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 Denver Broncos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Denver Broncos. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Our New Kicker (and London Calling)
First of all, thanks to those of you who voted on which kicker the People's Pigskin would claim off the waiver wire for this week's People's League matchup against the nuckin' futs. The winner of this poll was Jason Hanson, who has been added to the lineup in place of the unneeded Randy McMichael. (We hardly knew ye, Randy.) The results appear at the bottom of this post.
Now, it's time to turn our attention to the renewal of an annual NFL tradition. By "annual," of course, we mean "in the last few years." The National Football League, in its never-ending quest for more money fans, has instituted an International Series of games. This year's version has the Denver Broncos playing the San Francisco 49ers Sunday in London's Wembley Stadium.
The 49ers will make the journey without Alex Smith. (I'll leave it those players who have Smith on his roster to say whether that's a good thing.) The Broncos may be making the journey without their pride after the shelling they suffered at the hands of the Oakland Raiders last week.
There has been some debate about whether flying to and from London puts too much strain on an NFL team, even one that gets its bye week immediately after the game. But the New England Patriots probably would beg to differ. They hammered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year in London by a score of 35-7. Tom Brady threw three touchdowns, and the Patriots defense/special teams benefitted from an interception that Brandon Meriweather (yes, that Brandon Meriweather) returned for a touchdown.
The lesson: Just because a game is being played in an unusual time zone doesn't make the players any less relevant in fantasy football.
Remember to vote in our polls. The NASCAR polls will close Friday night, while the football polls will close Sunday morning.
[polldaddy poll=3984062]
Now, it's time to turn our attention to the renewal of an annual NFL tradition. By "annual," of course, we mean "in the last few years." The National Football League, in its never-ending quest for more money fans, has instituted an International Series of games. This year's version has the Denver Broncos playing the San Francisco 49ers Sunday in London's Wembley Stadium.
The 49ers will make the journey without Alex Smith. (I'll leave it those players who have Smith on his roster to say whether that's a good thing.) The Broncos may be making the journey without their pride after the shelling they suffered at the hands of the Oakland Raiders last week.
There has been some debate about whether flying to and from London puts too much strain on an NFL team, even one that gets its bye week immediately after the game. But the New England Patriots probably would beg to differ. They hammered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year in London by a score of 35-7. Tom Brady threw three touchdowns, and the Patriots defense/special teams benefitted from an interception that Brandon Meriweather (yes, that Brandon Meriweather) returned for a touchdown.
The lesson: Just because a game is being played in an unusual time zone doesn't make the players any less relevant in fantasy football.
Remember to vote in our polls. The NASCAR polls will close Friday night, while the football polls will close Sunday morning.
[polldaddy poll=3984062]
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]
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Fearless Football Predictions - Week 4
It's Saturday morning, so it's time to grab a coffee (or another beverage; we at the People's Pigskin are not here to judge) and peruse this week's predictions for the People's League. For the second consecutive week, the picks went 2-3, leaving us with a season record of 9-6.
People's Pigskin vs. t-day cuervonatersXXL. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team has only one player on a bye week (Dwayne Bowe) and only one injured player (Knowshon Moreno, who has been ruled out again). Our opponent has three injured players and six players with bye weeks. The numbers add up to another victory for the Pigskin.
Team z vs. Fighting Amish. Both rosters feature running backs with injury concerns. The Amish have Michael Vick, who seems to be unstoppable right now and has already locked up Comeback Player of the Decade honors. His numbers against the Washington Redskins should be enough to buggy whip the Amish to a third win.
Hudson Valley Hawks vs. Chicago VinSethBears. At least one of these 0-3 teams will get its first non-loss of the season. (Yes, they could tie, and that would mean the first non-loss for both teams.) The VinSethBears have not one, but two high-quality receivers listed as questionable. That may be one question mark too many. The Hawks taste victory for the first time this week.
nuckin' futs vs. cowboys romero. My heart would like to say that the Cowboys get off the mat this week. But my head sees big days for both Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald. The head wins, and so do the Futs.
NFL2K10 RedZone vs. Feely Her Up ... This one should come down to the wire on Monday night. The RedZones have two Patriots players facing a Miami defense that just made Braylon "Don't Drop Your Drink" Edwards look like an All-Pro. Those two players should help the RedZones erase a Feely lead and give them the victory.
