Now that the NFL teams are scrambling like mad to get ready for their season, like a student putting together a term paper the night before its due date, we, the fans, are going to get inundated with all sorts of stories and reports. Unfortunately, most of them will feature the words "sources say" or "reportedly."
True, a few of the NFL items of the last 24 hours have been concrete announcements, but they have been the types of items that should come as a surprise to no one. (The Carolina Panthers offering Charles Johnson a long-term contract? What a shock!) But the more common stories involves things like the Denver Broncos reportedly looking to trade Kyle Orton, or the Dallas Cowboys reportedly planning to cut Marion Barber and Roy Williams, or the Tennessee Titans reportedly looking to sign Matt Hasselbeck.
The one saving grace for the fantasy football player is that you're probably not drafting your team this week. In fact, this is why it's always a good idea to hold your draft as close as is feasible to the start of the regular season. Not only do you want to know what will happen to this tidal wave of free agents, but you want to make sure your starting fantasy players do not have immediate competition for playing time because their general manager made a deal.
This is going to sound like a copout, but it's also the only strategy that makes sense right now.
Stay tuned.
Showing posts with label Dallas Cowboys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dallas Cowboys. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Fearless Football Predictions - Week 7
You still have a couple of hours to vote on the People's Pigskin lineup for this week, but in the meantime, it's time to offer you a much-delayed set of predictions for the People's League. Last week's fantasy football forecasts went a disappointing 2-3, leaving us with a season record of 16-14.
People's Pigskin vs. Team z. Yes, the Internet's favorite fantasy football team has some questions this week, particularly with Peyton Manning having a bye week. But we also have plenty of options at other positions, including Knowshon Moreno facing an Oakland Raiders defense that gives up rushing yards in bunches. The Pigskin will keep rolling along with another win.
Feely Her Up ... vs. Hudson Valley Hawks. This game really could go either way. The edge goes to Adrian Peterson, who gets to face a Green Bay Packers defense that is redefining the term "banged up." He'll get the points, and the Hawks will squeak out a victory.
NFL2K10 RedZone vs. Fighting Amish. Ray Rice just has to be salivating at the thought of bouncing back from last week's heart-breaker by humilating the winless Buffalo Bills. His points should prove to be the winning margin for the Amish.
nuckin' futs vs. Chicago VinSethBears. Drew Brees, say hello to the Cleveland Browns, who are missing two of their best weapons (thanks to James Harrison) and will probably be handing you the ball more often than they would like. Futs, say hello to a winning record.
cowboys romero vs. t-bay cuervonatersXXL. The Monday night game is crucial not only for the Dallas Cowboys, but also for these two fantasy squads. If Tony Romo wants to be known for something other than screwing up that playoff kick, he needs to kick it into high gear against the Giants. That should be enough for the Cuervonaters to pull out a victory.
Remember, you can still vote on the Pigskin lineup, but please hurry. The results from the "worst NFL team" poll appear below. We'll be back shortly with the lineup results.
[polldaddy poll=3938286]
People's Pigskin vs. Team z. Yes, the Internet's favorite fantasy football team has some questions this week, particularly with Peyton Manning having a bye week. But we also have plenty of options at other positions, including Knowshon Moreno facing an Oakland Raiders defense that gives up rushing yards in bunches. The Pigskin will keep rolling along with another win.
Feely Her Up ... vs. Hudson Valley Hawks. This game really could go either way. The edge goes to Adrian Peterson, who gets to face a Green Bay Packers defense that is redefining the term "banged up." He'll get the points, and the Hawks will squeak out a victory.
NFL2K10 RedZone vs. Fighting Amish. Ray Rice just has to be salivating at the thought of bouncing back from last week's heart-breaker by humilating the winless Buffalo Bills. His points should prove to be the winning margin for the Amish.
nuckin' futs vs. Chicago VinSethBears. Drew Brees, say hello to the Cleveland Browns, who are missing two of their best weapons (thanks to James Harrison) and will probably be handing you the ball more often than they would like. Futs, say hello to a winning record.
cowboys romero vs. t-bay cuervonatersXXL. The Monday night game is crucial not only for the Dallas Cowboys, but also for these two fantasy squads. If Tony Romo wants to be known for something other than screwing up that playoff kick, he needs to kick it into high gear against the Giants. That should be enough for the Cuervonaters to pull out a victory.
