with a fumble recovery (but not a touchdown). There's no perfect way to score freak plays like that. We felt the way we scored it was the fairest thing we could do."
The most interested word in that passage? "We." Harris probably meant "we" in the "I am part of the ESPN family that made the decision" sense, but it also can be read as if he meant he personally had a hand in scoring that play. (Experts making predictions about games and then deciding how those games are scored? Talk about your conflict of interests.)
Anyway, there's still time to vote on our polls. We'll be back Sunday with a pregame update.
In the meantime, there's a very good football game on the schedule: Army vs. Navy in Philadelphia. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. EST on CBS. There are no Heisman Trophy candidates here, and nobody is going to argue for putting either team in the mix for a national championship. However, there are many reasons to make time in your schedule for this game (other than the "I need a football fix right bleeping now" reason). Here's one: The players on the field and their classmates in the stands take the "going pro in something other than sports" concept to a whole new level.
And while you're waiting for that game to kick off, here are some links to ponder.
Is it too soon for fantasy nostalgia? For those of us who can only fantasize about what it would be like to be a playoff contender right now, the folks at Yahoo's Roto Arcade blog offer some Decembers to Remember: a list of the top "fantasy football playoff runs" from the past decade. Number 1 on the list: Drew Bennett and Billy Volek putting up monster numbers in two December games for the 2004 Tennessee Titans. "They're the patron saints of Scrubs Gone Wild in the fantasy playoffs."
It's a fun list, unless you remember being bumped out of your playoffs by one of these performances. If that's the case, the list may make you want to do this.
That's it -- let the anger out. The People's Pigskin was not the only fantasy football team burned when Steve Slaton was inactivated for the season with a nerve injury. A fellow WordPress blogger, Second String Fullback, offers some not-so-pleasant thoughts on the matter. (And by "not-so-pleasant," I mean "not-so-G-rated.")
I can't believe I picked up Carrie Underwood in the third round. Yes, Virginia, you can set up fantasy leagues for anything. Sony is offering a Fantasy Festival application that lets you set up a league where you and your friends try to assemble the ultimate music festival. The grand prize: "four 'money can't buy' tickets (including VIP accommodation, flights and spending money) to one of Europe's best festivals." (Thanks to Converge Technologies for the assist on this one.)
I guess someone's watching. Remember that TV show "The League" about a group of friends in a fantasy football league? Well, FX must have liked what it saw from this show, because it is getting a second season. And this is in spite of (or perhaps because of) reviews like this one from YourTango that call the show a "moap opera" (short for "men's soap opera") and say it is "a relationship show in macho clothing."
By the way, has anyone out there actually watched the show? If you have, would you mind confirming whether it's about football as opposed to, say, what fantasy owners think of their significant others?
Things that make fans go "Hmmm." Christopher Harris, the top fantasy football expert on ESPN.com, breaks down every NFL game from a fantasy perspective in his essential column "The Breakdown." In this week's version, Harris has something very interesting to say about that Robert Meachem play from last week in which the Washington Redskins intercepted a pass and Meachem stripped the ball from the defender and scored a touchdown.
"Thanks, Mr. Meachem. True, your tying 53-yarder was a thing of beauty (and an unforgivably stupid play by LaRon Landry), but that stripped fumble of a Kareem Moore interception return and subsequent touchdown set off a fantasy firestorm. For the record, Meachem got credited for a fumble-recovery touchdown, and the Saints' defense got credited with a fumble recovery (but not a touchdown). There's no perfect way to score freak plays like that. We felt the way we scored it was the fairest thing we could do."
The most interested word in that passage? "We." Harris probably meant "we" in the "I am part of the ESPN family that made the decision" sense, but it also can be read as if he meant he personally had a hand in scoring that play. (Experts making predictions about games and then deciding how those games are scored? Talk about your conflict of interests.)
Anyway, there's still time to vote on our polls. We'll be back Sunday with a pregame update.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Pick the People's Team - Week 14
While you contemplate who needs to take Steve Slaton's place, it's time to consider the People's Pigskin's consolation round matchup against the Houston Wreckin' Crew. Here's how the lineup looks now.
Quarterback. After a phenomenal Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings, Kurt Warner returns to our starting lineup. This week he gets to play the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. (And since he needs to look no further than his own home to see what a head injury can do, it's safe to say he's not going to lie to the trainers to get back on the field.) Matt Cassel is available to come off the bench.
Running back. The starting lineup contains one familiar face (Matt Forte) and a newcomer, Julius Jones, the person that you, the Internet, said should replace Jamal Lewis. Forte faces the Green Bay Packers, while Jones gets the Houston Texans. If you want to bench one of them, we can call on Chris "Beanie" Wells.