Remember to vote on the lineup polls. They will close Sunday morning. We'll be back later with the NASCAR predictions.
People's Pigskin vs. t-day cuervonatersXXL. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team has only one player on a bye week (Dwayne Bowe) and only one injured player (Knowshon Moreno, who has been ruled out again). Our opponent has three injured players and six players with bye weeks. The numbers add up to another victory for the Pigskin.
Team z vs. Fighting Amish. Both rosters feature running backs with injury concerns. The Amish have Michael Vick, who seems to be unstoppable right now and has already locked up Comeback Player of the Decade honors. His numbers against the Washington Redskins should be enough to buggy whip the Amish to a third win.
Hudson Valley Hawks vs. Chicago VinSethBears. At least one of these 0-3 teams will get its first non-loss of the season. (Yes, they could tie, and that would mean the first non-loss for both teams.) The VinSethBears have not one, but two high-quality receivers listed as questionable. That may be one question mark too many. The Hawks taste victory for the first time this week.
nuckin' futs vs. cowboys romero. My heart would like to say that the Cowboys get off the mat this week. But my head sees big days for both Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald. The head wins, and so do the Futs.
NFL2K10 RedZone vs. Feely Her Up ... This one should come down to the wire on Monday night. The RedZones have two Patriots players facing a Miami defense that just made Braylon "Don't Drop Your Drink" Edwards look like an All-Pro. Those two players should help the RedZones erase a Feely lead and give them the victory.
Remember to vote on the lineup polls. They will close Sunday morning. We'll be back later with the NASCAR predictions.
Friday, September 24, 2010
The People's Results - Dover
The leaves are starting to change in certain parts of the country (and so are the quarterbacks), but one thing that isn't changing is your level of enthusiasm for the People's Pitstop. You, the Internet, have selected the lineup that will represent the Web's favorite fantasy NASCAR team this weekend in Dover. Here are the results.
A List. Jimmie Johnson, who is gunning for a fifth straight Sprint Cup, won this week's vote (and starting spot) over Denny Hamlin.
B List. Another week, another tie. This time, it's a four-way draw between Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and David Reutimann. The two top qualifiers will start for the People's Pitstop. And if Matt Kenseth starts, it will be his last start for us this season.
C List. There must be something about Scott Speed. He won this poll yet again and will make his fifth start for us this season. Sam Hornish Jr., whose future is still up in the air, will sit on the bench.
You can see the poll results below. Thanks for voting, and if you haven't already voted on the People's Pigskin lineup, please vote on those polls now.
Oh, and if anyone is driving down to Dover for the weekend, would they mind picking me up a few football tickets? (Just kidding.)
UPDATED 6:30 P.M. The qualifying session is over, and Johnson confirmed your confidence in him by winning the freaking pole (and earning us a 10-point bonus). Hamlin qualified 4th; he stays on the bench but give us a 1-point bonus. Speed qualified 20th, or a single spot ahead of Hornish.
The B List qualifying competition was probably the tightest in the People's Pitstop's history. Your starters are Newman (13th) and Kenseth (14th; Sunday will indeed be his swan song for us). Kahne (16th) and Reutimann (17th) will sit on the bench.
And a football note. Knowshon Moreno was declared out for Sunday's game between the Denver Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts because of a hamstring injury. It's too late to alter the poll, but you can rest assured that the People's Pigskin will not start him Sunday. Who should we put in his place? If you haven't voted, do so now.
We'll be back with some predictions.
[polldaddy poll=3789689] [polldaddy poll=3789695] [polldaddy poll=3789709]
A List. Jimmie Johnson, who is gunning for a fifth straight Sprint Cup, won this week's vote (and starting spot) over Denny Hamlin.
B List. Another week, another tie. This time, it's a four-way draw between Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne and David Reutimann. The two top qualifiers will start for the People's Pitstop. And if Matt Kenseth starts, it will be his last start for us this season.
C List. There must be something about Scott Speed. He won this poll yet again and will make his fifth start for us this season. Sam Hornish Jr., whose future is still up in the air, will sit on the bench.
You can see the poll results below. Thanks for voting, and if you haven't already voted on the People's Pigskin lineup, please vote on those polls now.
Oh, and if anyone is driving down to Dover for the weekend, would they mind picking me up a few football tickets? (Just kidding.)