Remember, you can still vote on the Pigskin lineup, but please hurry. The results from the "worst NFL team" poll appear below. We'll be back shortly with the lineup results.
[polldaddy poll=3938286]
Friday, September 3, 2010
NFL Polls and Notes
Those of you interested in helping the People's Pitstop set its lineup for Sunday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway still have a few hours to vote on those polls. And those fantasy football fans who are interested in helping the People's Pigskin set the top of its draft board have some new polls available under the NASCAR ones.
So far, you, the Internet, have decided that and Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice and Frank Gore should be the top five players on our draft board. You also decided that Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers should be our top quarterbacks, that Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Marshall should be our top wide receivers, that Dallas Clark should be our top tight end and that the New York Jets should be our top defense/special teams.
You'll have until Sunday evening to vote on the newest football polls. They will close shortly before the People's League draft, which is scheduled for 9 p.m. EDT. By the way, we still need three players to sign up for this league. Any takers? Click here.
In the meantime, here are a few stories fantasy football players should be following as the regular season (mercifully) approaches.
Pittsburgh pitfalls: The good news is that Ben Roethlisberger didn't do anything egregious over the last few months, so he will miss only the first four games of the season. The bad news is that Byron Leftwich may not be so lucky.
Leftwich, the quarterback still best known for getting a lift from his linemen, was expected to fill in for Roethlisberger during his suspension. But that was before Leftwich sprained his knee Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers. That means either Dennis Dixon or Charlie Batch will get the starting spot. For fantasy football fans, it means you might want to downgrade Pittsburgh's receivers (and running backs, since defenses will be less nervous about stuffing the box) until Batch/Dixon proves that they can get the job done.
Denouement in the desert: We knew the Arizona Cardinals would have a hard time filling the dancing shoes of Kurt Warner. What we did not know was that Matt Leinart, the former Heisman Trophy winner who has watched Warner for the last few years and presumably has absorbed Ken Whisenhunt's system, would fail to hold off Cleveland Browns castoff Derek Anderson. By the time you read this post, Leinart could be traded to another team or on the street.
If you have Larry Fitzgerald on your team, it's OK to be nervous. If you have Beanie Wells or Tim Hightower, it's OK to salivate over the handoffs they might be getting next week.
Game 4's not for them: The National Football League is considering switching from a four-game preseason to a two-game one. Those who are probably in favor of that right about now include LenDale White (out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon),Montario Hardesty (out with a torn ACL) and Albert Haynesworth (who played the whole game and probably wishes he were injured Thursday night).
In happier news: Patrick Crayton has a new home, while Vincent Jackson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh may soon get theirs. Stay tuned.
We'll be back later with results from the NASCAR polls.
So far, you, the Internet, have decided that and Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice and Frank Gore should be the top five players on our draft board. You also decided that Drew Brees, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers should be our top quarterbacks, that Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Marshall should be our top wide receivers, that Dallas Clark should be our top tight end and that the New York Jets should be our top defense/special teams.
You'll have until Sunday evening to vote on the newest football polls. They will close shortly before the People's League draft, which is scheduled for 9 p.m. EDT. By the way, we still need three players to sign up for this league. Any takers? Click here.
In the meantime, here are a few stories fantasy football players should be following as the regular season (mercifully) approaches.
Pittsburgh pitfalls: The good news is that Ben Roethlisberger didn't do anything egregious over the last few months, so he will miss only the first four games of the season. The bad news is that Byron Leftwich may not be so lucky.
Leftwich, the quarterback still best known for getting a lift from his linemen, was expected to fill in for Roethlisberger during his suspension. But that was before Leftwich sprained his knee Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers. That means either Dennis Dixon or Charlie Batch will get the starting spot. For fantasy football fans, it means you might want to downgrade Pittsburgh's receivers (and running backs, since defenses will be less nervous about stuffing the box) until Batch/Dixon proves that they can get the job done.