Flex. One side benefit of following the People's Pigskin for fantasy football fans is that you will never have to wonder how to spell T.J. Houshmandzadeh's name again. Anyway, he gets the Texans, and Beanie Wells can take his spot if necessary.
Wide receiver. Two more familiar names here. Greg Jennings faces the Chicago Bears, while Chad Ochocinco gets the Minnesota Vikings. Nate Washington is waiting in the wings.
Defense/special teams. After a big Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles rank second in fantasy points. This week they get the New York Giants on Sunday night. The San Francisco 49ers are available on the bench.
The song remains the same at tight end (Jeremy Shockey) and kicker (Nick Folk).
The poll is up. This one, along with the two below it, will close Saturday night or Sunday morning. Be sure to vote, and be sure to enjoy tonight's Steelers-Browns game.
Quarterback. After a phenomenal Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings, Kurt Warner returns to our starting lineup. This week he gets to play the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. (And since he needs to look no further than his own home to see what a head injury can do, it's safe to say he's not going to lie to the trainers to get back on the field.) Matt Cassel is available to come off the bench.
Running back. The starting lineup contains one familiar face (Matt Forte) and a newcomer, Julius Jones, the person that you, the Internet, said should replace Jamal Lewis. Forte faces the Green Bay Packers, while Jones gets the Houston Texans. If you want to bench one of them, we can call on Chris "Beanie" Wells.
Flex. One side benefit of following the People's Pigskin for fantasy football fans is that you will never have to wonder how to spell T.J. Houshmandzadeh's name again. Anyway, he gets the Texans, and Beanie Wells can take his spot if necessary.
Wide receiver. Two more familiar names here. Greg Jennings faces the Chicago Bears, while Chad Ochocinco gets the Minnesota Vikings. Nate Washington is waiting in the wings.
Defense/special teams. After a big Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles rank second in fantasy points. This week they get the New York Giants on Sunday night. The San Francisco 49ers are available on the bench.
The song remains the same at tight end (Jeremy Shockey) and kicker (Nick Folk).
The poll is up. This one, along with the two below it, will close Saturday night or Sunday morning. Be sure to vote, and be sure to enjoy tonight's Steelers-Browns game.
Thursday Morning Waiver Update
It was unanimous: All the voters in our waiver poll wanted the People's Pigskin to pick up Julius Jones to replace the injured Jamal Lewis. Jones is now part of the lineup.
Unfortunately, that takes care of only half of our fantasy football woes. Steve Slaton is also on injured reserve and needs a replacement selected by you, the Internet. Therefore, the poll is staying up, with Austin Collie taking the slot previously occupied by Jones. The poll will stay up through Saturday night. Please vote. We'll be back later today with the weekly lineup poll.
Unfortunately, that takes care of only half of our fantasy football woes. Steve Slaton is also on injured reserve and needs a replacement selected by you, the Internet. Therefore, the poll is staying up, with Austin Collie taking the slot previously occupied by Jones. The poll will stay up through Saturday night. Please vote. We'll be back later today with the weekly lineup poll.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
2-for-1 Waiver Special and Fearless Predictions
Before you ask, yes, the People's Pigskin has been informed that Steve Slaton has been put on injured reserve because of a nerve problem in his neck. That raises the number of sidelined running backs on our fantasy football team to two.
What to do? It turns out we already have the mechanism to replace Slaton. See that poll on the right side of the page -- the one originally set up to pick a substitute for Jamal Lewis? Well, now that poll is going to pull double duty. The top selections on that poll will be added to our lineup, one to replace Lewis and the other to replace Slaton. Please vote now. The poll closes tonight.
In the meantime, with another Thursday night game on our slate, it's time for a ridiculously early version of the Landshark Maniacs predictions. Last week's forecasts went 3-2, raising the season record to 37-28. And remember that each of these matchups are two-week affairs.
Northeast Dragons vs. Hawaiian Surfriders. This semifinal features Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and Sidney Rice on one side and Aaron Rodgers and Ricky Williams on the other. The Vikings are good, but they're not good enough to overcome the advantages the Dragons enjoy across the board. The top seed advances.
Big Lough O vs. Tinks Revenge. The other semifinal has Drew Brees and Maurice Jones-Drew on the same side. That's enough to ensure the second-seeded Lough Os advance to the final.
Southern Rebels vs. D.C. Destroyers. This consolation game pits the fifth and sixth seeds against each other. The big danger for the Rebels: If the Indianapolis Colts wrap up the home-field advantage this week or next, Peyton Manning will be shut down faster than Homer Simpson's power plant. The Destroyers will get the victory here.