UPDATED 6:30 P.M. The qualifying session is over, and Johnson confirmed your confidence in him by winning the freaking pole (and earning us a 10-point bonus). Hamlin qualified 4th; he stays on the bench but give us a 1-point bonus. Speed qualified 20th, or a single spot ahead of Hornish.
The B List qualifying competition was probably the tightest in the People's Pitstop's history. Your starters are Newman (13th) and Kenseth (14th; Sunday will indeed be his swan song for us). Kahne (16th) and Reutimann (17th) will sit on the bench.
And a football note. Knowshon Moreno was declared out for Sunday's game between the Denver Broncos and the Indianapolis Colts because of a hamstring injury. It's too late to alter the poll, but you can rest assured that the People's Pigskin will not start him Sunday. Who should we put in his place? If you haven't voted, do so now.
We'll be back with some predictions.
[polldaddy poll=3789689] [polldaddy poll=3789695] [polldaddy poll=3789709]
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.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
How to Treat Cuts
For most fantasy football players, one of the hardest parts of the last week in August, other than watching the last preseason games, is making sure their draft picks actually can take the field when the season gets started.
National Football League teams had until Tuesday to get their rosters down to 75 players. This round of cuts was not the deepest (next week, that 75-player roster has to get down to 53), but it was extensive, and it can affect your roster if you're not careful.
With that in mind, here's a survival strategy for the season of The Turk.
1. Draft as late as possible. If your draft was in early August, you might know someone who took a late-round flyer on Antonio Bryant or Derrick Ward. That's why the People's League plans to hold its draft the night before Labor Day. (By the way, we still need six teams to join, so feel free to join now.)
2. Know who was cut. This is not as easy as it seems. A lot of the "usual suspect" Web sites don't seem to have a list of all the people released by 32 NFL teams. This seems to be the closest thing ESPN has to such a list. At least it does let you know that the Broncos running attack won't include Huggy Bear's kid.
3. Know your terms. The NFL seems to have more lists than the folks who put together the Top Ten of Everything books. The injured reserve list (home of Jim Sorgi and Sinorice Moss) is for players whose seasons are over. The physically unable to perform list (where Sidney Rice resides) is for players who are injured but could still contribute to their teams during the season. Then there's the "waived failed physical" list, which means the player is off a roster but free to sign elsewhere. And if the player was put on the list by the Bengals, the player's agent is free to crucify the team for it.
By the way, the Bengals may not actually have these folks on its medical staff, but they may want to consider getting some second opinions.
We'll be back with a look at this week's NASCAR track.
National Football League teams had until Tuesday to get their rosters down to 75 players. This round of cuts was not the deepest (next week, that 75-player roster has to get down to 53), but it was extensive, and it can affect your roster if you're not careful.
With that in mind, here's a survival strategy for the season of The Turk.
1. Draft as late as possible. If your draft was in early August, you might know someone who took a late-round flyer on Antonio Bryant or Derrick Ward. That's why the People's League plans to hold its draft the night before Labor Day. (By the way, we still need six teams to join, so feel free to join now.)
2. Know who was cut. This is not as easy as it seems. A lot of the "usual suspect" Web sites don't seem to have a list of all the people released by 32 NFL teams. This seems to be the closest thing ESPN has to such a list. At least it does let you know that the Broncos running attack won't include Huggy Bear's kid.
3. Know your terms. The NFL seems to have more lists than the folks who put together the Top Ten of Everything books. The injured reserve list (home of Jim Sorgi and Sinorice Moss) is for players whose seasons are over. The physically unable to perform list (where Sidney Rice resides) is for players who are injured but could still contribute to their teams during the season. Then there's the "waived failed physical" list, which means the player is off a roster but free to sign elsewhere. And if the player was put on the list by the Bengals, the player's agent is free to crucify the team for it.
By the way, the Bengals may not actually have these folks on its medical staff, but they may want to consider getting some second opinions.
We'll be back with a look at this week's NASCAR track.
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.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Brandon, Jimmie et al
Today's post is designed to satisfy both sets of fans of the People's Pigskin: those who love fantasy football and those who love fantasy racing.
First, here's the racing information. There is still time to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Texas. But we need to issue a quick reminder. According to Yahoo Fantasy Auto Racing's rules (which you can read in full by clicking here), a team is only allowed to start a certain driver nine times during the course of the Sprint Cup season. And this is a season that lasts until a week before Thanksgiving.