Denouement in the desert: We knew the Arizona Cardinals would have a hard time filling the dancing shoes of Kurt Warner. What we did not know was that Matt Leinart, the former Heisman Trophy winner who has watched Warner for the last few years and presumably has absorbed Ken Whisenhunt's system, would fail to hold off Cleveland Browns castoff Derek Anderson. By the time you read this post, Leinart could be traded to another team or on the street.
If you have Larry Fitzgerald on your team, it's OK to be nervous. If you have Beanie Wells or Tim Hightower, it's OK to salivate over the handoffs they might be getting next week.
Game 4's not for them: The National Football League is considering switching from a four-game preseason to a two-game one. Those who are probably in favor of that right about now include LenDale White (out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon),Montario Hardesty (out with a torn ACL) and Albert Haynesworth (who played the whole game and probably wishes he were injured Thursday night).
In happier news: Patrick Crayton has a new home, while Vincent Jackson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh may soon get theirs. Stay tuned.
We'll be back later with results from the NASCAR polls.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Yes, Virginia, You Should Watch Preseason
Most fans of the National Football League, even the ones who watched "Big Fan" and thought "What a lightweight," find preseason football about as stimulating as listening to this guy. However, in between your perusal of things such as Christopher Harris' list of "must-draft players," Brad Evans' ADP Progress Report and Bill Simmons' analysis of the 10 types of holdouts, all fantasy football players should find some room in their busy August schedules to catch a few preseason games.
I'm not saying you should shell out the legalized-extortion money that teams charge fans to come to their stadiums and see future high school coaches play for an entire half. I'm also not saying you need to stay tuned for every last two-minute drill. But I am saying that preseason games can offer some clues about how certain players will be used in the regular season (and whether said players are worthy of our draft/auction consideration). A few examples:
Who will carry the rock? (And I don't mean Rex Ryan's gut): Giants vs. Jets, Monday, Aug. 16, ESPN. Ryan has already signaled that he will break with NFL tradition by playing his starters beyond the first quarter. But he has not shown his hand when it comes to his starting running back. LaDainian Tomlinson is the newcomer and a former fantasy MVP, but he's taken more abuse than the Bluesmobile. Shonn Greene has been called the Jets "bell cow," but how many mistakes would it take for him to find the bench?
Playing a game of catch: Cowboys at Texans, Saturday, Aug. 28, CBS. Miles Austin saved many a fantasy player's bacon with his breakout 2009 season. But Roy Williams seems to be eager to dispel the notion that the Cowboys paid a king's ransom for a court jester. And then there's Dez Bryant, who's out of his cast and may be ready to play when this game comes around. And we haven't even discussed the potential of a Kim Kardashian factor yet.
Some people call me ... Tim: Steelers at Broncos, Sunday, Aug. 29, Fox. The Broncos could have simply traded for Brady Quinn and had him match up with Kyle Orton in an old-fashioned quarterback competition. Instead, they traded up to get Tim Tebow and throw a monkey wrench at every fantasy football player. Tebow is a truly long shot for the starting job, at least in his rookie season. But what happens if the Broncos decide to use him in some option packages? Will they have to make Quinn or Orton the emergency third quarterback? Will we be able to draft Tebow as a tight end? Will we be able to take him seriously after this?
(Those of you who have NFL Network will get a head start on the rest of us. They'll be broadcasting Denver's game against the Bengals on Sunday.)
All of the above: Eagles at Bengals, Friday, August 20, Fox. Then there are games like this one that offer multiple questions. How will Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick split their quarterback snaps? Can Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens co-exist once they realize that only one of them will be the Bengals' No. 1 receiver? Who's going to fill Michael Westbrook's shoes as both a running back and a target of fantasy players' ire?
You can wait like everyone else to read the game stories, or you can watch and try to answer these questions for yourself.
We'll be back with our NASCAR predictions.
I'm not saying you should shell out the legalized-extortion money that teams charge fans to come to their stadiums and see future high school coaches play for an entire half. I'm also not saying you need to stay tuned for every last two-minute drill. But I am saying that preseason games can offer some clues about how certain players will be used in the regular season (and whether said players are worthy of our draft/auction consideration). A few examples:
Who will carry the rock? (And I don't mean Rex Ryan's gut): Giants vs. Jets, Monday, Aug. 16, ESPN. Ryan has already signaled that he will break with NFL tradition by playing his starters beyond the first quarter. But he has not shown his hand when it comes to his starting running back. LaDainian Tomlinson is the newcomer and a former fantasy MVP, but he's taken more abuse than the Bluesmobile. Shonn Greene has been called the Jets "bell cow," but how many mistakes would it take for him to find the bench?