People's Pigskin vs. Houston Wreckin' Crew. The winner of this match between the seventh and eighth seeds earns the right to face the Rebels-Destroyers winner for the title Best of the Rest. And if you don't know who the pick is here, you just haven't been paying attention.
T-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs vs. Ravens Fan T Sizzle. The ninth and tenth seeds face each other for the right not to finish last in the league. Both teams have an Indianapolis Colt who may be shut down (Reggie Wayne and Joseph Addai). The Sizzle has two receivers with less-than-healthy quarterbacks (Hines Ward and Calvin Johnson). The stumblrs will stumble their way to victory and face the loser of the Pigskin-Crew battle.
We'll be back tomorrow with a poll on this week's lineup.
What to do? It turns out we already have the mechanism to replace Slaton. See that poll on the right side of the page -- the one originally set up to pick a substitute for Jamal Lewis? Well, now that poll is going to pull double duty. The top selections on that poll will be added to our lineup, one to replace Lewis and the other to replace Slaton. Please vote now. The poll closes tonight.
In the meantime, with another Thursday night game on our slate, it's time for a ridiculously early version of the Landshark Maniacs predictions. Last week's forecasts went 3-2, raising the season record to 37-28. And remember that each of these matchups are two-week affairs.
Northeast Dragons vs. Hawaiian Surfriders. This semifinal features Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson and Sidney Rice on one side and Aaron Rodgers and Ricky Williams on the other. The Vikings are good, but they're not good enough to overcome the advantages the Dragons enjoy across the board. The top seed advances.
Big Lough O vs. Tinks Revenge. The other semifinal has Drew Brees and Maurice Jones-Drew on the same side. That's enough to ensure the second-seeded Lough Os advance to the final.
Southern Rebels vs. D.C. Destroyers. This consolation game pits the fifth and sixth seeds against each other. The big danger for the Rebels: If the Indianapolis Colts wrap up the home-field advantage this week or next, Peyton Manning will be shut down faster than Homer Simpson's power plant. The Destroyers will get the victory here.
People's Pigskin vs. Houston Wreckin' Crew. The winner of this match between the seventh and eighth seeds earns the right to face the Rebels-Destroyers winner for the title Best of the Rest. And if you don't know who the pick is here, you just haven't been paying attention.
T-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs vs. Ravens Fan T Sizzle. The ninth and tenth seeds face each other for the right not to finish last in the league. Both teams have an Indianapolis Colt who may be shut down (Reggie Wayne and Joseph Addai). The Sizzle has two receivers with less-than-healthy quarterbacks (Hines Ward and Calvin Johnson). The stumblrs will stumble their way to victory and face the loser of the Pigskin-Crew battle.
We'll be back tomorrow with a poll on this week's lineup.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The People's Assessment
The Landshark Maniacs regular season has come to an end, and for the People's Pigskin, it came to an end with a 74-70 loss to the D.C. Destroyers. Here's a breakdown of this week's results.
Matt Cassel, QB. The stats: 10 of 29 passing, 84 yards, 2 interceptions, 3 rushes for 17 yards, and 0 fantasy points. Cassel was pressed into service by the questions surrounding Kurt Warner's concussion. Maybe we would have been better off with this guy in the starting lineup.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 24 rushes for 91 yards and a touchdown, 1 reception for 5 yards, 1 fumble and 13 fantasy points. Another day of many touches and fewer yards than you might have a right to expect.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 13 rushes, 28 yards and 2 fantasy points. These stats are all the more glaring when you consider the way the Arizona Cardinals beat up the Minnesota Vikings.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Flex. The stats: 5 receptions, 37 yards and 3 fantasy points. Another underwhelming performance for T.J. and the rest of the Seattle Seahawks offense, despite their win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 6 receptions, 77 yards and 7 fantasy points. Jennings was targeted time and time again on Monday night, but he drew more than his fair share of pass interference penalties in an ugly contest against the Baltimore Ravens. These penalties were good for the Packers, but not the Pigskin.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 9 receptions, 137 yards, 1 touchdown and 19 fantasy points. If everyone else on the Pigskin had performed as well as Ochocinco, we might be contending for the title.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 4 receptions, 47 yards and 4 fantasy points. You'd think an offense like the New Orleans Saints would find more use for its tight end, especially when that offense needs overtime to beat the Washington Redskins.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 for 3 on field goals, 3 for 3 on extra points, and 4 fantasy points. It's a good thing Folk doesn't kick for Jim Zorn, or he'd be on the street right now.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 2 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown), 1 fumble recovery, 2 sacks, 7 points allowed and 18 fantasy points. Whew. That's better.