Therefore, when you vote, you might want to remember that certain drivers have already made frequent appearances in the starting lineup. For example, Jimmie Johnson has appeared four times so far, so we can use him only five more times this season, and we might want to use him during the Chase, when he won four races last year. Similarly, Matt Kenseth has made five appearances (and has four left), while Kevin Harvick has made four appearances (and has five left). Just saying.
Now, on to the fantasy football news. The Miami Dolphins traded a pair of draft picks to the Denver Broncos in exchange for headache/wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Who does this affect? First and foremost, ESPN's Christopher Harris says the trade helps Chad Henne, who may finally get to run a grown-up NFL offense now. Second, the good folks at Shutdown Corner say the trade may seal Ted Ginn's fate. Third...well, I'd say how this affects the Broncos starting quarterback, but that would suggest I knew who that will be.
Anyway, we will be back tomorrow with some facts about this week's race. Until then, feel free to vote.
First, here's the racing information. There is still time to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Texas. But we need to issue a quick reminder. According to Yahoo Fantasy Auto Racing's rules (which you can read in full by clicking here), a team is only allowed to start a certain driver nine times during the course of the Sprint Cup season. And this is a season that lasts until a week before Thanksgiving.
Therefore, when you vote, you might want to remember that certain drivers have already made frequent appearances in the starting lineup. For example, Jimmie Johnson has appeared four times so far, so we can use him only five more times this season, and we might want to use him during the Chase, when he won four races last year. Similarly, Matt Kenseth has made five appearances (and has four left), while Kevin Harvick has made four appearances (and has five left). Just saying.
Now, on to the fantasy football news. The Miami Dolphins traded a pair of draft picks to the Denver Broncos in exchange for headache/wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Who does this affect? First and foremost, ESPN's Christopher Harris says the trade helps Chad Henne, who may finally get to run a grown-up NFL offense now. Second, the good folks at Shutdown Corner say the trade may seal Ted Ginn's fate. Third...well, I'd say how this affects the Broncos starting quarterback, but that would suggest I knew who that will be.
Anyway, we will be back tomorrow with some facts about this week's race. Until then, feel free to vote.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
A Football-Related Interlude
Yes, this blog still covers fantasy football, and yes, the National Football League is having a busy offseason. From the fantasy perspective, some of the recent football headlines don't really carry a lot of long-term weight ("Coin Flip Irks Jets Owner," for instance). Some of them, of course, may have profound consequences for your next fantasy draft, which is only ... wow, four and a half months away.
Here are a few of the developments that deserve your attention as fantasy fans.
The Big Brown Quarterback Purge. It's been quite a week for Mike Holmgren and Company. First the Cleveland Browns acquired Seneca Wallace from the Seattle Seahawks. Then the Browns showed Derek Anderson the door. Then the Browns picked up Jake Delhomme from the scrap heap (that is, if anyone still getting millions from the Carolina Panthers can be considered a "scrap heap" candidate). Then the Browns dealt Brady Quinn to the Denver Broncos for, among other things, Peyton Hillis.
Who's the winner here? Right now it looks like Quinn, whose competition for starting status just went from Derek Anderson to Kyle Orton. It's certainly not the Browns, whose new starter has to prove that he still knows how to complete a pass to someone other than the other team's safety.
L-D-T-Is a JET! JET! JET! Just a couple of years ago, LaDainian Tomlinson was the clear-cut, no-brainer first choice in every fantasy draft in America. This spring he got a new title: salary-cap casualty. After a visit with the Minnesota Vikings went nowhere, Tomlinson found a new home with the New York Jets. The Jets can use whatever he has left in the tank, and Tomlinson has to be happy that his primary competition for playing time (for the moment) is Shonn Greene.
So, About That Tim Guy... If you buy the thesis that Tim Tebow was the greatest college football player of all time, then it had to hurt to hear that the former Florida Gators quarterback has throwing issues that could affect his professional future. However, if you thought that college football had produced better players (Herschel Walker, anyone?), then the news that Tebow may not be an instant Canton candidate was less earth-shattering. Either way, Tebow's supposed to unveil a new-and-improved motion at Florida's pro day Wednesday. It better be good; the NFL draft is only a month away.
We'll be back tomorrow with some more thoughts on racing.
Here are a few of the developments that deserve your attention as fantasy fans.