Playing a game of catch: Cowboys at Texans, Saturday, Aug. 28, CBS. Miles Austin saved many a fantasy player's bacon with his breakout 2009 season. But Roy Williams seems to be eager to dispel the notion that the Cowboys paid a king's ransom for a court jester. And then there's Dez Bryant, who's out of his cast and may be ready to play when this game comes around. And we haven't even discussed the potential of a Kim Kardashian factor yet.
Some people call me ... Tim: Steelers at Broncos, Sunday, Aug. 29, Fox. The Broncos could have simply traded for Brady Quinn and had him match up with Kyle Orton in an old-fashioned quarterback competition. Instead, they traded up to get Tim Tebow and throw a monkey wrench at every fantasy football player. Tebow is a truly long shot for the starting job, at least in his rookie season. But what happens if the Broncos decide to use him in some option packages? Will they have to make Quinn or Orton the emergency third quarterback? Will we be able to draft Tebow as a tight end? Will we be able to take him seriously after this?
(Those of you who have NFL Network will get a head start on the rest of us. They'll be broadcasting Denver's game against the Bengals on Sunday.)
All of the above: Eagles at Bengals, Friday, August 20, Fox. Then there are games like this one that offer multiple questions. How will Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick split their quarterback snaps? Can Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens co-exist once they realize that only one of them will be the Bengals' No. 1 receiver? Who's going to fill Michael Westbrook's shoes as both a running back and a target of fantasy players' ire?
You can wait like everyone else to read the game stories, or you can watch and try to answer these questions for yourself.
We'll be back with our NASCAR predictions.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Fantasy Preview Review - Sporting News
Our look at the fantasy football magazines taking over your newsstand like so much ivy continues with another well-known brand.
Sporting News Fantasy Football
Vital stats: $7.99, 148 pages with a 2-page pullout sheet, 397 offensive players (294 ranked) and 170 defensive players (105 ranked) previewed.
Top 10 picks: If you are playing in the typical 10-team league, the Sporting News has put your draft's first round right on its cover. It says you should take Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice, Michael Turner, Steven Jackson, Andre Johnson, DeAngelo Williams, Drew Brees and Frank Gore.
Well, maybe not: The Sporting News "experts" held a 12-team draft, and they forgot to read their own cover. Two of the top 10 draft choices were used on Aaron Rodgers (a slight surprise, but nothing more) and Shonn Greene (a legitimate jaw-dropper).
Intriguing nugget: Like many fantasy football magazines, this one offers a peek at each team's schedule. Unlike most magazines, this one highlights the games that are likely to occur during your league's playoffs. For example, in weeks 14-16, the Dallas Cowboys face three teams (Philadelphia, Washington and Arizona) that "finished in the top nine in sacks last season."
Head scratcher: These folks tell us this about the notion of paying attention to preseason hype: "We can almost throw this one out without thinking about it." But then, what does that make this magazine?
Kicker rule obeyed? To quote Judd Nelson from "The Breakfast Club," not even close, bud. In the 12-team draft of Sporting News experts, four picked a kicker before the last round. The magazine's assessment? "Eight of the final 12 picks in the draft were kickers, which is how it should be." That's right; fantasy football rules should be followed only two-thirds of the time.
Listen up: While everyone else is all worked up about a certain quarterback who, as of this writing, has neither reported for training camp nor filed retirement papers with the NFL, this magazine does a good job of informing fantasy football players about the very real possibility that we will have no football in the 2011 season.
Two options that are raised (and dashed quickly) are fantasy CFL and fantasy college football. "Tyler Sheehan, Donald Buckram, James Cleveland? These aren't congressmen running for re-election; they're the No. 3 passer, No. 6 runner and No. 8 receiver, respectively, in college football last season."
We'll be back with a look at this week's NASCAR site.
Sporting News Fantasy Football
Vital stats: $7.99, 148 pages with a 2-page pullout sheet, 397 offensive players (294 ranked) and 170 defensive players (105 ranked) previewed.