Bench. Kurt Warner scored 28 fantasy points. (Yes, that makes me want to scream, too.) Steve Slaton was inactive. Nate Washington scored 4.
The People's Pigskin ends the regular season in 7th place with a record of 5-9. However, our work is not over yet.
In 10-team ESPN fantasy football leagues, the top four teams make the playoffs. (Congratulations to the Northeast Dragons, Big Lough O, Tinks Revenge and the Hawaiian Surfriders for making the real postseason.) The other teams are put in a consolation bracket where No. 5 plays No. 6, No. 7 plays No. 8 and No. 9 plays No. 10. It's kind of like those holiday basketball tournaments where the winners meet in the championship in prime time while the losers have to be at the gym at the crack of dawn for their consolation match.
In our case, that means facing the Houston Wreckin' Crew in a two-week battle (kind of like a Jeopardy tournament final) for the right to play in the fifth-place match to end the season. And as you might have guessed from the recent poll about abandoned teams, the People's Pigskin does not believe in abandoning its fantasy football obligation simply because a team is in the consolation bracket. We will fight to the bitter end. (Insert your favorite rallying speech here.)
Be sure to vote in the waiver and trophy polls. We'll be back tomorrow with a ridiculously early set of predictions, followed by a poll on what to do with our lineup for week 1 against the Wreckin Crew.
Matt Cassel, QB. The stats: 10 of 29 passing, 84 yards, 2 interceptions, 3 rushes for 17 yards, and 0 fantasy points. Cassel was pressed into service by the questions surrounding Kurt Warner's concussion. Maybe we would have been better off with this guy in the starting lineup.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 24 rushes for 91 yards and a touchdown, 1 reception for 5 yards, 1 fumble and 13 fantasy points. Another day of many touches and fewer yards than you might have a right to expect.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 13 rushes, 28 yards and 2 fantasy points. These stats are all the more glaring when you consider the way the Arizona Cardinals beat up the Minnesota Vikings.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Flex. The stats: 5 receptions, 37 yards and 3 fantasy points. Another underwhelming performance for T.J. and the rest of the Seattle Seahawks offense, despite their win over the San Francisco 49ers.
Greg Jennings, WR. The stats: 6 receptions, 77 yards and 7 fantasy points. Jennings was targeted time and time again on Monday night, but he drew more than his fair share of pass interference penalties in an ugly contest against the Baltimore Ravens. These penalties were good for the Packers, but not the Pigskin.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 9 receptions, 137 yards, 1 touchdown and 19 fantasy points. If everyone else on the Pigskin had performed as well as Ochocinco, we might be contending for the title.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 4 receptions, 47 yards and 4 fantasy points. You'd think an offense like the New Orleans Saints would find more use for its tight end, especially when that offense needs overtime to beat the Washington Redskins.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 for 3 on field goals, 3 for 3 on extra points, and 4 fantasy points. It's a good thing Folk doesn't kick for Jim Zorn, or he'd be on the street right now.
Philadelphia Eagles, D/ST. The stats: 2 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown), 1 fumble recovery, 2 sacks, 7 points allowed and 18 fantasy points. Whew. That's better.
Bench. Kurt Warner scored 28 fantasy points. (Yes, that makes me want to scream, too.) Steve Slaton was inactive. Nate Washington scored 4.
The People's Pigskin ends the regular season in 7th place with a record of 5-9. However, our work is not over yet.
In 10-team ESPN fantasy football leagues, the top four teams make the playoffs. (Congratulations to the Northeast Dragons, Big Lough O, Tinks Revenge and the Hawaiian Surfriders for making the real postseason.) The other teams are put in a consolation bracket where No. 5 plays No. 6, No. 7 plays No. 8 and No. 9 plays No. 10. It's kind of like those holiday basketball tournaments where the winners meet in the championship in prime time while the losers have to be at the gym at the crack of dawn for their consolation match.
In our case, that means facing the Houston Wreckin' Crew in a two-week battle (kind of like a Jeopardy tournament final) for the right to play in the fifth-place match to end the season. And as you might have guessed from the recent poll about abandoned teams, the People's Pigskin does not believe in abandoning its fantasy football obligation simply because a team is in the consolation bracket. We will fight to the bitter end. (Insert your favorite rallying speech here.)