The Big Brown Quarterback Purge. It's been quite a week for Mike Holmgren and Company. First the Cleveland Browns acquired Seneca Wallace from the Seattle Seahawks. Then the Browns showed Derek Anderson the door. Then the Browns picked up Jake Delhomme from the scrap heap (that is, if anyone still getting millions from the Carolina Panthers can be considered a "scrap heap" candidate). Then the Browns dealt Brady Quinn to the Denver Broncos for, among other things, Peyton Hillis.
Who's the winner here? Right now it looks like Quinn, whose competition for starting status just went from Derek Anderson to Kyle Orton. It's certainly not the Browns, whose new starter has to prove that he still knows how to complete a pass to someone other than the other team's safety.
L-D-T-Is a JET! JET! JET! Just a couple of years ago, LaDainian Tomlinson was the clear-cut, no-brainer first choice in every fantasy draft in America. This spring he got a new title: salary-cap casualty. After a visit with the Minnesota Vikings went nowhere, Tomlinson found a new home with the New York Jets. The Jets can use whatever he has left in the tank, and Tomlinson has to be happy that his primary competition for playing time (for the moment) is Shonn Greene.
So, About That Tim Guy... If you buy the thesis that Tim Tebow was the greatest college football player of all time, then it had to hurt to hear that the former Florida Gators quarterback has throwing issues that could affect his professional future. However, if you thought that college football had produced better players (Herschel Walker, anyone?), then the news that Tebow may not be an instant Canton candidate was less earth-shattering. Either way, Tebow's supposed to unveil a new-and-improved motion at Florida's pro day Wednesday. It better be good; the NFL draft is only a month away.
We'll be back tomorrow with some more thoughts on racing.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Week 3 notes
Here are some random thoughts about the dress rehearsal weekend that is week 3 of the NFL preseason.
At this point, no one expects Bill Belichick & Co. to reveal anything more about his plans and players than the National Football League forces them, but at some point don't you have to play the BS card on this stuff? The "football decision" regarding Tom Brady was "making sure New England's Meal Ticket isn't flattened like a flapjack in a meaningless game by Albert Haynesworth." Frankly, I'm surprised New England admitted that the Tom Brady part that was sore was his shoulder.
(What does this have to do with where and whether to draft Brady? Umm, I'll get back to you.)
I was driving friends home from the airport Sunday evening, so I did not see Kyle Orton's injury. But after what happened with Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall this season, would anyone blame the Broncos for saying, "Um, we're cancelling the rest of our preseason. The reason? Ummm...snow! That's it!"
I'm not concerned at all about the fact that LaDainian Tomlinson, Terrell Owens, Willie Parker and Carson Palmer have been taking time off this preseason. If those folks don't know how to play with their teammates by now, it's time for them to just hang em up, already. Michael Crabtree? That's another story. He's running the very real risk of becoming irrelevant to fantasy players this season. Clearly, his agent is not a fantasy player.
Speaking of fantasy, by the time many of you read this, The People's Pigskin will have drafted its team. Expect a new poll shortly.
(One more thing: We got an award. You like me! You really, really like me! Check it out on the right.)
At this point, no one expects Bill Belichick & Co. to reveal anything more about his plans and players than the National Football League forces them, but at some point don't you have to play the BS card on this stuff? The "football decision" regarding Tom Brady was "making sure New England's Meal Ticket isn't flattened like a flapjack in a meaningless game by Albert Haynesworth." Frankly, I'm surprised New England admitted that the Tom Brady part that was sore was his shoulder.
(What does this have to do with where and whether to draft Brady? Umm, I'll get back to you.)
I was driving friends home from the airport Sunday evening, so I did not see Kyle Orton's injury. But after what happened with Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall this season, would anyone blame the Broncos for saying, "Um, we're cancelling the rest of our preseason. The reason? Ummm...snow! That's it!"
I'm not concerned at all about the fact that LaDainian Tomlinson, Terrell Owens, Willie Parker and Carson Palmer have been taking time off this preseason. If those folks don't know how to play with their teammates by now, it's time for them to just hang em up, already. Michael Crabtree? That's another story. He's running the very real risk of becoming irrelevant to fantasy players this season. Clearly, his agent is not a fantasy player.
Speaking of fantasy, by the time many of you read this, The People's Pigskin will have drafted its team. Expect a new poll shortly.
(One more thing: We got an award. You like me! You really, really like me! Check it out on the right.)
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