Top 10 picks: If you are playing in the typical 10-team league, the Sporting News has put your draft's first round right on its cover. It says you should take Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice, Michael Turner, Steven Jackson, Andre Johnson, DeAngelo Williams, Drew Brees and Frank Gore.
Well, maybe not: The Sporting News "experts" held a 12-team draft, and they forgot to read their own cover. Two of the top 10 draft choices were used on Aaron Rodgers (a slight surprise, but nothing more) and Shonn Greene (a legitimate jaw-dropper).
Intriguing nugget: Like many fantasy football magazines, this one offers a peek at each team's schedule. Unlike most magazines, this one highlights the games that are likely to occur during your league's playoffs. For example, in weeks 14-16, the Dallas Cowboys face three teams (Philadelphia, Washington and Arizona) that "finished in the top nine in sacks last season."
Head scratcher: These folks tell us this about the notion of paying attention to preseason hype: "We can almost throw this one out without thinking about it." But then, what does that make this magazine?
Kicker rule obeyed? To quote Judd Nelson from "The Breakfast Club," not even close, bud. In the 12-team draft of Sporting News experts, four picked a kicker before the last round. The magazine's assessment? "Eight of the final 12 picks in the draft were kickers, which is how it should be." That's right; fantasy football rules should be followed only two-thirds of the time.
Listen up: While everyone else is all worked up about a certain quarterback who, as of this writing, has neither reported for training camp nor filed retirement papers with the NFL, this magazine does a good job of informing fantasy football players about the very real possibility that we will have no football in the 2011 season.
Two options that are raised (and dashed quickly) are fantasy CFL and fantasy college football. "Tyler Sheehan, Donald Buckram, James Cleveland? These aren't congressmen running for re-election; they're the No. 3 passer, No. 6 runner and No. 8 receiver, respectively, in college football last season."
We'll be back with a look at this week's NASCAR site.
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.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
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]
Friday, November 6, 2009
Fearless Predictions - Week 9
If it's Friday, it must be time for another round of forecasts for the Landshark Maniacs fantasy football league. Last week's predictions went an embarassing 1-4, lowering the season record to 18-22. Comeback time, baby!
Peoples Pigskin vs. Northeast Dragons. You, the Internet, have gotten this team this far. The prediction here is for a Pigskin victory that sets the tone for a playoff drive.
D.C. Destroyers vs. T-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs. Too bad the Vikings are on a bye week. DeSean Jackson will fall short of the "experts" 21-point target, leading to a close win for the Destroyers.
Houston Wreckin' Crew vs. Hawaiian Surfriders. Regardless of which Dallas receiver is truly No. 1 (or playing like No. 2), the receivers will put up points and deliver a win for the Crew.
Ravens Fan T Sizzle vs. Big Lough O. The Sizzle bye week holes are a bigger issue than the Lough O injuries. The win goes to the Lough Os.
Tinks Revenge vs. Southern Rebels. This is a game that won't be settled until the Monday night game is over. Roethlisberger will put up just enough points to get the Rebels over the top.
We'll be back tomorrow with some more recommended reading. In the meantime, be sure to vote in our polls. Every vote counts.
Peoples Pigskin vs. Northeast Dragons. You, the Internet, have gotten this team this far. The prediction here is for a Pigskin victory that sets the tone for a playoff drive.
D.C. Destroyers vs. T-bay jacks 151rum stumblrs. Too bad the Vikings are on a bye week. DeSean Jackson will fall short of the "experts" 21-point target, leading to a close win for the Destroyers.
Houston Wreckin' Crew vs. Hawaiian Surfriders. Regardless of which Dallas receiver is truly No. 1 (or playing like No. 2), the receivers will put up points and deliver a win for the Crew.
Ravens Fan T Sizzle vs. Big Lough O. The Sizzle bye week holes are a bigger issue than the Lough O injuries. The win goes to the Lough Os.
Tinks Revenge vs. Southern Rebels. This is a game that won't be settled until the Monday night game is over. Roethlisberger will put up just enough points to get the Rebels over the top.
We'll be back tomorrow with some more recommended reading. In the meantime, be sure to vote in our polls. Every vote counts.
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