Be sure to vote in the waiver and trophy polls. We'll be back tomorrow with a ridiculously early set of predictions, followed by a poll on what to do with our lineup for week 1 against the Wreckin Crew.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday Update and Waiver Poll
The People's Pigskin walks into the Monday Night tussle at Lambeau Field with a sense of hope, if not exactly unbridled optimism.
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team currently trails the D.C. Destroyers by a score of 74-63. The Destroyers have no players in tonight's game between the Green Bay Packers and the Baltimore Ravens. The Pigskin has one player: Greg Jennings, who must score 11 fantasy points for a tie and 12 points for the win.
While we wait for the frozen cliches of Monday Night Football, it's time to discuss the waiver wire. Jamal Lewis has been placed on injured reserve, so there's no sense in keeping him on the roster. Therefore, we have a new poll asking you, the Internet, who should be picked up to take his spot. Here are the choices.
David Garrard. Currently 16th among quarterbacks with 134 fantasy points.
Jason Campbell. Currnelty 19th among quarterbacks with 126 fantasy points.
Julius Jones. Currently 34th among running backs with 74 fantasy points. (And apparently recovered from his lung injury, since he got 25 touches Sunday.)
Mike Bell. Currently 36th among running backs with 73 fantasy points.
Steve Breaston. Currently 35th among wide receivers with 72 fantasy points. (It's too bad our league doesn't credit him with return yards.)
Lee Evans. Currently 37th among wide receivers with 70 fantasy points.
This poll will close Wednesday night, so that a waiver claim can be processed in the wee hours of Thursday morning. Please vote, and enjoy the festivities from Wisconsin tonight.
The Internet's favorite fantasy football team currently trails the D.C. Destroyers by a score of 74-63. The Destroyers have no players in tonight's game between the Green Bay Packers and the Baltimore Ravens. The Pigskin has one player: Greg Jennings, who must score 11 fantasy points for a tie and 12 points for the win.
While we wait for the frozen cliches of Monday Night Football, it's time to discuss the waiver wire. Jamal Lewis has been placed on injured reserve, so there's no sense in keeping him on the roster. Therefore, we have a new poll asking you, the Internet, who should be picked up to take his spot. Here are the choices.
David Garrard. Currently 16th among quarterbacks with 134 fantasy points.
Jason Campbell. Currnelty 19th among quarterbacks with 126 fantasy points.
Julius Jones. Currently 34th among running backs with 74 fantasy points. (And apparently recovered from his lung injury, since he got 25 touches Sunday.)
Mike Bell. Currently 36th among running backs with 73 fantasy points.
Steve Breaston. Currently 35th among wide receivers with 72 fantasy points. (It's too bad our league doesn't credit him with return yards.)
Lee Evans. Currently 37th among wide receivers with 70 fantasy points.
This poll will close Wednesday night, so that a waiver claim can be processed in the wee hours of Thursday morning. Please vote, and enjoy the festivities from Wisconsin tonight.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Emergency Update
Another week, another last-second injury-related emergency. Just another day for this fantasy football democracy.
ESPN just reported (and by "just," I mean about 30 seconds ago) that Steve Slaton has been inactivated for today's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In light of that, the People's Pigskin has moved Steve Slaton to the bench in favor of Chris "Beanie" Wells, whose Arizona Cardinals play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night. You can see the updated lineup here and follow our matchup against the D.C. Destroyers here.
Good luck, everybody.
ESPN just reported (and by "just," I mean about 30 seconds ago) that Steve Slaton has been inactivated for today's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In light of that, the People's Pigskin has moved Steve Slaton to the bench in favor of Chris "Beanie" Wells, whose Arizona Cardinals play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night. You can see the updated lineup here and follow our matchup against the D.C. Destroyers here.
Good luck, everybody.
The People's Choice (and Some Visual Aids)
Thanks to those of you who voted in our lineup poll. You voted to leave our starting lineup the way it is now for our Landshark Maniacs matchup against the D.C. Destroyers. You can follow that matchup live by clicking here.
In the poll about what to do with an abandoned team, you voted to have the commissioner take it over. (Just make sure your commissioner isn't this guy.) The results for both polls can be found at the bottom of this post.
Now let's talk about something near and dear to every fantasy football player's heart: winning your league. We know there are plenty of leagues that offer cash, free entry or just bragging rights to its champion, but there are also plenty that go with the time-honored tradition of giving its victor a trophy.
Of course, trophies come in all manner of varieties. There are the traditional YMCA-style ones, as well as trophies that look like footballs mounted on a pedestal. There are cups that look like something out of a European soccer match. There are mugs that can be used to hold your favorite beverage on game day. There are plaques that remind you about the idiotic name you chose for your team before you knew it would be a contender.
When it comes down to it, you can make a fantasy football trophy out of just about anything. Yes -- anything. A quick Google search of fantasy football trophy images generated more than a few pictures on this theme: toilets. Some were for a last-place team, but some advertise themselves as being usable for champions. This one even points out that you have room for "year-after-year of championship names."
Since the main purpose of a trophy is to be displayed in a place where friends and foes can see it and be reminded of your athletic triumph, I would wonder where you would display a toilet seat trophy and whether you would dust it with a feather duster or one of these.
Anyway, today's poll is about trophies. It will be open all week. Please vote. We'll be back with an update on this week's matchup.
[polldaddy poll=2325997] [polldaddy poll=2316757]
In the poll about what to do with an abandoned team, you voted to have the commissioner take it over. (Just make sure your commissioner isn't this guy.) The results for both polls can be found at the bottom of this post.
Now let's talk about something near and dear to every fantasy football player's heart: winning your league. We know there are plenty of leagues that offer cash, free entry or just bragging rights to its champion, but there are also plenty that go with the time-honored tradition of giving its victor a trophy.
Of course, trophies come in all manner of varieties. There are the traditional YMCA-style ones, as well as trophies that look like footballs mounted on a pedestal. There are cups that look like something out of a European soccer match. There are mugs that can be used to hold your favorite beverage on game day. There are plaques that remind you about the idiotic name you chose for your team before you knew it would be a contender.
When it comes down to it, you can make a fantasy football trophy out of just about anything. Yes -- anything. A quick Google search of fantasy football trophy images generated more than a few pictures on this theme: toilets. Some were for a last-place team, but some advertise themselves as being usable for champions. This one even points out that you have room for "year-after-year of championship names."
Since the main purpose of a trophy is to be displayed in a place where friends and foes can see it and be reminded of your athletic triumph, I would wonder where you would display a toilet seat trophy and whether you would dust it with a feather duster or one of these.
Anyway, today's poll is about trophies. It will be open all week. Please vote. We'll be back with an update on this week's matchup.
[polldaddy poll=2325997] [polldaddy poll=2316757]
Friday, December 4, 2009
Some Light Weekend Reading
As you consider what to do with our lineup and how to vote in our poll on abandoned fantasy football teams, here are some links worthy of your clicking time.
Pay attention to that waiver wire. There will be a quiz. A North Carolina high school teacher named Michael Williams has won the Economic Educator of the Year Award from the North Carolina Council on Economic Education. His innovation: having students draft and track a fantasy football team to learn about supply and demand. (Assist to a fellow WordPress blogger, Gold and the Game, for finding this story.)
Can I nominate Matt Forte? For you fantasy players who think you couldn't pick a good team if your life were riding on the outcome, here's a Yahoo! list of the biggest draft busts of the past decade. The moral: Highly paid professionals can't get it right, either. The difference between you and the GMs who made these picks: They get cushy jobs after they fail. You just get laughed at by your closest friends.
You just traded Gonzalez for Cutler? Go to your room! Another fellow WordPress blogger, Jonathan's World (heads up: the site's artwork isn't exactly safe for work) offers an interesting post on whether children should play fantasy football. My opinion: Let them play. If we don't come up with creative ways to get kids interested in football, we may lose an entire generation in places like Cleveland.
Warning: This post has more than 140 characters. The Wall Street Journal (yes, the Wall Street-freaking Journal, the place that uses drawings instead of photos) has an article about how the National Football League has been changed by the invention of Twitter.
For example, there's the Larry Johnson saga. "Had Twitter not existed, or had the Chiefs forbade their players from tweeting, Mr. Johnson most likely would have awakened today as the Chiefs' all-time leading rusher, and still been owned in most leagues."
We'll be back tomorrow with some visual aids.
Pay attention to that waiver wire. There will be a quiz. A North Carolina high school teacher named Michael Williams has won the Economic Educator of the Year Award from the North Carolina Council on Economic Education. His innovation: having students draft and track a fantasy football team to learn about supply and demand. (Assist to a fellow WordPress blogger, Gold and the Game, for finding this story.)
Can I nominate Matt Forte? For you fantasy players who think you couldn't pick a good team if your life were riding on the outcome, here's a Yahoo! list of the biggest draft busts of the past decade. The moral: Highly paid professionals can't get it right, either. The difference between you and the GMs who made these picks: They get cushy jobs after they fail. You just get laughed at by your closest friends.
You just traded Gonzalez for Cutler? Go to your room! Another fellow WordPress blogger, Jonathan's World (heads up: the site's artwork isn't exactly safe for work) offers an interesting post on whether children should play fantasy football. My opinion: Let them play. If we don't come up with creative ways to get kids interested in football, we may lose an entire generation in places like Cleveland.
Warning: This post has more than 140 characters. The Wall Street Journal (yes, the Wall Street-freaking Journal, the place that uses drawings instead of photos) has an article about how the National Football League has been changed by the invention of Twitter.
For example, there's the Larry Johnson saga. "Had Twitter not existed, or had the Chiefs forbade their players from tweeting, Mr. Johnson most likely would have awakened today as the Chiefs' all-time leading rusher, and still been owned in most leagues."
We'll be back tomorrow with some visual aids.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Fearless Predictions - Week 13
This week is the last week of the regular season for the Landshark Maniacs. All 10 teams will have matchups for the next four weeks, but only four will have a shot at the championship.
It's too bad these predictions are ineligible for the playoffs. They went a solid 3-2 last week, boosting the season record to 34-26.
Peoples Pigskin vs. D.C. Destroyers. Yes, I see the Q that appeared this morning next to Steve Slaton's name. You know what? Even if he doesn't produce, the other players will, and the end result will be a face-saving Pigskin victory.
Tinks Revenge vs. T-day jacks 151rum stumblrs. We have some dueling Qs here (DeAngelo Williams and Visanthe Shiancoe), but the biggest injuries may be to Donovan McNabb's receivers. Chalk up a win for the Revenge here.
Ravens Fan T Sizzle vs. Northeast Dragons. Steven Jackson will get his share of points, but so will Aaron Rodgers, who will fuel a bounceback victory for the Dragons.
Hawaiian Surfriders vs. Big Lough O. Justin Forsett was a shrewd pickup, and Tom Brady seems like the kind of guy who will take out his frustrations over a lousy game by shredding his next opponent. That adds up to a win for the Lough Os.
Houston Wreckin' Crew vs. Southern Rebels. One of the things for which I was thankful last week was that I did not have to ask myself "What on earth is up with Jay Cutler?" this fantasy season. The Rebels bring too much to the table and roll to a win here.
There's still time to vote in our polls. We'll be back with more thoughts tomorrow.
It's too bad these predictions are ineligible for the playoffs. They went a solid 3-2 last week, boosting the season record to 34-26.
Peoples Pigskin vs. D.C. Destroyers. Yes, I see the Q that appeared this morning next to Steve Slaton's name. You know what? Even if he doesn't produce, the other players will, and the end result will be a face-saving Pigskin victory.
Tinks Revenge vs. T-day jacks 151rum stumblrs. We have some dueling Qs here (DeAngelo Williams and Visanthe Shiancoe), but the biggest injuries may be to Donovan McNabb's receivers. Chalk up a win for the Revenge here.
Ravens Fan T Sizzle vs. Northeast Dragons. Steven Jackson will get his share of points, but so will Aaron Rodgers, who will fuel a bounceback victory for the Dragons.
Hawaiian Surfriders vs. Big Lough O. Justin Forsett was a shrewd pickup, and Tom Brady seems like the kind of guy who will take out his frustrations over a lousy game by shredding his next opponent. That adds up to a win for the Lough Os.
Houston Wreckin' Crew vs. Southern Rebels. One of the things for which I was thankful last week was that I did not have to ask myself "What on earth is up with Jay Cutler?" this fantasy season. The Rebels bring too much to the table and roll to a win here.
There's still time to vote in our polls. We'll be back with more thoughts tomorrow.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Wednesday's "Oh, Crap" Update
The People's Pigskin has just learned that the Cleveland Browns have put Jamal Lewis on the injured reserve list. That means the end of his season (and possibly his career).
In light of this, we have moved T.J. Houshmandzadeh into the starting lineup. We've also updated the lineup poll.
Flex. Houshmandzadeh is now in that spot. If you vote to bench him, we can start Chris "Beanie" Wells.
Wide receiver. You can still vote to bench either Greg Jennings or Chad Ochocinco, but if you do so, Nate Washington will get that spot.
The poll is updated and open, along with the poll on abandoned fantasy football teams. We'll be back tomorrow with another early edition of the Landshark Maniacs predictions.
In light of this, we have moved T.J. Houshmandzadeh into the starting lineup. We've also updated the lineup poll.
Flex. Houshmandzadeh is now in that spot. If you vote to bench him, we can start Chris "Beanie" Wells.
Wide receiver. You can still vote to bench either Greg Jennings or Chad Ochocinco, but if you do so, Nate Washington will get that spot.
The poll is updated and open, along with the poll on abandoned fantasy football teams. We'll be back tomorrow with another early edition of the Landshark Maniacs predictions.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Last Week's Results (and This Week's Prospects)
The People's Pigskin had a simply awful week. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team was clobbered by the Hawaiian Surfriders by a score of 94-37. The Surfriders should get the credit for a great week, but the Pigskin got subpar results from everyone on its roster. Here's a brief breakdown:
Matt Cassel, QB. The stats: 19 of 31 passing for 178 yards, 6 rushes for 22 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 1 fumble and 9 fantasy points.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 8 rushes for 27 yards, 4 receptions for 34 yards and 5 fantasy points.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 8 rushes for 20 yards, 1 reception for 21 yards and 4 fantasy points.
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 4 receptions, 53 yards and 5 fantasy points.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR. The stats: 2 receptions, 14 yards and 1 fantasy point.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 3 receptions, 38 yards and 3 fantasy points.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 1 reception, 15 yards and 1 fantasy point.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 for 2 on field goals, 3 for 3 on PATs and 5 fantasy points.
Philadelphia Eagles, DEF/ST. The stats: 2 interceptions, 1 sack, 24 points allowed and 4 fantasy points.
Bench. Steve Slaton scored 9 fantasy points. Nate Washington scored 6. The San Francisco 49ers scored 17. Kurt Warner was inactivated shortly before his game.
The Pigskin's record is now 5-7. Next up is the D.C. Destroyers, another 5-7 team. Here's how our lineup looks now.
Quarterback. Matt Cassel remains in the starting spot for the moment, since Warner still seems to be battling concussion symptoms. If you believe he'll be cleared to play this Sunday, you can vote to move him into the lineup.
Running back. Matt Forte keeps his spot, and Steve Slaton returns to the starting roster. If you want either of them benched, Beanie Wells can take the spot.
Flex. This week's flex starter is Jamal Lewis. If you disagree with this, you can vote to put T.J. Houshmandzadeh in this spot.
Wide receiver. Back to the well we go with Greg Jennings and Chad Ochocinco. Again, Houshmandzadeh awaits if one of these receivers should be benched.
Defense/special teams. The Philadelphia Eagles remain in the starting lineup, unless you vote to put the San Francisco 49ers into that spot.
There are no changes at tight end (Jeremy Shockey) or kicker (Nick Folk).
The lineup poll is now open. Please vote. The lineup is in your hands. Thanks.
Matt Cassel, QB. The stats: 19 of 31 passing for 178 yards, 6 rushes for 22 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 1 fumble and 9 fantasy points.
Matt Forte, RB. The stats: 8 rushes for 27 yards, 4 receptions for 34 yards and 5 fantasy points.
Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB. The stats: 8 rushes for 20 yards, 1 reception for 21 yards and 4 fantasy points.
Greg Jennings, Flex. The stats: 4 receptions, 53 yards and 5 fantasy points.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR. The stats: 2 receptions, 14 yards and 1 fantasy point.
Chad Ochocinco, WR. The stats: 3 receptions, 38 yards and 3 fantasy points.
Jeremy Shockey, TE. The stats: 1 reception, 15 yards and 1 fantasy point.
Nick Folk, K. The stats: 1 for 2 on field goals, 3 for 3 on PATs and 5 fantasy points.
Philadelphia Eagles, DEF/ST. The stats: 2 interceptions, 1 sack, 24 points allowed and 4 fantasy points.
Bench. Steve Slaton scored 9 fantasy points. Nate Washington scored 6. The San Francisco 49ers scored 17. Kurt Warner was inactivated shortly before his game.
The Pigskin's record is now 5-7. Next up is the D.C. Destroyers, another 5-7 team. Here's how our lineup looks now.
Quarterback. Matt Cassel remains in the starting spot for the moment, since Warner still seems to be battling concussion symptoms. If you believe he'll be cleared to play this Sunday, you can vote to move him into the lineup.
Running back. Matt Forte keeps his spot, and Steve Slaton returns to the starting roster. If you want either of them benched, Beanie Wells can take the spot.
Flex. This week's flex starter is Jamal Lewis. If you disagree with this, you can vote to put T.J. Houshmandzadeh in this spot.
Wide receiver. Back to the well we go with Greg Jennings and Chad Ochocinco. Again, Houshmandzadeh awaits if one of these receivers should be benched.
Defense/special teams. The Philadelphia Eagles remain in the starting lineup, unless you vote to put the San Francisco 49ers into that spot.
There are no changes at tight end (Jeremy Shockey) or kicker (Nick Folk).
The lineup poll is now open. Please vote. The lineup is in your hands. Thanks.
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